Money moves

See the numbers before you move the money

Worked examples with the calculation, the documents and the risks side by side. Every figure is illustrative, and every rule links to its source.

Worked examples

• 
  UK → US · Illustrative example

  Move £500,000 between your UK and US accounts

  Compare transfer proceeds after fees; source tax is a separate question.

  US$3,749.81 more received with Quote B

  See the steps
• 
  UK → China; USD settlement · Illustrative example

  Pay a US$240,000 overseas supplier invoice

  Compare the cash required for the same net invoice payment.

  £1,163.62 lower transfer outlay with Quote B

  See the steps
• 
  UK → US · Illustrative example

  Fund a US subsidiary with £1 million of equity

  Match the cash transfer to a documented capital subscription.

  US$1.25m capital; no automatic repayment right

  See the steps
• 
  US → UK; GBP loan · Illustrative example

  Lend £600,000 from a US group firm to the UK

  Separate the loan principal, interest payment and tax withheld.

  £7,200 withheld; final lender tax is separate

  See the steps
• 
  UK property; onward destination unspecified · Illustrative example

  Separate property-sale cash from the gain

  Calculate the sale gain and the cash balance independently.

  £830k cash / £530k gain before reliefs

  See the steps
• 
  UK individual → US-person adult child · Illustrative example

  Gift £200,000 to an adult child in the US

  Keep gift evidence and reporting obligations with the transfer.

  US$250,000 received; reporting is not a tax bill

  See the steps
• 
  Overseas investor → UK company · Illustrative example

  Receive £1 million from an overseas investor

  New shares put capital into the company and dilute existing holders.

  Investor 20% / existing holders 80%

  See the steps
• 
  UK individual → UK limited company · Illustrative example

  Lend £200,000 of personal funds to your company

  Record principal and interest separately from salary or dividends.

  £10,000 gross annual interest; final tax separate

  See the steps
• 
  UK business cash planning · Illustrative example

  Find the usable cash inside a £320,000 balance

  Reserve known commitments and stress-test delayed customer payments.

  Delayed collections turn surplus into a £5k gap

  See the steps
• 
  UK business-to-business finance illustration · Illustrative example

  Price the early cash from a £100,000 invoice

  Invoice finance changes timing and introduces a funding cost.

  £2,052.05 funding cost; no extra revenue

  See the steps
• 
  Generic education; UK publication perimeter · Illustrative example

  Understand the arithmetic of rebalancing

  Compare current holdings with a target chosen independently.

  £100,000 portfolio before costs and tax

  See the steps

Calculators

Put in your own numbers and see what you could save before you move any money.

• Currency transfer cost

  Compare how much actually arrives from two or three transfer quotes for the same amount sent.

  Open calculator

• Pay a foreign invoice

  Find how much you need to send so a fixed foreign-currency invoice is paid in full.

  Open calculator

• Cash buffer and planning surplus

  Separate tax, planned spending and a safety buffer from the cash you could plan with.

  Open calculator

• Invoice finance cost

  See the advance, the fees and what comes back later when you finance an unpaid invoice.

  Open calculator

• Target difference

  Work out the gap between what you hold now and target amounts you have already chosen.

  Open calculator

What do you want your money to do?

• make · beginner

  Keep more of each sale

  See where fees, direct costs and discounts reduce your margin.

  Members get: A contribution-margin worksheet and break-even price comparison.

  Illustrative unit economics; exclude VAT consistently and include refunds, fulfilment and variable costs. A higher price can reduce demand.

  Official source
• make · beginner

  Invoice correctly the first time

  Reduce avoidable invoice queries.

  Members get: Invoice completeness checklist with purchase-order, supply-date and VAT fields.

  Invoice and VAT rules depend on the entity and supply. A complete invoice does not guarantee collection.

  Official source
• make · intermediate

  Use deposits and milestones

  Match payment timing to project delivery.

  Members get: Contract discussion prompts and milestone cash-flow model.

  Customer terms, refund obligations and VAT tax points require review. Do not describe a deposit as earned profit automatically.

  Official source
• make · beginner

  Recover overdue invoices

  Build a documented reminder and escalation process.

  Members get: Ageing dashboard, reminder templates and late-payment eligibility checklist.

  Contractual and statutory rights differ; debt recovery can harm a relationship. Do not apply consumer rules to commercial debts.

  Official source
• make · intermediate

  Turn unpaid invoices into working capital

  Compare invoice finance with waiting for collection.

  Members get: Advance, fee, financing-cost and recourse calculator.

  Finance accelerates cash rather than creating profit. Check customer eligibility, disputed debts, recourse, security and all fees.

  Official source
• make · advanced

  Fund an export order

  Map the cash required before an overseas buyer pays.

  Members get: Order-to-cash timeline, finance/insurance questions and UKEF eligibility links.

  Cover and financing are conditional; currency, buyer, country and sanctions risks remain.

  Official source
• make · intermediate

  Reinvest with a payback plan

  Compare a growth project with preserving liquidity.

  Members get: Incremental cash-flow, payback and downside worksheets.

  Projected revenue is uncertain. Capital-allowance relief does not make unneeded spending profitable.

  Official source
• use · beginner

  Build your 13-week cash plan

  Spot a cash shortfall before it becomes urgent.

  Members get: Weekly inflow/outflow schedule with base and delayed-payment scenarios.

  Forecast dates and probabilities must be updated; profit is not cash.

  Official source
• use · beginner

  Keep tax money available

  Separate expected tax commitments from spendable cash.

  Members get: Tax due-date calendar and reserve inputs reviewed by an accountant.

  A planning reserve is not legally ring-fenced. Liability calculations depend on tax year, income, VAT and payroll.

  Official source
• use · advanced

  Review salary, dividends and expenses

  Understand the lawful routes for personal remuneration.

  Members get: Scenario comparison showing company cost, personal receipts and missing inputs.

  Dividends require available profits and paperwork; payroll and benefit rules apply. No universal optimum salary or guaranteed tax saving.

  Official source
• use · advanced

  Consider an employer pension contribution

  Compare retirement funding with taking cash now.

  Members get: Contribution checklist and adviser handoff with annual-allowance questions.

  Check remuneration justification, annual allowance, taper, money-purchase allowance and access restrictions. Tax treatment needs a current adviser review.

  Official source
• use · intermediate

  Repay money you lent your company

  Separate repayment of loan principal from remuneration.

  Members get: Loan ledger reconciliation, original funding evidence and repayment record.

  Confirm the debt is genuine and the company can pay; interest has separate tax/reporting treatment. Do not disguise earnings as loan repayment.

  Official source
• use · intermediate

  Compare buying, leasing and financing

  See total cash cost across the same period.

  Members get: Deposit, instalment, interest, maintenance, residual-value and tax-assumption table.

  Check ownership, early-exit charges, security, VAT and allowance eligibility. Lower monthly cost may mean higher total cost.

  Official source
• use · beginner

  Compare debt repayment with saving

  Check the cost of debt against the net return on cash.

  Members get: After-fee comparison retaining an emergency buffer.

  Priority debts and penalties matter. Company and personal debt decisions differ; retain required liquidity.

  Official source
• save · beginner

  Set an emergency reserve

  Plan for an interruption to income.

  Members get: Essential-spending worksheet and user-chosen reserve scenarios.

  The reserve size is a personal planning assumption; avoid promising a universal number. Accessibility and deposit eligibility matter.

  Official source
• save · beginner

  Match cash to when you need it

  Separate immediate bills, planned spending and longer-term money.

  Members get: Time-bucket planner that shows withdrawal restrictions and liquidity gaps.

  Time horizon alone does not establish investment suitability; cash can lose purchasing power.

  Official source
• save · beginner

  Check your ISA allowance

  Understand a tax wrapper before choosing an investment.

  Members get: Tax-year allowance tracker and cash-versus-investment risk explanation.

  ISA eligibility and subscription rules apply; an ISA is a wrapper, and investments inside it can fall. Current 2026/27 overall limit is £20,000; reverify at publication.

  Official source
• save · intermediate

  Map bank protection by licence

  See when different bank brands share a protection limit.

  Members get: Bank-licence exposure map and official FSCS checker links.

  As checked 5 Nov 2026, standard cover is £120,000 per eligible depositor per authorised firm. Shared licences aggregate. Business eligibility varies; safeguarding is different.

  Official source
• save · beginner

  Compare savings after tax and fees

  Compare the net amount retained over the same period.

  Members get: Gross interest, fees, withdrawal rules and user-supplied tax scenario calculator.

  Rates can change, fixed terms restrict access and personal allowances are not company allowances.

  Official source
• save · intermediate

  Check VAT cash-accounting eligibility

  Review whether VAT timing better follows customer receipts.

  Members get: Eligibility checklist and timing comparison with normal accounting.

  Input VAT recovery timing also changes. The scheme has exclusions and turnover tests; it is not a tax reduction.

  Official source
• save · intermediate

  Plan qualifying business equipment

  Check relief before buying equipment you actually need.

  Members get: Asset-class checklist and cost-versus-tax-relief worksheet.

  AIA/full-expensing eligibility and disposal charges differ. Relief reduces taxable profit, not necessarily tax pound for pound.

  Official source
• invest · intermediate

  Write an investment policy

  Record objectives, liquidity needs and permitted risks.

  Members get: A blank policy template and questions for an authorised adviser.

  Educational organisation only; no personalised security selection or buy/sell instruction.

  Official source
• invest · beginner

  Understand diversification

  See how concentration changes exposure to a loss.

  Members get: Interactive educational portfolio buckets without recommended allocations.

  Diversification does not eliminate market loss. Correlations and liquidity can change.

  Official source
• invest · beginner

  Measure investment fee drag

  See how recurring costs affect an illustrative outcome.

  Members get: User-entered platform, fund, dealing and FX fee calculator.

  Assumed returns are not forecasts; include tax and investment risk separately. No provider ranking based on undisclosed commissions.

  Official source
• invest · intermediate

  Understand portfolio rebalancing

  See the arithmetic of returning to a chosen mix.

  Members get: Drift diagram and educational before/after calculator.

  User-defined targets are not endorsed allocations. Sales can incur tax, costs and market risk; no trade execution.

  Official source
• invest · advanced

  Review pension limits before funding

  Identify the facts an adviser needs before a large contribution.

  Members get: Annual-allowance, relevant-earnings and prior-contribution checklist.

  Employer and personal contribution relief differ. Taper, carry forward and access rules need fact-specific review.

  Official source
• invest · advanced

  Evaluate a holding-company structure

  See ownership, cash flow and commercial purpose together.

  Members get: Entity map plus formation, distributions, financing and adviser-cost checklist.

  A holding company does not automatically remove tax, protect against every creditor or justify artificial charges. Obtain legal and multi-jurisdiction tax advice.

  Official source
• invest · advanced

  Compare expansion with acquisition

  Assess purchase price, funding and integration cash needs.

  Members get: Due-diligence question pack and downside cash model.

  Asset/share purchases, liabilities and taxes differ. No assurance that an acquisition generates value.

  Official source
• transfer · beginner

  Compare the amount that arrives

  See the effect of both exchange rate and fees.

  Members get: Same-time, same-budget comparison including sender, intermediary and recipient charges.

  Quotes, limits and settlement times change; fees may be unknown until confirmed. The cheapest quote may have different protection.

  Official source
• transfer · intermediate

  Pay an overseas supplier

  Connect the invoice, beneficiary and payment purpose.

  Members get: Document checklist, approval steps and payment-reference template.

  Verify goods/services, sanctions, duties, VAT and account changes. A transfer confirmation is not delivery proof.

  Official source
• transfer · intermediate

  Move savings between your accounts

  Prepare a traceable transfer of your own money.

  Members get: Ownership, source-of-funds, destination and tax-residence checklist.

  The transfer method does not settle the underlying tax position; historic foreign income and residence rules need review.

  Official source
• transfer · advanced

  Document an intercompany loan

  Classify funding as an actual loan with repayment terms.

  Members get: Loan purpose, rate, currency, tenor, approval and related-party evidence pack.

  Transfer pricing, interest deductibility, withholding, thin-capitalisation and local rules can apply; SME exemptions are not universal.

  Official source
• transfer · advanced

  Fund an overseas subsidiary with equity

  Understand how equity funding differs from a loan.

  Members get: Board-resolution, subscription, ownership and destination-reporting checklist.

  Legal form, local registration and tax treatment require both-country advice. A personal transfer is not automatically company capital.

  Official source
• transfer · advanced

  Make a documented family gift

  Record that money is an outright gift and why.

  Members get: Gift-letter checklist, donor records and cross-border questions.

  UK inheritance-tax, retained benefit, residence and destination reporting rules may apply. Do not promise gifts are universally tax-free.

  Official source
• transfer · advanced

  Check residence before moving funds

  Ask the right tax questions before transferring historic overseas funds.

  Members get: Residence timeline and source/year classification worksheet.

  The four-year FIG regime replaced the remittance basis on 6 April 2025 but historic remittance-basis funds can remain relevant. Local and UK specialist advice is needed.

  Official source
• protect · beginner

  Verify the recipient before paying

  Reduce the risk of an unauthorised destination change.

  Members get: Independent callback, payee-detail and dual-approval checklist.

  Known contact channels must be verified independently; small test payments do not prove a transaction is legitimate. Never split payments to evade checks.

  Official source
• protect · beginner

  Check the provider and permissions

  Find the operating legal entity and verify its permissions.

  Members get: Official FCA checker links and clone-firm warning prompts.

  Authorisation does not mean every service is covered or every loss protected. Use official register contact details.

  Official source
• protect · intermediate

  Build a source-of-funds pack

  Make the transaction story easy to evidence.

  Members get: Checklist linking bank statements, contract, sale, loan or inheritance to payment purpose.

  Banks and providers determine required checks. The pack is not an AML certificate or guarantee of acceptance; do not upload unnecessary identity documents.

  Official source
• protect · beginner

  Keep company and personal money distinct

  Show who owns each account and each obligation.

  Members get: Entity/account map and transaction classification checklist.

  Separate legal entities require accurate records. Moving money between accounts does not itself make it a business expense.

  Official source
• protect · intermediate

  Know when to use a professional

  Identify which decision requires tax, legal or regulated investment expertise.

  Members get: Handoff brief with relevant facts, questions and source links.

  A membership disclaimer does not remove regulatory obligations. Tax advice, promotions, investment recommendations and payments have distinct boundaries.

  Official source
• protect · intermediate

  Keep a minimal evidence vault

  Organise useful documents with controlled access.

  Members get: Document index, expiry/retention settings, redaction and export tools.

  Collect only necessary personal data. Define purpose, lawful basis, retention, deletion and access logs before uploads launch.

  Official source
• protect · intermediate

  Plan for a payment disruption

  Prepare alternative access and authorisation for essential payments.

  Members get: Payment calendar, approval coverage and contingency checklist.

  Alternative banking must still pass normal identity and transaction checks. Do not treat backup accounts as a way around sanctions or controls.

  Official source

These are educational examples, not customer results, tax rulings or advice. Your facts and each country's rules matter.