The burden of proof

BBC Radio 4's Money Box
Saturday 3 May
at 1204 BST
On Radio 4 and Online Read the transcript (14 pages)

Six months after the government announced a major increase in inheritance tax thresholds, some families fear they may not benefit.

In October the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, told the Commons that a widow or widower would normally have a double inheritance tax allowance when they died.

But only if they had inherited all of their late spouse's estate.

And finding the documentary proof of that can be a challenge, as Bob Howard found out.

Paul Lewis got a response from the Revenue's Claire Merrills.

Further information/related stories:

HMRC reassures families over IHTNew tax changes explained Inheritance tax and wills: your questions Your views: Inheritance tax Inheritance tax threshold raisedSisters lose European tax battleExternal links and helplines

FSA Retail Distribution Review

The city watchdog, the Financial Services Authority (FSA), is proposing radical reforms to the way we buy our financial advice.

At present, many financial advisers rely on commission paid by product providers, and the FSA says this can lead to mis-selling.

It wants to prevent advisers from calling themselves "independent" if they receive commission.

We heard contrasting views from Stephen Haddrill of the Association of British Insurers and Chris Cummings from Association of Independent Financial Advisers (AIFA).

And then from Amanda Bowe, head of the FSA's Retail Distribution Review.

Further information/related stories:

Have Your Say: Financial adviceAdvisers' commissions under fire Call for free money advice scheme Commission 'caused mis-selling'External links and helplines

Women's pensions

Money Box has highlighted many times the issue of women whose state pensions are reduced as a result of incomplete national insurance contributions.

Under a special concession, women with gaps in their contribution history between April 1996 and April 2002 can "buy back" the missing years at a reduced rate until April 2010.

The government has identified a particular group of women who should benefit, and who will shortly receive letters from the Pension Service inviting them to claim the extra money.

Any extra state pension entitlement they receive will be backdated to the time they first started receiving their pension.

If the amount due is more than the cost of paying the extra contributions, then they will receive a lump sum as well as an enhanced pension in the future.

Pension Minister Mike O'Brien explained what will happen.

Further information/related stories:

Pension boost for married womenPensions staff gave wrong advicePensions boost for older womenPension loss claim 'irresponsible' Top twenty pension questions External links and helplines

HBOS and RBS rights issue

HBOS has followed the Royal Bank of Scotland in going to private shareholders to raise billions of pounds of extra funding in the wake of the credit crunch.

Existing shareholders will be offered discounted shares.

So what should they bear in mind?

We asked Gavin Oldham, chief executive of the Share Centre.

Further information/related stories:

HBOS to raise £4bn in share sale RBS sets out £12bn rights issueShare rights issues explained Robert Peston's blog: HBOS's massive u-turnUK bank share pricesExternal links and helplines

"Tesco Property Market" caused some controversy when it launched in June last year.

It offered a do-it-yourself home selling service for £199, but High Street estate agents accused Tesco of effectively being an estate agent without complying with laws which govern them.

The Office of Fair Trading looked into it, and in October Tesco withdrew the DIY sales element of the site.

Now it looks set to sell the business to the estate agent Spicerhaart.

Further information/related stories:

Tesco eyes property website sale Tesco suspends its property sales Tesco moves into property sales

BBC Radio 4's Money Box was broadcast on Saturday, 3 May 2008 at 1204 BST.

The programme was repeated on Sunday, 4 May 2008 at 2102 BST.