GBI celebrates landmark 50th issue in the ever-evolving tax-efficient space | GBI 50 | March 2025

Celebrating 50 editions of GBI Magazine

Hello, and welcome to this special 50th issue of GBI Magazine! We’re very excited to bring you this landmark edition, filled with exclusive content for you to mull over as we move ever closer to a new tax year.

Seeing as this is our 50th issue, we kick things off with a look back at how GBI Magazine first came about. In this informative piece, our very own Director and Managing Partner Paul Wilson details GBI’s evolution over the past decade or so, from a special supplement to a standalone title in the tax-efficient investment space.

Next, we bring you an in-depth discussion with Will Fraser-Allen, Managing Partner at Albion Capital. Will also recently joined us on a special GBI episode of IFA Talk, our weekly podcast on IFA Magazine, to talk all things VCTs which recently entered their 30th year. Will shares his insights for how and why advisers can best position VCTs as part of a diverse portfolio on page 9.

As Paul mentions in his reflective piece, we are celebrating more than a decade of GBI Magazine, in an industry which has seen a great deal of change. With that in mind, we reached out to several industry experts to find out what changes they’ve seen with tax-efficient investments over the past decade, and how they expect it to further evolve over the next 10 years. You can check out their insights on page 12.

After that, we bring you some fascinating insight on EIS carry-back relief from Jenson Ventures. This study reveals how it can be a strategic approach to tax-efficient investing by explaining the art of time-shifted tax relief and providing some practical applications for this method.

The second half of this special 50th issue is all about tax year end, something our readers will have seen plenty about over on our website as of late. We start this off with a deep-dive into how you can make the most of tax-efficient investments, courtesy of our very own Senior Financial Journalist, Jenny Hunter, with quotes from an array of industry experts. 

Then, 7IM’s Andy Bolden explores various tax-efficient strategies, including flexible ISAs, pension contributions and Capital Gains Tax deferral through EIS and VCT. Andy highlights how individuals can maximise savings and tax benefits, along with ensuring long-term financial security. 

With tax year end on the horizon, we sat down with a familiar face to find out more about how advisers can unlock the power of EIS and SEIS for their clients. Christiana Stewart-Lockhart of EISA joins us to discuss some practical strategies for minimising tax burdens, the most valuable tax-saving opportunities, and the impact of recent changes to CGT on tax-efficient investments.

Lastly, Puma’s Investment Product Manager George Clelland provides his insight into how VCTs can be a powerful tax planning tool for retirees. He outlines the ways in which VCTs help in navigating income tax liabilities and future IHT concerns effectively. 

As ever, our Open Offers section features a selection of tax-efficient investment opportunities for your clients.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy this very special 50th issue of GBI Magazine. We look forward to bringing you plenty more issues over the coming years!

Matt Williams
GBI Magazine Editor