AJ Bell Money Matters

Your easy tax toolkit

On the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast this week, Danni and Laura reveal that more than half of Brits in relationships are keeping some spending secret from their partner - find out what they’re buying.

We also hear from Abbie Glew, accountant at The Orenda Collective - as 2025 comes to an end, the deadline for self-assessment tax returns draws closer. But how do you know if you need to file one? We break down all the key dates and share Abbie's top tools to set yourself up for a great 2026.

Getting minted from Vinted

This week on the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura explain how finances have changed in the past 50 years for women in the UK.

We also speak to Elena Assimakolpoulos, a social media influencer with thousands of followers, who shares her top tips on making money from side hustles. From starting with selling books and then clothes in 2021, she's been able to make it her full time job and start investing for her future.

Why male allies can help close gender gaps

In this week's episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura discuss how taxes could change in this month's Budget, and break down what they actually mean for your finances.

Ahead of International Men's Day, we also hear from Lee Chambers from Male Allies UK, who helps challenge systems and barriers that historically elevate men and leave women behind. He shines a light on how men need to be involved in creating equitable workplaces, and what steps men can take to support our cause.

What is active and passive investing?

This week on the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Charlene discuss rumours about the upcoming budget and how they could affect your finances.

We also hear from Alex Farrell from the AJ Bell Investments team as we answer one of our listeners' questions. We're all about removing jargon, so what does active investing and passive investing mean? We're breaking down firstly what ETFs and funds are, and how they can be used to build a portfolio based on your long-term financial goals.

Jargon-free economics and how to stay cyber-safe

This week on the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura share tips on how to keep your finances safe from cyber attacks. With M&S and Jaguar Land Rover facing cyberattacks, what steps can you take to look after your money?

We also hear from ex-wealth manager Zoe Burt as she helps de-jargon economics. The UK economy is frequently in the news and impacts our household finances, but with terms like 'GDP' and 'fiscal drag' hitting the headlines, it can be tricky to stay in the loop. Zoe and Danni walk through these financial terms to boost your knowledge and help you feel better about your finances.

Inheritance tax and retiring solo with AJ Bell's pension guru

This week Danni and Laura simplify the complicated rules and thresholds around inheritance tax.

We also speak to Lisa Webster, AJ Bell's senior technical consultant, about how to prepare for retirement considering women tend to have longer lives than men. The gender pension gap affects single women the most, so what steps can you take now to look after future-you? Life has a particular way of throwing us curve balls, so hear our experts share their actionable tips, no matter your circumstances.

Top tips to get ahead in the workplace with The 30% Club

On the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast this week, Danni and Charlene discuss how the gender pension gap varies from state pension to private pensions, and why this matters for your retirement planning.

We also speak to Chair of The 30% Club, Pavita Cooper, about how to get ahead in the workplace. She shares her top tips to gaining a promotion, insightful observations about social media's influence on our careers, and how she has sculpted a fulfilling career led by ambition and balanced with family commitments.

How to start a business with CEO Liz Dimmock

On this week's episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Laura and Danni discuss a whopping gender gap when parents gift money to their children, and why this strangely might not be such bad news.

We also hear from Liz Dimmock, CEO and founder of mentoring enterprise Moving Ahead. From a corporate life to following her instincts, and now supporting women across the UK get the help they need to succeed, Liz shares her top tips plus some great money confessions. As a single mum, Liz also explains how she's learnt to let go of rigid planning and embrace change.

Helping women's careers with Smart Works

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura discuss common financial changes in the summer months with both of them on the cusp of big life events.

We also speak to Anna Hemmings, chief executive of our charity partner Smart Works. The mission? To support unemployed women across the UK who need help getting into work through coaching, clothing and confidence. Anna shares how she got the job herself and how to set yourself up for career success.

Who pays for parenthood? And what's happening with Lifetime ISAs?

This week on the AJ Bell Money Matters podcast, Danni and Laura discuss parental leave with a focus on paternity pay as the government plans an overhaul that benefits not only the economy, but also women's wallets.

We're also joined by our guest Funmi Olufunwa, a financial educator, qualified mortgage adviser and finance lawyer, who recently gave evidence to the Treasury Committee about the Lifetime ISA. We walk through the main features of the account, as well as recommendations from the Government on how it could be improved to ensure you get the most bang for your buck.