Probate fees are set to rise to up to £20,000 from May. At present, they are never any higher than £215. Is there anything you can do to protect your loved ones from the higher cost? Or at the least, is there anything you can do to prepare? An expert answers.

Average property prices are expected to rise by over £50,000 within the next five years, economists predict. While the rate of house price growth is expected to slow over the next two years as Brexit negotiations take place, by the end of this year prices are still expected to be around £9,000 higher than in 2016. The Centre for Economics and Business Research said the cost of a home in the UK will be roughly £220,000 by the end of the year and £272,000 by 2021.

Although average pot size has increased across the board, men have saved £73,600, nearly three times the £24,900 held by women, according to the research by Aegon. The firm believes the pension freedom reforms in 2015 are a major reason behind the recent massive growth in the size of retirement pots. The changes gave over-55s direct control over their retirement pots, and heightened awareness of the importance of saving enough for a comfortable old age.

The start of the new tax year brings with it a raft of changes and new rules that will affect how you manage your finances. Here, we take you through everything you need to know about changing tax allowances, limits and perks.

I went into my Lloyds branch on November 21 and paid off the £423.41 owing on my Sainsbury's Bank credit card. I got a receipt showing this. My next statement from Sainsbury's Bank showed it had not been paid. Lloyds says it sent the money, but Sainsbury's Bank says it did not get it. I have spoken to both parties several times and each blames the other. D. S., Cambridge.

Savers will be offered a terrific deal tomorrow - one they simply can't afford to turn down. Under landmark changes to Isas, the annual tax-free savings allowance will rocket from £15,240 to £20,000. It's a huge step towards abolishing savings tax altogether, as everything you earn from the investments will be tax-free.

NatWest and RBS, part of the same banking group, are offering the top deal to savers who put in their money between April 6 and May 5, a 1 pc bonus for a year, worth an extra £200 in interest. The underlying rate with the easy-access NatWest Cash Isa is just 0.01 pc, but the bonus boosts it to 1.01 pc - not far below the rate you can earn if you tie up your money for a year. At RBS, the standard rate is 0.05 pc or 1.05 pc including the bonus. The accounts are available from 856 NatWest and 151 RBS branches as well as online or over the phone. New Isa rules that came in last year give you the freedom to take money out of your account and then replace it in the same year without sacrificing any of your tax-free entitlement. But it is up to the individual banks and building societies as to whether they offer this flexibility - and NatWest and RBS don't.

Former Pensions Minister Steve Webb is This Is Money's Agony Uncle. He is ready to answer your questions, whether you are still saving, in the process of stopping work, or juggling your finances in retirement. This week, a reader asks what happens if he decides to carry on working full time past state retirement age?

BP boss Bob Dudley has seen his overall pay package cut by 40 per cent in the last year, following an outcry from shareholders at last year's annual general meeting. Ahead of next month's AGM, the oil giant has revealed that Dudley's 2016 pay was reduced from just over £15million in 2015 to £9.3million last year. Nearly 60 per cent of BP's shareholders revolted against Mr Dudley's bumper 2015 pay package last year, which came to light amid heavy losses sustained as the price of oil fell.

In order to avoid paying tax on a car from now on you need to buy something that has zero tailpipe emissions and costs less than £40,000. Need some help? Here are the best options as well as another that could be worth waiting a year for. Clockwise from top left: Hyundai Ioniq, Renault Zoe, Kia Soul EV, BMW i3

According to a recent study, the cost of motoring has increased by 10% in the last year. To save drivers time, money and effort, here are five hacks can help drivers out all year round. It includes using toothpaste of headlights, nail polish on paint scratches and hand sanitiser on frozen locks.

Scepticism about the future of the state pension runs deep despite Prime Minister Theresa May's promise to stick with the triple lock guarantee until the next election. That means annual payouts are increased by whichever is the highest of price inflation, average earnings growth or 2.5 per cent.

The Royal Mint has today confirmed there will be an additional four Beatrix Potter themed coins this years after the popularity of the 50p series last year. The four coins depict Peter Rabbit in his first book, Mr Jeremy Fisher, Tom Kitten and Benjamin Bunny, and are sure to be sought after by collectors who wish to add to the four already in circulation.

In some instances, the the lure of a near-£1million lump sum is too appealing to dismiss. But some experts fear such tempting amounts may not be enough to compensate for giving up predictable retirement incomes.

Tony Parsons received a modest £60,000 advance for his bestselling novel Man And Boy. But he went on to earn enough from his pen to buy million pound houses outright and now lives in his dream home in London's leafy Hampstead. But life has not always been easy for the award-winning writer. In the 1980s, he struggled to make ends meet as a single father.

I got into debt but found a reliable debt management company - Moneyplus. I reached a point where only about 18 monthly payments were left due, but meanwhile my two sons and I inherited some money which I invested. Half belonged to a son who is mentally ill. When this matured, Moneyplus took all the money without my knowledge and now wants me to set up another arrangement.

With a new tax year just days away, many savers will be looking to use up their Isa allowance for this year or planning ahead for where to invest next year's. From April 6 the allowance will increase from £15,240 to £20,000. We've asked the experts where they are putting their money.

Although cash Isas don't currently offer fantastic rates, it is still worthwhile opening one to shield money away from the taxman. Our savings correspondent Lee Boyce picks his five favourite cash Isas for savers in 2017 - essential reading to help you choose a top savings account for your money. This page is kept up-to-date throughout the year - bookmark it for the very latest developments.

To clear the average national household debt of ?13,000 at 6% interest with a monthly repayment of ?100 will take around 17 years. There are, however, plenty of simple ways to make significant savings on your regular spending that could clear your debt - or boost your savings - in less than a year. This is Money's top 50 - updated - money-saving tips may appear light-hearted but are deadly serious.

Choosing the right DIY platform is crucial but a wealth of choice and changes to charges have left many investors scratching their heads. We pick some of the best. We also highlight why investing in an Isa makes sense, as it should protect your hopefully growing investments from tax forever.

The amount you can save into a pension ultimately depends on what you can afford - but the longer you leave it the more you will need to save. We tend to put ambitious targets on our hoped-for income in retirement and then underestimate how much we will need to set aside to achieve that. So how much should you save?

Inflation pushed up to a higher than expected 1.6 per cent in December, but pressure remains within the range that the Bank of England is expected to disregard in its interest rate decisions. Rate setters did not meet in January due to the shift from monthly decisions, the next MPC meeting and announcement is due in early February, alongside the Inflation Report.

Despite endless media coverage of the political wrangling and financial speculation, the average Briton can be forgiven for remaining confused about what 'soft' and 'hard' Brexit really mean. But a clever table put together by HSBC cleaves some clarity from the murk.

Compare your pay to the national average and see whether your employer treated you to a pay rise in line with the the rest of your profession. Farmers, care and air travel assistants were big winners on the pay scales in 2016. Travel agents, careers advisers and probation officers lost out.