How I’d aim to turn a £20k ISA into a £226,100 second income! (2024)

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As a British investor, capitalising on the tax-free ISA allowance accelerates the wealth-building process and helps build towards a second income.

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Zaven is an equity investment analyst. Specialising in corporate valuation, he employs a modern take on the principles set out by Benjamin Graham to identify hidden value in companies that are making the world a better place. Zaven has previously worked in the aerospace and video game industries, holding a Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, a Master's degree in Investment Management, and has passed the Level 1 CFA exam.

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How I’d aim to turn a £20k ISA into a £226,100 second income! (3)

Building a second income through a Stocks and Shares ISA isn’t as complicated as many might think. By simply buying and holding quality dividend-paying enterprises, investors will regularly receive payouts that can serve as tax-free extra income, or a source of capital for reinvestment. Best of all, it doesn’t actually need that much capital to get the ball rolling. Here’s how.

Please note that tax treatment depends on the individual circ*mstances of each client and may be subject to change in future. The content in this article is provided for information purposes only. It is not intended to be, neither does it constitute, any form of tax advice. Readers are responsible for carrying out their own due diligence and for obtaining professional advice before making any investment decisions.

Investing regularly

ISAs are a fantastic wealth-building tool, thanks to the tax advantages they provide. This does come with the caveat of only being able to inject up to £20,000 each tax year. But this limitation isn’t a problem for most people since few actually have the financial capacity to maximise it each year. That’s not too surprising, given it’s the equivalent of investing £1,667 a month.

The good news is that even those who can only comfortably spare a couple hundred pounds each month can still achieve lucrative results.

Owning income-generating stocks

When a company generates more money than it spends, it can use it in various ways. Growth stocks typically let any free cash flow accumulate on the balance sheet. But more mature enterprises may choose to return it to its owners, its shareholders.

Dividends are a way to do that.

Looking at the FTSE 100, the average payout from Britain’s most mature enterprises is around 4%. With a £20k ISA, that’s the equivalent of £800 in annual passive income. While that’s nice, it’s hardly life-changing. And it’s even less for those unable to hit the £20k target each year.

However, by reinvesting any dividends received in the short term, compounding can work its magic much faster. It can further be accelerated by being a bit more selective, targeting higher-yielding stocks. While this does come paired with additional risk, it can easily bolster a portfolio’s yield closer to 6% with a total return in double-digit territory.

Investing £20k a year at 10% for three decades would lead to a portfolio worth £3.8m, generating an income stream of £226,100 a year! And even if an investor could only muster a spare £500 each month, that’s still enough to build a seven-figure portfolio with a five-figure second income.

A top dividend stock to buy now?

As marvellous as it would be to earn such a huge tax-free income stream in the long run, it’s not guaranteed. Sadly, every investment, even the seemingly ‘safe’ ones, carry risk.

Picking the right stocks to build an income portfolio is crucial. But this can be quite a complex task, especially for beginners. Having said that, Londonmetric Property (LSE:LMP) might be a good place to start.

The firm owns and operates a vast network of industrial real estate across the country, leased out to various businesses. It’s a highly cash-generative enterprise that lends itself nicely to providing a steady stream of dividends. In fact, the firm recently hiked its shareholder payouts for the eighth year in a row.

Of course, the threat of higher mortgage rates has taken its toll. And continued economic weakness will likely make cash flow expansion difficult. But with the long-term demand looking promising, this stock could be a good way to kick off a diversified portfolio. At least, that’s what I think.

How I’d aim to turn a £20k ISA into a £226,100 second income! (2024)

FAQs

What happens if I put more than 20k in an ISA? ›

Hi, As £20000 is the maximum you can put into any combination of ISA's in a tax year, you will need to contact the ISA provider, who you saved £2000 with, so that they can repay the sum to you and bring you back in line with the ISA rules. Thank you.

What happens to my ISA at the end of the tax year? ›

You could save £10,000 in one cash ISA, £3,000 in another cash ISA and £7,000 in a stocks and shares ISA in one tax year. Your ISAs will not close when the tax year finishes. You'll keep your savings on a tax-free basis for as long as you keep the money in your ISA accounts.

What happens if I pay into two ISAs in one year? ›

You can pay into two ISAs in the same tax year provided they are different types of ISA. It would be fine to pay into both a cash ISA and a Stocks & Shares ISA in one tax year as long as you're below the £20,000 limit. You would not be able to pay into two different ISAs of the same type.

How much can you put in an ISA a month? ›

Savings accounts and ISAs
Help to Buy: ISA (Cash ISA)Cash ISA
Eligible age to open ISA18+18+
How much can be saved?£200 per month (£1,200 in month of account opening)Up to £20,000 per tax year (2024/2025)
ISA allowance for the 2024/2025 tax year is £20,000ISA allowance for the 2024/2025 tax year is £20,000
5 more rows

What are the new rules for cash ISA 2024? ›

3 key changes for ISAs in 2024-25
  • You can open multiple ISAs of the same type in the same tax year. ...
  • You're allowed to make 'partial' transfers in the same tax year. ...
  • Tax-free allowances have become less generous.

Can I put 200k in an ISA? ›

The maximum you can pay in is any amount (including any money already paid in this tax year) up to your full allowance for this tax year. The ISA allowance for this tax year is £20,000.

How do I avoid tax on ISA? ›

Investing in a stocks and shares ISA offers three main tax advantages.
  1. You don't pay tax on dividends from shares. All dividend income inside your stocks and shares ISA remains tax free. ...
  2. You don't pay capital gains tax. ...
  3. You don't pay tax on interest earned.

How many times can I transfer my ISA in a tax year? ›

You can transfer some or all savings from the current tax year's ISA or previous years. There's no limit on the frequency of transfers. Consider the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protection limits.

Can I put $20,000 in a cash ISA every year? ›

How much money can I put into ISAs? You can put up to £20,000 in ISAs in your name each tax year, which is a limit set by HMRC. The allowance limit resets when the new tax year starts and could change each year. There are currently four types of adult ISA – cash, stocks and shares, innovative finance and lifetime ISAs.

Can I close an ISA and open a new one in the same tax year? ›

You cannot open 2 cash ISA in the same tax year. You can open 1 and transfer the funds from another into the new one as long as you havent paid any funds into the existing one.

Can I put 20k in a cash ISA and 20k in a stocks and shares ISA? ›

Yes you can, providing you stick within the annual limit of £20,000. You can choose to use your total allowance in a stocks and shares ISA or you can choose to split the allowance with other types of ISAs. However you must not go over your annual limit in total.

Will the ISA allowance increase in 2024? ›

Frozen ISA allowances for the 2024/25 tax year

This means the overall ISA allowance is still £20,000 per tax year. You can currently split your allowance between a Stocks and Shares ISA, a Cash ISA, an Innovative Finance ISA and a Lifetime ISA (up to £4,000 per tax year which counts towards the overall £20,000 limit).

Can I put $50,000 in a cash ISA? ›

You can divide your ISA allowance across the four different types of ISAS – Cash, Stocks and Shares, Innovative Finance or Lifetime. Although the maximum amount you can put into a Lifetime ISA is £4,000 each tax year. The overall limit for ISA contributions in the 2024/25 tax year is £20,000.

What is the highest paying ISA at the moment? ›

The highest rate you can currently get on an easy-access cash Isa is 5.17%. Some top-paying accounts have limits on how much or how frequently you can withdraw your money. Always make sure you understand the restrictions on accounts before opening one.

What if I accidentally exceed my ISA limit? ›

What happens if you exceed your ISA limit? If you accidentally exceed your ISA limit, HMRC will contact you and explain what you need to do to correct this. For any amount you've paid in excess of £20,000, you won't get any tax relief on these payments.

What happens if you exceed the ISA limit? ›

In situations where you have saved in excess of this sum in your ISAs in the tax year, you will need to discuss with your ISA providers, the removal of the excess from your ISA, incuding any interest the excess generated, and return it to you. The excess interest is taxable and should be declared. Thank you.

What happens if you overpay into an ISA? ›

However, if you overpay your allowance limit, you may incur a penalty. If you happen to overpay, you will need to contact your provider and the HMRC at 0300 200 3300 to see if you can receive the excess back. If you cannot, you may have to pay tax on any interest gained from the excess amount.

Can I put 10000 into an ISA? ›

If your ISA is 'flexible', you can take out cash then put it back in during the same tax year without reducing your current year's allowance. Your provider can tell you if your ISA is flexible. Your allowance is £20,000 and you put £10,000 into an ISA during the 2024 to 2025 tax year. You then take out £3,000.

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