The tax man, Iove him or hate him there is always a way to beat him and hold on to some of your hard-earned income.  Firstly, incase you have forgotten about the tax deadline date, you could still reduce your 2016 tax bill and/or get a tax refund! I know pensions are not the sexiest topics in the world but nonetheless, there is an important tax deadline coming up on the 16th November.  Pensions are a great way to beat the tax man, hold on to some of your hard-earned income and save that few quid for your dream retirement. A contribution towards a pension can still be used to reduce your 2016 tax liability and/or get you a tax refund. Critics have argued both sides of the argument and there seems to be blurring the line between tax evasion and tax avoidance. The former involves breaking tax rules and is, of course, illegal. The latter involves sticking to the rules but planning your finances carefully so you don’t pay more tax than you have to (and that’s why we’re here). If you were to ask me What’s the difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion? …. About 20 years.