A couple of years ago, it looked as if Sipps were about to become the ultimate vehicle for alternative investments. Newspapers were buzzing with excitement over the prospect of investors being allowed to get massive tax relief on everything from residential property to fine wine and artwork. But the mother of all anti-climaxes then ensued: the government did a u-turn and said Sipps were to remain a repository for unexciting conventional stuff like shares shares and bonds.
However, look beyond the disappointment, and the 'alternative' allure of a Sipp hasn't entirely vanished. There are in fact a number of non-mainstream assets that are increasingly finding their way into Sipps, and some of them are surprisingly exotic.
Sippland