Opening a stocks and shares ISA could be one of the best financial moves a British investor can make. The good news is that getting started is much easier than most people imagine. Many brokers (Hargreaves Lansdown, AJ Bell etc.) allow you to open an account in less than 10 minutes with just a debit card and ID.

You don’t need a gigantic lump sum either. Most platforms allow monthly deposits from as little as £25, which means you can start building wealth at a pace that suits your budget. Once you open an ISA, you can invest in thousands of shares, funds and mutual funds – all protected from capital gains tax and income tax year after year.

The annual allowance is £20,000 and, crucially, any unused portion cannot be carried over to the next year.

That’s why it’s so essential to take action before the April 5 deadline. Every tax year you sit on the sidelines is a tax-free year you can never get back.

Please note that tax treatment depends on each client’s individual situation and may change in the future. The content of this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be and does not constitute any form of tax advice. Readers are responsible for conducting their own due diligence and obtaining professional advice before making any investment decisions.

Starting with choppy waters

Of course, you can put money into a Stocks and Shares ISA before April 5 and not actually buy anything. However, I personally find opportunities in the current madness.

Markets have been turbulent since the outbreak of the Gulf conflict, and many high-quality stocks have fallen sharply in recent weeks. But for long-term investors, this kind of pullback is less a cause for concern than an invitation.

In miniature, when great companies come up for sale, patient investors take notice.

Moreover, the long-term picture – growing global demand for technology, defense, travel and industrial innovation – remains largely intact. These are just some of the topics that influence my investing.

Some of my favorite stocks rose in value: Nvidia AND Credo Technology are falling into disrepair because of nerves in the broader technology sector; Airbus AND Melrose (LSE:MRO) feel the pressure of macro uncertainty and fewer flight hours; Jet2the UK’s leading tour operator has returned amid higher fuel prices.

However, none of these companies have changed significantly, and their development prospects are largely the same. I believe that buying quality products at a discount is exactly the kind of move that builds solemn wealth in the long run.

An alternative to Rolls-Royce

Melrose is a product I really like. I am a fan of industrial and aviation stocks. Melrose has some similarities to Rolls-Royce four years ago. The company is undergoing restructuring, but its business is incredibly forceful.

What do I mean by incredibly powerful? Well, Melrose produces components for aircraft engines and aircraft structures. Its components are found in about 90% of the world’s commercial aircraft and it is the exclusive supplier of 70% of the programs it works on, meaning literally no one else can produce what they do.

It is currently trading at around 12.5 times forward earnings and has a price-to-earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio of around 0.9. This is a fraction of the valuation given to Rolls-Royce, which is a competitor in this segment.

Risk? Well, every company has them. In the near term, it is worth taking into account currency fluctuations, as Melrose generates most of its revenues in US dollars. In a broader sense, it is also worth admitting that the company is less diversified than before – now it focuses exclusively on aviation and defense.

Nevertheless, I think it’s worth considering.