It is getting harder and harder to shelter your assets from the Government when you die, as the Inheritance Tax (IHT) thresholds have not changed since 2009....
Trying to pass on as much as your wealth as possible to your children is getting harder and harder, due to the freezing of the IHT (Inheritance Tax) thresholds since 2009. ...
An investment bond is a packaged investment offered by a life company as opposed to an investment company. They work differently to investment company package products (known as General Investment Accounts or GIAs)....
The number one factor in building a retirement or investment pot is investing regularly over the long-term and keeping it going until the day when you need to draw down on your investments or pension pot....
Putting a trust in your Will to make sure your loved ones inherit something is a very good thing. We commonly see PPTs (Protective Property Trusts) in Wills but sometimes think a DT (Discretionary Trust) might be a better solution in many cases....
Currently there is a sale of the great companies of the World on and you should seize the opportunity to buy discounted shares....
It is commonly believed that when you retire, your number one priority should be the preservation of your capital....
Investment markets have been very kind to global equity investors over the last two years. After a period of sideways markets and soaring inflation, the S&P 500 (the world’s premier stock market) rose by 24% in 2023 and another 23% in 2024....
People often ask me how much money they need to accumulate at retirement to provide an income for the rest of their life....
A market correction is defined as a 10% drawdown from a previous market high....
Working in the financial services industry, we are confronted with the power of compounding on a daily basis. We see clients who make it work for themselves (investments) and clients who make it work against themselves (debt)....
Our main focus as your financial adviser is ensuring you make wise, informed decisions to reach and maintain financial independence. For most people, this means a long, independent retirement and leaving a legacy to those they love. ...
In any investment portfolio, it’s normal to find that one asset class has outperformed the others in the recent past. We often assume that what has happened in the past will continue into the future....
According to Invesco’s UK retirement study, 64% of advisers said people who seek advice during accumulation have a better understanding of pension options than those who only take advice at retirement....
Firstly the new changes do NOT come into play until April 2027....
In 2024, the UK average salary is £33,696....
The rate for basic-rate tax-payers has increased with immediate effect from 10% to 18% and the rate for higher-rate tax-payers will increase from 20% to 24%....
From April 2027, unless the Government changes it mind, the value of your personal pension will form part of your estate when you die....
Someone quoted that "money isn't the most important thing, but it's up there with Oxygen"....
We are very happy to announce that our chosen platform Fundment are now offering Lifetime ISAs....
We live in a world where most people outside the public sector have a Personal Pension....
The most important question to be asked is ‘How long will you live?’ ...
Lifetime ISAs were created to help people under 40 save for a house deposit. But are they any good as long-term savings if you do NOT buy a house?...
If you have ever been on a cruise, you will be aware that the crew will carry out lifeboat drills either in harbour or shortly after leaving. ...
I was recently shown the pricelist of St James's Place, a FTSE100 financial advice firm. I nearly fell off my chair....
We regularly look at the company pension funds of prospective and existing clients....
General Investment Accounts (GIAs) are subject to Capital Gains and Dividend tax but have had some fairly generous annual allowances until recently, when the Tory government started taxing aspiration....
Clients often ask me if, for their age, they are on track to retire comfortably....
There is a lot of confusion, even amongst financial advisers, about the difference between diversification and asset allocation....
People often worry about their children losing their inheritance due to the costs of care fees. However, whilst this does happen in some cases, the real killer is “sideways disinheritance”. What is this, you may ask? ...
An article recently appeared in the financial press about how estates were getting hammered with Inheritance Tax penalties for failure to pay the tax within six months of the death of the deceased....
Many of us save for years via pensions and investments but do NOT know whether we are actually on track to meet our financial goals....
There is a big world out there, with lots of investment opportunities. We thought we would share a few facts with you....
Company pensions are becoming a more and more important part of your financial plan....
Warren Buffet said "I have never met anyone who can forecast the markets. Forecasts tell you more about the forecaster than the markets"....
People often ask me, when do I have to pay inheritance Tax and how do I pay it?...
We are often asked to look at a client's company pension arrangements, as these will often be a major bedrock of their retirement plan....
For decades, both advisers and investors have regarded the default portfolio for a balanced investor to be a 60:40 portfolio....
Misery sells newspapers. Good news does not....
Auto-enrolment (where employers and employees have to pay into a company pension) has been in place for quite some time now and seems to be a success. ...
Did you know that in any given 12-month period, the gap between the highest and lowest valuation point of equity indices is around 14%....
As interest rates increase, investment companies are increasingly marketing investments which promise attractive levels of income....
Changes were announced a few years ago which would mean you can keep more of your hard-earned money, if you need to go into care....
Gifting money to save Inheritance Tax (IHT) and surviving 7 years is one method of mitigating Inheritance Tax, but..........
I am often asked by clients to look at a prospectus of some "alternative investment" provider, that typically offers guaranteed returns....
Intial charges on lump sum and regular premium contributions can have a big impact on long-term returns....
As interest rates have increased, cash savings have understandably become more attractive. But the annual return is still less than half of that achieved by global equities over the long-term. ...
Inheritance tax (IHT) could be considered as a voluntary tax....
I often meet people who say that pensions are rubbish. On asking them why, they say it has not grown in years....
A lesson in the volatility of the Stock-market. Since November 2021, the market has "bobbed along", not doing much to be honest, either up or down. This creates neither euphoria nor panic....
Some people consider large fluctuations in their investments and the chance of losses distressing to think about. Others will be more relaxed....
Investors are always asking "when is the best time to invest"....
A typical couple spend 30 years in retirement and the biggest threat to their financial dignity is running out of money....
Covid-19 has created a renewed interest in LPAs, as well as Wills....
One of the consequences of Covid-19 has been a huge spike in public demand for creating Wills....
‘Stock market closing at an all time high’; ‘The bubble’s burst’; ‘The stock market is crashing’; ‘Shares have gone through the roof – how could they go any higher?’; ‘House prices plummet by 30%’; ...
A national saving and investment survey has shown only 7% of people have spoken to their parents about inheritance. One of the most important parts of planning to leave an inheritance is to talk about it....
Saving regularly is one of the most important ways to increase wealth and achieve financial independence. ...
The Times, dated 4th November 2017, reported that a couple were faced with an exorbitant legal bill of £115,000 which was “removed” from a modest £300,000 estate. ...