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"....
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? ...
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?’ ...
A record £198m was repaid on flexible pension withdrawals for the tax year 2023/24, latest HMRC data shows....
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....
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. ...