Avoid the Mad March Rush
Although the current tax year does not end until 5 April 2019, tax planning shouldn’t be a mad March rush. Now is the perfect time get a head start on your tax planning resolutions to enhance your own, your family’s or your company’s tax-efficient plans for the future...
Pension Freedoms
Although each generation will likely face different challenges and opportunities, achieving retirement readiness will require actions common to us all. We all know that our ageing population and increased life expectancy are putting a strain on government finances...
Market Review November 2018
November was another unconvincing month for the equity markets with increased volatility as political uncertainty continued to test the markets. With the month coming to a close there were also some signs that the trade war tensions between the US and China might at least be thawing...
Wealth Navigator
You have worked hard to build your wealth. Passing it on to the next generation fairly, safely, effectively and efficiently takes skill and careful preparation. But some people find the idea of discussing inheritance uncomfortable and subsequently put off estate planning until, in some instances, it may be too late to make a difference...
Funding your Golden Years
Pensions have the reputation of being confusing, but they needn’t be. Private pensions are usually used by people who don’t have access to a workplace pension scheme, but you can also have one if you are employed or not working. They work in much the same way as workplace pension schemes, but...
Market Review October 2018
October once again proved to be a difficult month for this aging bull market with the S&P 500 recording 16 down days throughout the month, equalling its worst month run since April 1970...
Financial Protection
We all intend that our plans will come good. But making sure that you and your family can cope if you fall ill or die prematurely is something we can too easily put to one side. In particular, a recent study identified that financial protection is something that millions of fathers in the UK, and their families, could benefit from...
Market Review September 2018
This article was originally intended as a review of Q3 2018, however, given the market unrest over the past week and the potentially unsettling headlines that have been written, we will start this article with a summary of recent events and our view on the economy as it stands today...
Pensions Shake Up
For many, the idea of retirement means getting away from the stresses of everyday life. But with living costs rising and interest rates low, people need to think about how to generate extra income from their savings in retirement...
Investing in your Child’s Future
While many parents value the standard of education offered by independent schools or universities, the costs can be daunting. However, with careful planning, it may be possible to avoid a huge outstanding student loan or tax burden...
Market Review August 2018: August Angst
Since 2008 , August has regularly proved a challenging month for financial markets, this trend continued last month. Investors had to digest the reintroduction of US sanctions against Iran, new tensions between Turkey and the US and a deterioration of trade talks between the US and China...
The Pension Countdown has Begun
When you are at the point of retiring, the new pension freedoms have opened up all sorts of alternative strategies to taking your pension benefits. The very concept of retirement is changing...
Back to the Future
Have you ever thought about writing a letter to yourselfto describe your ideal future life, long-term life goals and the process of how to plan for them? Imagining what you want your life to be like in the long term when you retire can help you think much further ahead than you might ever have done before...
Market Review July 2018: Is the sun set to shine on the Equity markets?
July was a month where the negative headlines seemed to take a back seat as a wave of positivity and optimism swept the nation; comparisons were being drawn between the recent weather and the scorching summer of 1976, the three lions finally reconnected with the public and Geraint Thomas became the third Briton to win the Tour de France...
Guide to Inheritance Tax
When we die, we like to imagine that we can pass on our assets to our loved ones so that they can benefit from them. In order for them to benefit fully from your assets, it is important to consider the impact of Inheritance Tax...
To Transfer or not to Transfer
More than 100,000 people transferred out of Defined Benefit (DB) pensions in 2017/18. A DB pension scheme is one where the amount you’re paid is based on how many years you’ve worked for your employer and the salary you’ve earned...
Taking Your Pension
Under the new flexible pension freedoms rules, you can now mix and match various options, using different parts of one pension pot or using separate or combined pots...
Market Review June 2018: The Rise & Rise of Populism
Populism was once again at the forefront of the political landscape in June with Italy and Germany taking centre stage. This, coupled with Donald Trump’s insatiable desire for the limelight, made June a fairly volatile and unpredictable month in the equity markets...
Is inflation back? Don’t panic.
Is inflation back? After two years when consumer prices in the UK barely rose, the annual rate of inflation has risen above the Bank of England’s (BoE) target of 2% in 2017. The combination of high inflation and limited wage growth – as well as uncertainty about the terms on which Britain will leave the European union in 2019...
Tax Matters!
It’s important to consider the tax implications of making financial decisions. The 2018/19 tax year is now upon us and a raft of new changes have come into force. The good news is that there is little change in the overall tax burden for basic-rate taxpayers...