2020 Spring Budget
Newly appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, delivered his first Budget on 11 March, against a backdrop of uncertainty following the COVID–19 outbreak and subsequent financial losses. It was the first of two Budgets to be delivered in 2020, with the second to follow in the autumn...
Market Update: Oil Crash Fuels Sell Off
While many of us spent the weekend dealing with shortages in everyday essentials in our supermarkets in the wake of COVID-19 fears, the financial community woke up this morning to another, different – albeit slightly more familiar type of fear; an oil price war...
Life is Full of Uncertainties.
Everyone should consider protection, even those who don’t have a family or a mortgage! Unless they have substantial savings or inherited wealth, most people rely on their salary to pay for everything. Over the years, you may have taken out a number of different insurance policies to give you and your family financial security. Perhaps this may have been when you started a family, took out a mortgage or became self-employed...
Market Update: Coronavirus & the Impact on Global Markets
After a number of weeks where the markets has largely ignored the possible impacts of the Coronavirus, this week has seen a strong sell off as investors begin to digest the disruption that the COVID-19 virus may cause to global economic activity. The declines experienced this week are of course concerning, as it remains extremely difficult to predict the future impact COVID-19 will have on global growth and the global population.
ISA 2020 Allowance – Use it or Lose it!
Whatever you’re putting money aside for, there’s likely to be a role for Individual Saving Accounts, or ‘ISAs’. An ISA is a way of holding savings or investments without paying personal tax on interest received or on the growth of your investment. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced saver, we can help you get the most from your 2019/20 ISA allowance...
January Team News
Alas, January is over and we enter the shortest month of the year. So far in February we’ve had Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis… god knows who else is coming for us! Let’s hope the depletion of our ozone layer enters a period of recovery and our wonderful politicians of the world aid us in combatting the issue of global warming. I hope you have all managed to safe during the turbulent weather conditions.
Market Review January 2020
China grabbed the headlines again in January, but this time not for trade. On 31st December, the Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organisation of an outbreak of the Coronavirus in Wuhan City and in doing so, relegated the trade war and the World Economic Forum in Davos to mere sideshows throughout January...
New Pensions Freedoms
The pension freedoms, introduced on 6 April 2015, have given retirees a whole host of new options. There is no longer a compulsory requirement to purchase an annuity (a guaranteed income for life) when you retire. The introduction of pension freedoms brought about fundamental changes to the way we can access our pension savings...
2020 Financial Resolutions
Whether it’s stopping smoking, losing weight, eating more healthily or getting fitter, most of us have probably made at least one New Year’s resolution, but how many of us will actually go on to achieve it? We all have different financial goals and aspirations in life, yet these goals can often seem out of reach. In today’s complex financial environment, achieving your financial goals may not be that straightforward.
December Team News
Hello everyone and Happy New Year! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas break with your family and friends. The Vizion Wealth staff have enjoyed our time off and are now back to work and ready for a good year!
Market Review December 2019
Global equity markets enjoyed a Santa rally in December as optimism returned to the global trade outlook, policies from central banks remained supportive and investors took the view that ultra-low interest rates would remain in place for longer...
Every Journey Starts with a Destination
Every plan starts with a goal, just like every journey starts with a destination. Planning your financial future is not only important for your security, but it also provides peace of mind. Financial planning should be viewed as a long-term approach to managing your finances...
Tax Wise
As we enter January, the end of the 2019/20 tax year will be just over three months away on 5 April. As this date approaches, the window of opportunity reduces if you want to make the most of valuable allowances, reliefs and exemptions that could help reduce your tax bill and make sure your finances stay tax-efficient.
Market Review November 2019
Equities continued to rally in November – a relatively consistent feature of markets in 2019, despite the multitude of geopolitical risks that investors have faced this year...
November Team News
Hello everyone! My last staff blog of 2019… where has the year gone?! There has been three exam passes within the Vizion Wealth team! James passed AF1 (Personal Tax and Trust Planning) and is now another step closer to his chartered adviser status. James and I also passed J10 (Discretionary Investment Management) which gave us a high level of understanding of the discretionary fund management service...
A Long Life Needs a Smart Retirement Plan
Your 50s are a crunch time when saving for your retirement. If you’ve already set a retirement savings target but have been neglecting it, you probably can’t afford to delay your planning any longer – and it could well be time for a careful review...
For Richer, For Poorer
Divorce – it’s one of the most difficult subjects to talk about. The emotional upheaval of divorce can be difficult to deal with, but so too can the financial implications. When relationships come to an end, there are so many things to consider. Children, home and support are naturally the first things you focus on.
October Team News
Mid-November means it’s acceptable to play Christmas songs, right?! Whether you love it or hate it, it’s unavoidable, so we might as well just accept it and get involved!
Market Review October 2019
Global stock markets continued to march on in October, with the US market posting a series of new all-time highs amid several positive catalysts including a US interest rate cut, positive news flow around US-China trade negotiations, and a raft of upbeat corporate results. Tensions between the US and China appeared to be mellowing with commentary suggesting that both nations were looking to roll back tariffs on traded goods...
Boosting Investment Returns
Three years on from the 2016 referendum, and with ongoing political wrangling, the eventual outcome of Brexit is still uncertain. Brexit-related uncertainty and the challenging domestic backdrop mean investors need to be smarter about how they invest, which is why it is essential to obtain professional financial advice...