What is cashflow modelling?
“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Financial planning is all about preparing for those things that may not be so certain (and taxes). Plans should be reviewed regularly so they adapt to changes in your circumstances and reflect developments in the wider economy and financial markets. Cashflow […]
The Bank of…Granny and Grandad?
For many younger people struggling to get a foot on the property ladder, the Bank of Mum and Dad is the only option. With rent taking a huge chunk out of their income and the requirement for increasingly onerous deposits, two in five renters do not believe they will ever be in a position to […]
Important Pension Update
You may be aware that Zurich has agreed to sell part of its UK wealth and investment business to the Embark Group. This includes the Zurich Portfolio which includes your Zurich ISA, Retirement Account or General Investment Account. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have approved Embark as the new owner of the business. You don’t […]
Coming to terms with Covid-19 Market Turbulence
As a direct consequence of the COVID-19 outbreak, global stock markets are suffering a period of turbulence. When markets move significantly it can prove very challenging to hear through the noise and focus on the bigger picture. Lessons from history Over recent years many investors have become used to a variety of political, financial and […]
Does diversification matter?
When it comes to building your investment portfolio, you might have been warned about avoiding putting all your eggs in one basket. It’s wise to spread your money across a range of different investments. That way, if the value of one of them falls, it should have a limited effect on the overall performance of […]
How inflation eats into your returns
Understanding inflation and its impact on your portfolio is important because rising prices can reduce the value of the money you get back from your investments. What is inflation? Inflation is a term used to describe a rise in prices. In the UK, it is measured by the Consumer Prices Index including owner-occupiers’ housing costs […]
Women are getting richer than men?
According to research women now control 30% of the world’s wealth, up from 25% held five years ago. Women are also expected to see their wealth grow 7% faster than men until 2020, this is a result of women acquiring more wealth through inheritance, but they are also making their own money by becoming entrepreneurs […]
Taking the Long View
For the best part of 10 years, global markets have enjoyed a period of steady growth. 2018, however, saw markets ‘wake up’ to increased uncertainty on a number of key political and economic events. Fuelled by the sustained efforts of central banks to maintain low-interest rates and introduce measures such as quantitative easing (QE) to […]
Why are equities volatile?
The more experienced investors among us will know that investing in equities involves a more volatile journey than some other asset classes, such as fixed income. What causes this volatility? When you invest in a bond, you are effectively lending money to the issuer, either a company or a government. In return, you receive a […]
Time in the market vs timing the market
When it comes to investing, you might have heard that time in the market is better than timing the market. Time in the market is another way of describing long-term investing. Investors with a time horizon of at least five years (and in many cases longer) buy an asset and hold on to it. They […]
