Jargon Busters
Assets: anything an individual, company or fund owns which has economic (tradable) value. Asset classes: Groups of securities or investments with similar characteristics that behave in a similar fashion and are subject to the same laws and regulations. The most common ones are Cash, Shares, Property & Fixed Interest Securities. Bond: is an IOU for a […]
JAM's
Two thirds of working households in the UK consider themselves to be ‘just about managing’ financially, according to research. The Resolution Foundation, which researches the living standards of those on low to middle incomes, has identified six million Jams (as they have become known) spread across Britain. Jams tend to have at least one person […]
Inflation: this time it’s personal
Much is made about the impact of inflation on the ‘real’ value of your income and investments. That is, the impact inflation has on your ability to continue affording your lifestyle. The magic number The Bank of England Monetary Policy Framework has an inflation target of 2%. The remit is not to achieve the lowest […]
Tax changes impacting Buy to Let landlords
The way landlords can claim tax relief on their mortgage finance costs has changed. Up until 5 April 2017, landlords could deduct mortgage interest from their rental income before calculating how much tax they should pay. Now, however, tax relief on Buy to Let mortgage interest will gradually be reduced. The restrictions will be phased […]
Teaching kids about money
As parents we teach our children a lot: to count, read, say please and thank you and, hopefully, be an example to others. Research shows that parents also pass on their approach to finances. So exactly how are we teaching our children to be financially astute from a young age? Pocket money Compared to some […]
Protection Through The Years
When it comes to protection insurance, we hold two firm beliefs: 1. it should form the foundation of your financial plan. 2. cover should be reviewed regularly to make sure it continues to meet your needs. The latter is particularly important when you are at a particular ‘life stage’. Whether that’s buying a house, getting […]
NIC U Turn
A week is a long time in politics. It was about the length of time it took Chancellor Philip Hammond (and/or his boss Prime Minister Theresa May) to decide that the proposed increase in National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for the self employed was best abandoned. Here is a quick guide to what happened and some […]
Changes To Interest Rates & Inflation
In principle, interest rates and inflation can be viewed as being the two opposite ends of a see-saw. If interest rates go up, the cost of finance rises and savers get more for their money. If people have less inclination to spend, then there is an incentive for sellers to lower prices and hence lower […]
Changes To Interest Rates & Inflation
In principle, interest rates and inflation can be viewed as being the two opposite ends of a see-saw. If interest rates go up, the cost of finance rises and savers get more for their money. If people have less inclination to spend, then there is an incentive for sellers to lower prices and hence lower […]
3 Debt Excuses Busted
Debt is sometimes a pretty-much unavoidable fact of life. It would be nice, for example, if we could all afford to buy houses out of cash savings, but for many people mortgages are the only feasible way of owning a home. While “good” debt may have a purpose, it can still be an advantage to […]
