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How a trust can help your financial planning
Writing a policy in Trust could be perceived as something that only the wealthy require, but the reality is Trusts can play an important part in financial planning for people from all walks of life. When it comes to planning your family’s financial future it makes...
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Financial top tips for service personnel
How can we help support our service personnel financially
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Illness can strike anyone, so it helps to be prepared for it
While British life expectancy continues to rise, the same might not be said for the quality of health we could expect to enjoy as we get older, according to a stark warning from The British Heart Foundation. Their analysis suggests the number of people suffering heart...
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Self-Employed lack protection
Just 4% of self-employed workers have income protection in place, leaving the majority vulnerable to financial difficulties if they are suddenly forced to stop working through illness or accident. In its survey of more than 9,000 adults, LV= identified the...
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Achieving your financial goals
We lead complex lives in an increasingly complex world. As financial planning experts we can help you better understand your financial challenges, goals and needs, and help you find appropriate ways to meet them. Even a seemingly straightforward financial goal can...
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A Matter Of Trusts
Taking out a life insurance policy gives you valuable peace of mind: you know you’ve protected your family against financial hardship, should the worst happen. But how can you make sure your policy will pay out quickly, to those who’ll need it most, if you died...
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The new £1m Inheritance Tax allowance
In the wake of the 2015 General Election, the Conservative Party confirmed it would deliver on its Manifesto promise that parents could pass their property up to the value of £1m to their children free of Inheritance Tax, thanks to a new ‘family home allowance’. The...
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Who Should Inherit Your Wealth?
Wills are for anybody with assets who love someone or something more than they love the government. This includes young people, who, sadly, can die unexpectedly. The simple fact of the matter is that we come into this world with nothing and what we accumulate in this...
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How to prepare financially for long-term illness
While British life expectancy continues to rise, the same might not be said for the quality of health we could expect to enjoy as we get older, according to a stark warning from The British Heart Foundation. Their analysis suggests the number of people suffering heart...
read more
Illness can strike anyone, so it helps to be prepared for it
While British life expectancy continues to rise, the same might not be said for the quality of health we could expect to enjoy as we get older, according to a stark warning from The British Heart Foundation. Their analysis suggests the number of people suffering heart...
read more
Become a Superhero in the eyes of our family
When he was younger one of my son’s favourite questions was; “if you could have any super power, what would it be?” He loved the idea of being a Superhero. I think, deep down, we all like the idea of being a Superhero. Being able to do things others can’t; amazing...
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Self-Employed lack protection
Just 4% of self-employed workers have income protection in place, leaving the majority vulnerable to financial difficulties if they are suddenly forced to stop working through illness or accident. In its survey of more than 9,000 adults, LV= identified the...
read more
First-time buyers: Boost your mortgage chances
You’ve decided to take the plunge and get onto the property ladder, having swapped fun and frivolity for fastidious frugalness to save the deposit. But what can you do to boost your chances of getting your first mortgage? Check and correct The three main credit...
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Standard Variable Rate
The average homeowner moving from a specific mortgage deal onto their mortgage provider’s Standard Variable Rate (SVR) could save more than £2,500 a year in interest payments simply by remortgaging. SVR is the type of mortgage you’re most likely to revert to at the...
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Is your Help to Buy mortgage deal ending?
Since its launch in April 2013 more than 145,000 properties have been bought using the Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme. Five years on and the interest-free element of the loan is due to end, with homeowners potentially facing expensive fees. The Help to Buy Equity Loan...
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What life insurance is best for your joint mortgage?
When you take out a mortgage we would always recommend you take out appropriate life insurance too, so that you know your monthly mortgage payments are covered if things go awry. If you’re buying on your own, a single life insurance plan will probably do the trick,...
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Making the most of your pension savings
Thanks to there being no major changes announced to pensions in the October 2018 Budget you can continue to pay into your pension over the next 12 months without any surprises to knock you off track. This does, however, present a great time for you to review your...
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Confused about pension planning?
With more UK employees saving for their retirement than ever you could argue that Automatic Enrolment has been a success since its launch six years ago. However, research from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that many people contributing to their...
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Savers in the dark about their pension
Are you among the 30.4 million working-age people who don’t know if their pension pot will be big enough to afford a comfortable lifestyle in retirement? According to a report by the Pension and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA), some of the blame for this worrying...
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The search for a reliable retirement income
It’s been almost four years since the April 2015 pensions changes which scrapped compulsory annuities and gave pensioners greater choice over how to take their retirement income. This historic change to UK pension legislation opened up a range of investment...
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Making the most of your pension savings
Thanks to there being no major changes announced to pensions in the October 2018 Budget you can continue to pay into your pension over the next 12 months without any surprises to knock you off track. This does, however, present a great time for you to review your...
read more
Confused about pension planning?
With more UK employees saving for their retirement than ever you could argue that Automatic Enrolment has been a success since its launch six years ago. However, research from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that many people contributing to their...
read more
Savers in the dark about their pension
Are you among the 30.4 million working-age people who don’t know if their pension pot will be big enough to afford a comfortable lifestyle in retirement? According to a report by the Pension and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA), some of the blame for this worrying...
read more
The search for a reliable retirement income
It’s been almost four years since the April 2015 pensions changes which scrapped compulsory annuities and gave pensioners greater choice over how to take their retirement income. This historic change to UK pension legislation opened up a range of investment...
read more
How a trust can help your financial planning
Writing a policy in Trust could be perceived as something that only the wealthy require, but the reality is Trusts can play an important part in financial planning for people from all walks of life. When it comes to planning your family’s financial future it makes...
read more
Helping you to save
Help to Save is a government savings account aimed at an estimated 3.5m people on low incomes. The scheme pays a bonus of 50p for every pound saved over four years, representing better value compared to the 1 - 2 per cent returns on savings bonds offered by high...
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Saving for Junior
Junior ISAs (JISA) are long-term, tax-efficient savings accounts for children, introduced in November 2011 to supersede the phased-out Child Trust Fund (CTF). There are two types of JISA: A cash Junior ISA - where you won’t pay tax on interest on the cash you save A...
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What’s stopping you from saving?
Generally speaking, and subject to investment charges and performance, the more you save and the earlier you start saving the better shape your finances are going to be in when you need to draw on them. So why is it then that many of us are reluctant to put money...
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What’s the point of a property survey?
You're not bound by law to have a survey done on a property you're buying, but while it may feel like an unnecessary expense given all the other costs involved in homebuying, it could actually save money and stress in the longer-term. A survey is basically a health...
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Protection in trust
Taking out a Life Insurance policy gives you valuable peace of mind; you know you’ve helped protect your family against financial hardship, should the worst happen. But how can you make sure your policy will pay out quickly, to those who’ll need it most, if you...
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Are you thinking of downsizing?
According to a survey by Lloyds Bank, 45 per cent of empty nesters have no plans to downsize, despite the potential windfall moving to a smaller place could create. For these empty nesters then, life seems pretty comfortable, but their new-found wellbeing could be at...
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The New Financial Year
The 2018/19 tax year starts at the stroke of midnight between the 5th and 6th of April. While many individuals leave tax planning to the end of the tax year, you can look to maximise the benefits by using your personal tax allowances* and reliefs straight away. ...
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