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What the budget means for personal finance
The budget was expected. The emergency meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England, by definition, was not. Both had meaningful implications for personal finance. Interest rates were cut from 0.75% to 0.25% (and have since been cut again to 0.1%)...
Crowdfunding the cost of healthcare
Crowdfunding is becoming increasingly common among people who need healthcare that’s not freely available through the NHS. The increase is said to be due to access to overseas clinics and high-profile social media campaigns such as the 2014 campaign for Mike Brandon....
Don’t slip up this winter
Winter is here, and with winter comes unexpected weather patterns and more time spent in the home. Both can lead to an increase in accidents, and accidents for you or children can lead to time off work or loss of income. Outside risks It's not only the obvious factors...
What does the election mean for your finances?
Regardless of your views on politics in general and Brexit in particular, it’s hopefully something of a relief that we now know what is likely to happen with the former (in general terms if not, yet, in detail) and at least have an idea of the general direction of...
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...
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...
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...
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...
You’re not average
What does average look like? Information released by the Office for National Statistics shows the average British man, Mr Average, is 38, will live to 85 and earns £31,103. The average British woman, Ms Average, is 40, will live to 88 and earns £25,308. The LV= risk...
Accidental damage protects against life’s little mishaps
Nobody knows what is around the corner. Accidents can and do happen and the most commonly reported household claim in 2018 was for Accidental Damage. It's therefore wise to check what is included in your insurance policy to help protect the valuable items in your...
Death is free but dying can be expensive
These days, funeral music can go way beyond traditional hymns like Abide with Me, but out of all the songs you might want to choose for your funeral, possibly the most appropriate would be the 2015 hit by LunchMoney Lewis – Bills, because, while death may be free,...
Choosing The Right Type Of Cover To Protect You And Your Family Is Important
Act now to ensure you remain protected Making sure you and your family are financially protected should something unexpected happen is one of the most valuable things you can do and will help you avoid a financial crisis. So what type of cover is right for you? Term...
Coronavirus: Lender Update
We understand that you may be concerned about mortgage repayments or would like information regarding payment holidays. Please see below the latest information from lenders. If you would like to talk to us about remortgaging or how the reduction in interest rates may...
Borrowing options in your later years
Retirement is an exciting time; the start of a new chapter in life. Whilst we will have worked, saved and prepared for this moment for a long time, many of us will find we don’t quite have enough money to fund all the things we planned to do. Luckily, there are an...
More hope for first time buyers with the Help to Buy Extension
Since it was launched in 2013, the popular Help to Buy scheme has enabled almost 170,000 households to buy homes; who may not otherwise have been able to. An extension to the successful scheme was announced in the Autumn 2018 budget, now making it available until 2023...
‘Mortgage prisoners’ may be able to remortgage
You may have heard the term ‘mortgage prisoners’ but not know exactly what it is. Mortgage prisoners are those who are trapped in their current mortgage deal and are unable to remortgage or move. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has estimated around 150,000...
Reviewing your pension contributions
As you approach retirement, you probably want to know when you can afford to stop working. Having worked hard throughout your career you deserve to enjoy your retirement without having to worry about your finances. It may be worth reviewing your pension contributions...
Crystallising Your Pension Plan
The extra freedom granted by the pension changes introduced in April 2015 is good news for all pension savers. However, the increased options could lead to many people making the wrong decisions and paying unnecessary tax, making professional financial advice all the...
Take advantage of a ‘free’ pay rise
You might think pensions are too complicated and you don’t understand them, but the fact is they are a crucial, tax-efficient savings vehicle that can help give enough money to live on in your retirement. Worryingly though, only two-thirds of UK adults are currently...
How much can I pay into my pension?
A pension is a tax-efficient, long-term savings plan that you contribute to during your working life to provide an income when you stop work. You can benefit from tax relief on the contributions you pay in and your pension pot has the potential to grow. At the moment...
Reviewing your pension contributions
As you approach retirement, you probably want to know when you can afford to stop working. Having worked hard throughout your career you deserve to enjoy your retirement without having to worry about your finances. It may be worth reviewing your pension contributions...
Crystallising Your Pension Plan
The extra freedom granted by the pension changes introduced in April 2015 is good news for all pension savers. However, the increased options could lead to many people making the wrong decisions and paying unnecessary tax, making professional financial advice all the...
Take advantage of a ‘free’ pay rise
You might think pensions are too complicated and you don’t understand them, but the fact is they are a crucial, tax-efficient savings vehicle that can help give enough money to live on in your retirement. Worryingly though, only two-thirds of UK adults are currently...
How much can I pay into my pension?
A pension is a tax-efficient, long-term savings plan that you contribute to during your working life to provide an income when you stop work. You can benefit from tax relief on the contributions you pay in and your pension pot has the potential to grow. At the moment...
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,...
A global approach to asset allocation
Asset allocation is one of the key tools in our investment proposition to help strike the right balance between risk and reward in your portfolio. It applies to asset classes, such as equities, bonds and cash, and different global regions. The actively-managed Omnis...
All about ISAs
In the 2019/20 tax year, you can save up to £20,000 tax-free in an Individual Savings Account (ISA), and when it comes to your ISA investment, you have a number of options. Investors comfortable with the slightly higher risk Peer to Peer lending can also now invest in...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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. ...
