When are you thinking of retiring? With many pre-retirees reassessing their lives and priorities in the wake of the pandemic, there really is a seismic shift for many people towards achieving life balance. People need a plan to flex with their changing aspirations – it’s become more about living life rather than going through the […]

In recent times the importance of expert financial advice has become greater than ever, as people seek reassurance that their pensions, investments and protection plans are being professionally looked afterduring uncertain times. Good financial outcomes are obviously important, but these can only be measured over the long term and are just one way of assessing […]

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has understandably impacted global markets. Due to the uncertain nature of the fast-evolving situation, global markets initially reacted with many stocks moving into the red and the oil price pushing beyond the $100 milestone as supply concerns intensified. Markets reacted accordingly on the last trading day of the month following […]

The Chancellor set out a three-part Tax Plan for a ‘lower tax economy’ which will cover the remainder of the Parliament. The key elements of the plan are: ● The Spring Statement forms the first part of the plan – prioritising help for families with the cost of living – through the fuel duty cut […]

Many parents are keen to give their children a flying start financially by putting aside money throughout their childhood. Mums have been shown to be more likely to take the lead in this area, with most savings being held in cash products, such as cash Junior Individual Savings Accounts (JISAs) or premium bonds. Mum’s the […]

The Autumn Budget may have left a sense that nothing much had changed in the realm of personal financial planning, as no major changes to Capital Gains Tax, Inheritance Tax, Income Tax or pensions were announced. Despite this, a prime consideration needs to be how external factors, such as frozen rates and higher inflation, could […]

The new year is the perfect time to reassess how your finances are faring and take advantage of any opportunities that may lie ahead. Household budgets are likely to be stretched in 2022, with rising inflation and tax increases already on the table. It makes sense to quantify your assets and position them appropriately to […]

Major global indices closed in December in positive territory. Despite escalating virus cases, stocks were supported by hopes that the Omicron variant is milder, potentially limiting fiscal impact as vaccines have allowed many economies to remain open. In the UK, the FTSE 100 ended the year up 14.3%, registering its best annual gain for five […]

As we move through life, our plans and goals will inevitably change. This also goes for our investment strategies, which need to flex and adapt as we move through the decades. Your twenties and thirties The financial decisions we make in early adulthood set the foundations for the rest of our lives. At this stage, […]

In the past 18 months, many Britons have saved more money than usual as the closure of the economy reduced spending. Many canny investors have been channelling their savings into increased investment contributions. New research1 suggests that the majority of UK investors (76%) intend to keep up higher levels of contributions, with half saying they […]