Financial protection Families left in a precarious situation if the unforeseen were to happen We all intend that our plans will come good. But making sure that you and your family can cope if you fall ill or die prematurely is something we can too easily put to one side. In particular, a recent study identified that financial protection is something that millions of fathers in the UK, and their families, could benefit from. More than half (58%) of men

Making a Will Continuing your support long into the future We spend our lives working to provide for ourselves and our loved ones. You may have a house or flat (in the UK or overseas), shares, savings, and investments, as well as your personal possessions. All of these assets are your ‘estate’. Making a Will ensures that when you die, your estate is shared according to your wishes. Everyone should have a Will, but it is even more important if

Lasting Power of Attorney A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that allows you to appoint one or more people to make decisions on your behalf during your lifetime. The people you appoint to manage your affairs are called the ‘attorneys’. An LPA is a completely separate legal document to your Will, although many people put them in place at the same time as getting their will written, as part of wanting to plan for the future.

Pension paralysis Saving not found to be a financial priority for UK workers Worryingly, pension inertia is rife across the UK with many Britons failing to make saving for their old age a priority as they fall into a short-term saving trap. Saving for retirement is not looked upon as a priority until workers reach their 40s and 50s, according to new research involving a survey of 2,824 employees at medium and large private sector companies in the UK conducted

Investing for Tomorrow’s Social Responsibility If you aren’t already aware, it may not surprise you to know that Investing for Tomorrow are heavily involved with our local community. We sponsor more than one charity and even the local rugby team. Here’s a rundown of recent and upcoming events. Overgate Hospice We were very proud to be among the sponsors at the hospice’s annual summer garden party and even more so for their very first firewalk coming up on October 13.

Later retirement Workers extend their careers for a multitude of reasons When do you plan to retire? Saving for your retirement is a lifelong undertaking – and if you want to enjoy a comfortable retirement, you can’t start planning soon enough. The more you contribute to a pension now, the better chance you’ll have of that money growing and funding your retirement in later life. But the proportion of UK employees who say they will work beyond the age of

Seize the day – today Make your vision a reality Exactly how much you’ll need for a comfortable retirement will depend largely on your cost of living and lifestyle choices. For many people, retirement is about sun-soaked holidays, leisurely rounds of golf and that boat they’ve always coveted. But retirement is not what it used to be, with more of us working longer to build up our decided retirement income. So it’s essential to reassess how much you’re saving into

Should I stay or should I go now? Key aspects that influence retirement decisions Whatever you want to do when you retire, the better prepared you are, the more rewarding it will be. It’s important to assess the key aspects that will influence your retirement, as the decisions you make can have a real impact on your savings. There are some important considerations to think about. Timing Drawing savings too early is likely to result in lower returns and/or lower lifetime income

Investing in your child’s future Without planning ahead, the cost can be a huge money sink While many parents value the standard of education offered by independent schools or universities, the costs can be daunting. However, with careful planning, it may be possible to avoid a huge outstanding student loan or tax burden. A good education will give your children or grandchildren the best start in life. With more parents choosing to opt out of state schools and educate their

Generation still taxed Numbers nearly double in the last two decades With so much choice on offer, and with frequent rule changes and distinct tax benefits to consider, finding the right vehicle for your retirement planning is essential. Add to this the number of taxpaying pensioners nearly doubling over the last two decades, and with talk of also requiring pensioners to pay National Insurance on any earnings or even on pensions, the older population may start thinking of themselves as ‘Generation

Looking to the future Taking the steps now to prepare yourself for retirement With increasing numbers of people working past traditional retirement ages[1], stopping work can seem a long way off, especially for younger people. But it’s the dream of an early retirement that keeps many people going through the daily work grind. Fantasies of a round-the-world cruise, sundowners on a seaside terrace or writing a best-selling novel can make work endurable. The good news for many is that the

Do you have protection if the worst should happen? Nine in ten Britons are in danger of financial hardship – so what cover do you need? Britons are woefully under-protected should serious illness strike, according to new research[1]. Despite more than a fifth (21%) of people admitting their household wouldn’t survive financially if they lost their income due to long-term illness, fewer than one in ten (9%) have a critical illness policy. People are, in fact, more likely to insure