Helping you feel confident your family’s finances are secure. With a New Year comes resolutions. Everyone should make a resolution to review their protection and estate plans. A solid plan will help you feel confident your family’s finances are secure. The uncertainty of the past couple of years has shown how important it is to have a robust plan in place for securing your family’s finances. While no one knows what is around the corner, reviewing your protection, updating your

Considering the rule of seven when making financial gifts. You’ve worked to build up your wealth. But now it’s time to make plans so your loved ones can get the most from the estate you intend to leave behind. If you think you might be affected by Inheritance Tax, it can be tempting to hold off making plans to do anything about it. But the truth is that it’s better to plan earlier for Inheritance Tax.  Estate planning is an

Four in five looking to change jobs demand green pensions. When you first start paying into your employer’s pension, your contributions, along with employer contributions and tax relief, will be invested through a default fund. You will usually have several fund options to choose from. Increasingly, new research has identified that people are choosing to work for employers that provide ‘green pensions’[1]. Today’s workers expect employers to show true leadership and offer pensions which are invested responsibly. Investments in high

Savers could miss out on thousands of pounds in retirement. As the cost of living continues to soar, with inflation reaching a 40-year high, the impact on household finances is taking its toll. But it is essential to try to maintain a savings habit even in the current climate. The impact of any breaks in pension contributions could mean savers miss out on thousands of pounds in future that will mean less income during retirement. Research has highlighted that reducing

How scammers are getting more convincing. Around half of UK adults (51%) have or know someone who has received a suspicious communication in the last 12 months, according to new research[1]. This equates to 27 million people across the UK. Most of these cases can be described as ‘phishing scams’ (51%), when a fraudster attempts to imitate a legitimate company or person to secure important information from the victim. Pension transfers Crypto scams are also becoming worryingly common, with one

Millions of retirees help out in cost of living crisis. The rise in the cost of living is affecting millions of people. A third of young adults (18-34) and families with young children are struggling financially. Many are turning to family and friends for help with day-to-day expenses such as utility bills, housing costs and childcare, according to new research[1]. One striking aspect is the extent to which grandparents are stepping in with thousands of pounds of support and helping

Mistakes to avoid when you’re aiming to build your pension pot. Many people are feeling the pressure on their finances at the moment due to the backdrop of rising inflation and the cost of living soaring. In these circumstances, it can be difficult to think about your long-term finances or even contemplate saving for the future. However, even in the current climate there are ways to maximise the value of any pension savings you do have. By sidestepping seven common

More over-65s are still working than six years ago. More people in the UK aged between 65 and 74 are still working compared to six years ago, new research shows[1]. The findings show there’s a marked increase in the number of people over 65 who remain in the workforce compared to 2016, and a fall in the number drawing their State Pension. At a time of rising cost of living pressures, the data shows fewer people across all age groups

Bonds can play a key part in building an investment portfolio. UK government bonds, also known as gilts, are debt securities issued by the UK government. They are used to finance the government’s borrowing requirements and are often seen as a safe haven asset by investors. Gilts are traded on the London Stock Exchange and the payments on gilts are fixed, meaning that they provide a predictable income stream for investors. Fixed income portfolio Investors who place large portions of

More over-50s returning to work amid cost-of-living crisis. Older workers have been leaving the jobs market in their droves over the past two years, partly due to many re-evaluating what they want from their lives and careers during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, and also due to the devastating impact the pandemic had on the prospects for many older jobseekers, who felt they had no choice but to leave the workforce.  But the cost-of-living crisis is now affecting some

Women left with half the pension pot, no matter the job. We’ve all heard about the gender pay gap, but very few discuss the gender pensions gap, despite the fact so many women experience it. Women’s pensions at retirement are half the size of men’s, regardless of the sector they work in, new research has highlighted[1]. The gender pension gap is the percentage difference in income between men’s and women’s pensions and it begins at the very start of a

What kind of protection insurance do you need? There are various complex risks in life that we all face, such as serious illness, an accident or death. What would happen if something were to happen to you? Would your family be able to cope financially with the impact an unexpected event might have? These are not easy questions to ask but it is important to consider what would happen if an unexpected event or accident took place, and how you