Create a better world to live and retire in

Pension investments to harness a more sustainable planet. Few people are aware of what their workplace pension invests in, let alone how their pension provider incorporates environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters into the process. Almost two-thirds (64%) of UK pension holders say that didn’t know their pension could be invested in ways to help fight climate change. One in six (17%) of UK pension holders currently invest their pension responsibly, but 41% say they would like their pension to

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Time to bring your pensions together?

3.6 million Britons have lost track of their pension savings. The more old pensions you do have, the easier it is to end up losing one. Tracing pensions from years ago can be a hassle. Over 3.6 million Britons admit they have no idea how many pensions they have and risk paying more in fees than necessary, according to new research[1]. The number of workers with small pension pots of under £1,000 has surged dramatically in recent years, as auto

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Beyond profit

How green is your pension? The consequences of inaction on climate change are now impossible to ignore. Every company has an impact on the world around us. And by investing in them, so do we. From devastating wildfires ripping through several countries, the aftermath of Storm Ida that caused unimaginable flooding across the northeast of the US, storm Arwen that brought disruption to the UK in November and last August’s 7.2 magnitude hurricane in Haiti – are all examples of

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Improve your financial life

Setting a financial New Year’s resolution you’ll actually keep. Heading into the New Year, it’s the perfect time to take stock of your budget, liabilities and investments—and check them against your financial goals. The New Year brings an opportunity to reflect on the past year and to set new goals for the year ahead. But before setting financial goals, it helps to understand your financial priorities, and understand your overall plan to achieve the financial life you want. Think about

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Get ready to beat the ISA deadline

Time to give your financial future a boost? Savers and investors have less than three months to use the £20,000 they can put into their tax-efficient Individual Savings Account (ISA) before the end of the financial year on April 5. The current tax year started on 6 April 2021 and ends on 5 April 2022. ISAs enable you to minimise the amount of tax you pay on your hard-earned cash. Some ISAs give you instant access to your money and

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New Year’s tax saving resolutions

Make full use of your relevant tax planning opportunities. With the tax year end, 5 April on the horizon, taking action now may give you the opportunity to take advantage of any remaining reliefs, allowances and exemptions. We have provided some key tax and financial planning tips to consider prior to the end of the tax year. Now is also an ideal opportunity to take a wider review of your circumstances and plan for the year ahead. Check your PAYE

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Generation vexed

A third of Gen Xers not confident they can fund their retirement. With 57% of Gen Xers wanting to save more for retirement but struggling to do so, a quarter (25%) plan to work part-time past the State Pension Age (SPA) to plug an expected income shortfall in retirement, while 17% plan to work full-time. However, they have serious concerns about whether they will be able to continue working later in life.  The findings, which are contained in a report

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Planning for early retirement

What are the financial consequences to stopping work in your 50s? Early retirement may be the ultimate dream for some, but the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic made it the only option for many. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that over-50s had the highest redundancy rate between December 2020 and February 2021[1]. Retiring early can give you that change of lifestyle you’ve been craving, open doors to new experiences and potentially improve your health. But there are financial consequences

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The power of a plan

How to create a personal financial plan in 8 steps. When thinking about your future financial wellbeing, it can be helpful to consider a plan. It is a good idea to have a clear sense of what you want from life and use this as a guide for making important decisions. A comprehensive financial plan helps you achieve your goals by analysing your current situation, planning for the future and providing continuous monitoring of progress towards those goals. A well-thought-out

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Pensions and retirement still remain a taboo

When it comes to marriage and money, it’s good to talk. Millions of married couples have no idea about their spouse’s pensions and retirement plans, according to new research[1]. More than three-quarters (78%) of non-retired married[2] people do not know what their spouse’s pensions are worth. Nearly half (47%) of non-retired married people have not spoken to their spouse about their retirement plans and 85% of non-retired married people are not aware of the tax-efficiencies of planning retirement together. Retirement

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How can I protect my money from inflation?

Five questions to ask before inflation really takes off. ‘How can I protect my money from inflation?’ is a question that many people may be asking themselves right now. In the current economic climate, rising inflation is becoming a concern for people with savings and investments. The effect means you’re potentially earning less money due to your hard-earned cash becoming worth less as time goes by. The negative impact of inflation upon the real value of an investor’s portfolio will

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Change to the state pension triple lock

Pensioners ‘deeply disappointed’, particularly women and self-employed. The earnings benchmark of the State Pension triple lock will be temporarily set aside for next year. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed on 7 September that the State Pension triple lock rule will not be applied for the 2022/23 financial year over concerns of the potential costs involved. It comes after the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said in July that pensioners could see their payments rise by as much

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