Why working and retirement are no longer binary terms. Giving up the 9-to-5 doesn’t necessarily mean stopping work. Many people are now considering staggered or flexible working. It can suit some individuals who have caring responsibilities or health issues, or those thinking about retiring in the next few years. When you picture yourself in your golden years, are you sitting on a beach, hitting the golf course or working behind a desk? For many people of retirement age, continuing to

How to make the most of the various pension allowances. Saving into a pension is one of the most tax-efficient ways to save for your retirement. Not only do pensions enable you to grow your retirement savings largely free of tax, but they also provide tax relief on the contributions you make. There are various pension allowances that you need to be aware of and understand how to make the most of. These limit the amount of money you can

Pandemic forcing a widespread rethink of retirement plans. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic crisis has thrown some of the nation’s retirement plans up in the air. As a result, a number of people over 50 and in work are set to delay their retirement (15%) by an average of three years, or keep working indefinitely (26%) as a direct result of COVID-19, according to new research[1]. The pandemic is forcing a widespread rethink of retirement plans. Currently 1.5 million workers aged

Impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on Will making. We are living in extraordinary times right now, in the grip of a global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Many people are concerned to ensure that their affairs are in order and that they have made a Will, which is one of the most important legal documents you can create in life. It is always sensible to have a valid Will in place to ensure that your estate is divided among the people (or charities)

Why it’s important not to view your portfolio with an element of finality. Retirement is a major accomplishment for most people. You’ve worked hard all of your working life to save and prepare for your retirement, and now you’ve finally retired. So how should you approach investing now that you’re no longer earning a salary? When it comes to investing during retirement, with the right strategy, you can help make sure your retirement savings last. It is not unusual for

Some people still struggle to make informed retirement decisions. The decisions made at retirement are big ones and have long-term consequences. Many spend years accumulating a large amount of money in pensions and other savings, but really don’t know what that might mean, how much income they can reasonably expect to receive and how best to take that income. It is worrying, but perhaps unsurprising, that a significant number of people do not know how much they have saved for

Ensure your future income will allow you to enjoy the lifestyle you want. Preparing for retirement is like getting ready for a journey – it never goes quite as planned. But the better the plan, the better the outcome. When things go wrong, you want to have the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. You never know what retirement will be like until you get there. It’s also important to remember that retirement is not a single event. It is

How our retirement plans may change in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has touched virtually every part of our lives and is having a widespread impact across all aspects of financial life, including retirement plans. As a result, a significant number of people aged over 50 and in work are potentially considering delaying retirement (15%) by an average of three years, or will continue working indefinitely on a full or part-time basis (26%), as a direct

Preparing ourselves for life to be really strange for some time. The only constant in life is change, which is why individual financial life planning should not be a one-off exercise. Reviewing your finances regularly is essential if you want to stay on track to meet your financial goals. Making sure your finances are in the best possible shape will also make sure you stay on course to achieving everything you want. Everyone has been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19)

Staying invested and giving your money the greatest chance to grow. Perhaps the most common investment advice is to stay invested. But with markets being so volatile, the ease of sticking to that advice has been sorely tested in 2020. Even though we’ve seen global markets bounce sharply from their March lows, understandably there will still be those investing for retirement who remain worried and wonder what the best approach is for the remainder of the year and beyond. Depending

One of the biggest threats to the health of your investments. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a dramatic effect on the global economy. Around the world, economic activity has dried up. Fewer consumers are buying and fewer companies are investing. If you take the view that inflation will go up in the long term, it is worth considering whether your savings and investments could be affected. After all, you need your investments, and the income from them, to keep

Maximising investment returns over a longer life expectancy. There are lots of variables in retirement: how long people will live for, the costs of goods and services they will need, interest rates available on their accumulated savings, and so on. But once you have retired, investing is anything but straightforward. Your finances are a primary consideration, there’s no doubt about it. If you have insufficient income to pay your projected retirement expenses, or less surplus income than you anticipated, you