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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why parents should look to Christmas investment gifts instead of toys. With the festive season approaching, have you thought about gifting your children or grandchildren something different this year? Giving them a good start in life by making investments into their future can make all the difference in today’s more complex world. Lifetime gifting is not only a good way to set up children for adulthood but is also a way of mitigating any Inheritance Tax concerns. However, what’s clear

People thinking more about their spending and financial priorities. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has lead to more people re-thinking how they spend and manage their money, with more than half (51%) now prioritising saving for an unexpected event or loss of income, research published suggests[1]. A third (32%) are setting aside money. This reflects Bank of England[2] estimates that more than £200 billion of savings have been built up during lockdown, but only 10% of these are expected to be