Volatility, risk and market declines Relentless and continual rise in value over the very long term, punctuated by falls There is an undeniable correlation between geopolitics, market sentiment and the macro trading environment. But over long periods, we have seen markets recover from downturns, although past performance is no indicator of future performance. Corrections can be healthy and result in even stronger growth in the future, although this isn’t guaranteed and you could get back less than you invest. This

Renewal of Corporate Chartered Financial Planners Status Our managing partner, Laurence Turner, has been in financial services since May 1986 and has been authorised to give advice on and transact occupational pension transfers for decades. This in no way means he’s out of touch, quite the contrary. Along with the rest of the Investing for Tomorrow team, Laurence is fully qualified and constantly gaining new skills and certificates. He elected to take the latest exam to prove he is still

Funding your golden years Tax aspects require careful planning after recent government changes Pensions have the reputation of being confusing, but they needn’t be. Private pensions are usually used by people who don’t have access to a workplace pension scheme, but you can also have one if you are employed or not working. They work in much the same way as workplace pension schemes, but you, rather than an employer, are responsible for choosing the provider and setting up your

Pension freedoms Taking responsibility for funding our own retirement Although each generation will likely face different challenges and opportunities, achieving retirement readiness will require actions common to us all. We all know that our ageing population and increased life expectancy are putting a strain on government finances. Following pension freedoms, there’s greater choice than ever before in how you access and take your retirement benefits. Now, more than ever, it is vital that we all take responsibility for funding our

Diversified portfolio Effective tool for reducing risk and volatility without necessarily giving up returns When you start investing, or even if you are a sophisticated investor, one of the most important tools available is diversification. Whether the market is bullish or bearish, maintaining a diversified portfolio is essential to any long-term investment strategy. Diversification allows an investor to spread risk between different kinds of investments (called ‘asset classes’) to potentially improve investment returns. This helps reduce the risk of the

Avoid the mad March rush Get a head start on your tax planning resolutions Although the current tax year does not end until 5 April 2019, tax planning shouldn’t be a mad March rush. Now is the perfect time get a head start on your tax planning resolutions to enhance your own, your family’s or your company’s tax-efficient plans for the future. We have set out some tax tips and actions that may be appropriate to certain taxpayers. Reviewing your

Relationship breakdowns A pension could well be the biggest single asset in the relationship What is likely to be a divorcing couple’s most valuable asset? The family home will spring to most people’s minds first. But the value of a pension could well be the biggest single asset in the relationship. When and how pensions are divided on divorce depends on the circumstances of you and your family. If your marriage has been short and both of you are in

Independence plan Least financially resilient group delay life milestones due to financial insecurity Life can get complicated when you hit your early thirties, which means your finances are starting to get serious. You might be in the middle of countless transitions, like moving up in your career, starting a business, buying a home, getting married, having children…and a whole lot more. A study[1] reveals that people in their early thirties are putting off life milestones, such as having children or

Pensions shake-up Getting away from the stresses of everyday life For many, the idea of retirement means getting away from the stresses of everyday life. But with living costs rising and interest rates low, people need to think about how to generate extra income from their savings in retirement. Pensions offer a number of important advantages that will make your savings grow more rapidly than might otherwise be the case. However, changes announced in April 2015 have lead to a

Eyes wide shut Do you know the value of your pension savings? With people living longer than ever before, we all need to save more. But because there’s always something more urgent to pay or save for, it’s something that many of us rarely think about. Almost three quarters (73%) of people aged 45 or over are longing for the day when their life is no longer confined by their working routine, according to new research[1]. Yet despite an eagerness

Back to the future Visualising what really matters to you is the key to the planning process Have you ever thought about writing a letter to yourself to describe your ideal future life, long-term life goals and the process of how to plan for them? Imagining what you want your life to be like in the long term when you retire can help you think much further ahead than you might ever have done before. Research conducted for a new

Seeking a higher retirement income Retirement needn’t be an all-or-nothing decision The onwards march of ‘pretirement’ – where people scale back on work or slow their retirement plans down rather than giving up entirely – is continuing, with half (50%) of those retiring this year considering working past State Pension age. This is the sixth consecutive year[1] in which half of people retiring would be happy to keep working if it meant guaranteeing a higher retirement income. More than a