Hot Topics

Coping with life changing events

Change is the only constant in life. It inevitably involves twists and turns, with some that are expected while others may be entirely unplanned.When this happens, it’s important to feel secure with the knowledge that you have the right contingency plan in place…

Gender Pension Gap

The staggering impact of the gender pension gap has been revealed in research which shows that women have lower pension pot sizes in every age bracket, with the situation significantly deteriorating as they approach retirement[1]…

How has COVID-19 affected retirement plans?

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted on every aspect of our lives, affecting individuals’ financial situation and, for many, their plans for retirement. If you are approaching retirement in the next 12 months, your plans should be under continuous review…

Navigating financial impact of COVID-19

Needless to say, coronavirus (COVID-19) has had, and will continue to have, a major impact on our lives. It is not just impacting on people’s physical health but also their financial well-being…

Funding care

Whether you are looking for care for yourself or a loved one, chances are that one of your first thoughts is going to be : ‘how much is it going to cost?’, swiftly followed by, ‘who is going to pay for it?’…

What are you waiting for?

Understandably, the current coronavirus (Covid-19) situation is causing angst among people, particularly elderly and vulnerable clients who have been self-isolating. It’s estimated that more than half…

Build you own financial plan

It’s never too early to make a financial plan. The sooner you work out your goals and start following a plan to achieve them, the more likely you are to succeed…

Time for pensions to contribute towards building a better world

As we have been witnessing in recent years and months, climate changes are occurring in every region and globally.A new landmark report from the United Nations on the state of climate science has …

Preparing for the unexpected

When you think of financial planning, pensions and savings will spring to mind. But, whilst often overlooked, protection should be a core part of your financial plan…

Working remotely

Prior to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic outbreak, we might have imagined working from home as the opportunity of sleeping in late, lounging around in our pyjamas, and long leisurely lunches…

10 tips to achieving your financial goals

Even if you have a solid financial plan in place, it still needs to be updated regularly to ensure it reflects any life changes. But what should your priorities focus on now? Is it time to turn your attention to…

Caveat emptor: 'let the buyer beware'

As a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, there has sadly been an increase in the number of fraudsters exploiting people’s fears, targeting pension savers, investors and online consumers…

Applying for a three-month mortgage payment holiday

Mortgage borrowers that have been adversely affected financially by coronavirus (Covid-19) may want to consider requesting to take a mortgage payment holiday on their residential or buy-to-let mortgage…

Coronavirus impact on the global economy

The coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak is first and foremost a human tragedy, affecting hundreds of thousands of people. Moreover, it is also having a growing impact on the global economy…

Coronavirus investment scams

Fraudsters are getting more sophisticated, particularly with investment scams. They can be articulate and financially knowledgeable, with credible websites, testimonials and materials that are hard to distinguish…

Covid-19 effects on retirement planning

The coronavirus (Covid-19) is having a widespread impact across all aspects of financial life, including retirement plans. The current global stock market turbulence, as a consequence of Covid-19, will no doubt…

Financial fallout from Covid-19

It is becoming uncomfortably clear that while not everyone has been physically affected by Coronavirus (Covid-19), every single one of us will be impacted financially. During the pandemic, savings and…

Protecting renters affected by Coronavirus

More than a fifth of UK households live in privately rented accommodation. The Government has introduced measures to protect renters affected by coronavirus (Covid-19)…

Rise of the female breadwinner

The proportion of female breadwinners is steadily rising but the trend could be knocked off course by the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis. Women out-earn male partners in almost a quarter of…

Self-employment Income Support Scheme

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak unveiled unprecedented government aid for the self-employed. There are around five million people who are self employed and freelance across the UK…

Advice Matters

In the current climate, we understand that you may be feeling worried about your work, your finances and what th efuture holds…

Don’t miss the ISA deadline

Each tax year, we are given an annual Individual Savings Account (ISA) allowance.This can build up quickly, letting you accumulate a substantial tax-efficient gain in the long-term…

Festive financial gifts

As the festive season approaches, have you thought about gifting your children or grandchildren something different this Christmas? Giving them a good start in life by making investments into their future can make all the difference in today’s more complex world…

Future financial health

With all that has been going on in the world this year, for many people it’s been really difficult to feel as though they’re in control of much. However, some people have been in the fortunate position of being able to take the opportunity to invest in both their physical and emotional health while in lockdown…

Gifting generation

Young people have been one of the worst-affected groups from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, particularly in terms of the labour market and mental health outcomes. But it’s their parents and grandparents who are paying the price financially…

More than a third of Britons plan to maintain new saving habits

A combination of financial concern and falling household spending means that those whose incomes have survived the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic so far have been keener than ever to save their money…

More over-55s forced to dip into pension pots

The UK has seen a rise in the number of people accessing their pension pots or enquiring about doing so. People accessing their pension as a flexible income has increased by 56%[1] according to research since the first lockdown last year.The increase is due to people withdrawing after holding off when stock markets were volatile…

Navigating the financial impact of COVID-19

Needless to say, coronavirus (COVID-19) has had, and will continue to have, a major impact on our lives. It is not just impacting on people’s physical health but also their financial well-being. Research highlights how the finances of the UK’s households have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak…

‘New Age’ of self-employment

Self-employment plays a vital role towards the UK’s economy. In recent years the number of people who are self- employed has risen steadily. But one of the main drawbacks is that the self-employed do not have the advantage of an employer to help arrange pension provision…

New Year,new start to your finances

At the start of every year we have great intentions, as financial promises are renewed. Getting our financial life in order will be a top priority for many as we enter 2021…

A new tax year, a new start for your finances

It’s always a good time to consider financial planning, but at the start of a new tax year, when you have a fresh set of annual allowances to take advantage of, you have the perfect opportunity to get your financial affairs in order and align them with your goals…

Will your pension run out early?

An increasing number of people have been forced into early retirement due to the economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19), with many worried about how they’ll make ends meet in the future. Because of the pandemic, we are currently in a challenging economic period.The global economy has taken over ten years to recover from the shock of the last financial crisis…

Tax saving opportunities

The Government has spent hundreds of billions on measures to support businesses and jobs, and fight the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. But how will it pay for these? We won’t know the extent of the final bill until long after the crisis is over…

Your future self

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic crisis could leave the next generation of retirees significantly poorer and sicker. 4.8 million people over 50 and in work fear losing their job because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research which reveals fears of finding a new role[1]…

Wealth preservation

The rules around Capital Gains Tax (CGT) are complex and they differ depending on your financial situation. It’s a complicated tax and, as a result, some people may get confused about how much they should expect to pay…

Intergenerational financial planning

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has prompted a desire to move into ethical and sustainable investing for more than half (51%) of advised UK adults, according to a new report[1].And while the trend is common across the generations, it’s Millennials who are leading the charge…