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This section of our website will feature new editorials which we write on a monthly basis
Shape up for the New Year
Phew! It’s been another tumultuous year in the world of finance. Volatile stock markets, austerity measures and an escalating eurozone crisis have ensured that money matters have rarely been away from making the headlines.
Diversification is the Key to Successful Investment
The discipline of diversification, in a financial sense, is one of which investors are being increasingly reminded given the volatile nature of global investment markets over the past few years. Furthermore, investors are now able to access a much wider range of asset classes than the traditional choice of equities (shares), fixed interest securities, property and cash.
Ensure Your Pension Pot Lasts As Long As You Do
October 2011
Once in a blue moon your local newspaper salutes a
local resident who has reached the grand-old age of 100. Yet by all accounts, local papers may soon have to devote an entire weekly page to people living to 100 because we are living much longer.
Investing in Inflationary Times
August 2011
Inflation can cause havoc for your personal finances as it erodes the real value of our money over time. Not surprisingly, research shows that as many as nine out of 10 people are worried about the effects it can have on their money (Source: Post Office Savings, June 2011). Inflation may have dipped slightly in June, but it is significantly above the 2 per cent target set by the Bank of England. It could yet rise above the 5 per cent barrier
once the widely anticipated energy price hikes are taken into account later in the year.
HMRC Crackdown on Tax Avoidance
July 2011
HMRC is ratcheting up its crack down on people who try to avoid paying tax. It is spreading its net wide. From plumbers, to restaurant owners, to private tutors, to offshore investors, few appear safe as HMRC bids to narrow the so-called tax gap – the difference between tax collected and the tax they believe ought to be collected.
Creating a Financial Legacy for your Family
June 2011
Raising a child is a costly business - nappies, clothes, pocket money and school trips are just the tip of the iceberg. A recent survey indicated that by the time your child has reached 18 you would have spent an average of £10,040 per year on their upbringing (Source: Daily Telegraph, March 2011). It doesn’t get any easier once they reach adulthood age. The chances are high that they will need financial help to pay towards university tuition fees, a gap year, or getting a foot on the property ladder.
A Less Taxing Life in the Sun
May 2011
It is estimated that more than 5.5m Britons have moved to live or work overseas in the past decade (Source: Institute for Public Policy Research, December 2006). The most popular destinations include Spain, France, Portugal and Cyprus – not places that most people would immediately
associate with tax havens.
Retirement apathy will cost you dearly
April 2011
There is much to be said for living for the moment and, for people coping with the economic downturn, getting through the week is understandably the major consideration. Yet many people risk a life of poverty in retirement because they are significantly underfunding their retirement savings.
How are you Planning to Pay for Long-Term Care?
March 2011
The funding of long-term care is becoming a major political issue, but for many families it is already a burning personal issue. It is estimated that more than 20,000 pensioners were forced to sell their homes to pay for care last year (Source: The Telegraph, November 2010) and that number could be on the increase given rising care costs.
Make the Most of your Opportunities in these Taxing Times
February 2011
In these austere times, tax give-aways are pretty hard to find. In an otherwise gloomy picture for Britain's taxpayers, your annual Individual Savings Account allowance is one bright spot – an increasingly valuable tax break and investment opportunity that should not be overlooked.
