Useful Articles

How you will ‘slice up your wealth pie?’

There is no easy way to say it – anticipating one’s death is an uncomfortable topic. Yet it is often worth pushing past the initial discomfort to pursue the potential rewards of effective wealth transfer planning. There are three places your assets can go at your death: to your family and friends, to charity or to the government in the form of taxes. Continue reading “Planning for succession” →

How could the change impact on your retirement plans?

For the first time in over a decade, the point at which people can claim a State Pension (the ‘State Pension Age’) is simple. If you have reached your 66th birthday, you can claim it. Otherwise you cannot. Continue reading “State Pension age rises” →

Taking the time to take back control over retirement savings
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. Continue reading “Future financial health” →

Navigating complex decisions to shape your retirement finances
Pension freedoms have put a greater onus on people to keep themselves informed of their options when it comes to accessing their pension money. However, little knowledge and understanding of the rules could mean some people risk making decisions that are not best for them. Continue reading “Revolutionising the retirement landscape” →

Increase in victims of financial scams related to COVID-19
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. Continue reading “Caveat emptor: ‘let the buyer beware’” →

One of the freedoms of retirement is getting to choose where to live
What makes a good place to retire? It’s one of the most basic questions people ask themselves when they start planning for retirement. It’s also one of the most crucial questions and one that, surprisingly, many people don’t give a lot of thought to. Continue reading “Setting up a new life” →

Making the difficult choice between live-in care and a care home
One of the biggest challenges of the 21st century is Britain’s ageing population. As later-life care becomes more prevalent, whether you are considering this for yourself or a relative, covering the costs involved can be significant. Continue reading “Care in later life” →

Looking to discover what you can do with your pension pot?
In 2015, the retirement rules were rewritten. The rules, which came into effect from 6 April 2015, have changed the way people take money out of their pensions, with new freedoms and options available to anyone over the age of 55. Continue reading “Rewritten retirement rules” →

Financial fall-out of divorcing in middle age

While the number of couples divorcing has decreased in recent years[1], with 91,299 cases in 2018 compared to 102,007 in 2017, the cohort of couples deciding to split in later life is on the rise. Also, pre-pandemic divorce valuations could have changed by as much as 30%, which may lead to some people receiving unfair settlements if valuations are not updated[2]. Continue reading “Silver splitters” →

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]. Continue reading “Delaying retirement” →