Useful Articles

Avoid knee-jerk reactions by focusing on long-term investment objectives

Creating and maintaining the right investment strategy plays a vital role in securing your financial future. But we live in the era of the 24-hour news cycle. Human tendency is to prioritise negative over positive news content, and no one is immune from bad news. So as an investor, when you do get it, how do you process the information, deal with it and move on unscathed? Continue reading “Cultivate the art of patience” →

Make the most of your valuable allowances, reliefs and exemptions

Once we enter January, the end of the 2019/20 tax year will be just over three months away on 5 April. As this date approaches, the window of opportunity reduces if you want to make the most of valuable allowances, reliefs and exemptions that could help reduce your tax bill and make sure your finances stay tax-efficient. Continue reading “Tax-wise” →

The early retirement dream lives on, but at what cost?

Whether you choose or need early retirement, having a plan can give your money the best chance of lasting the distance. Whether lifestyle preferences or circumstances beyond your control are behind your decision to retire early, you’ll need to make a plan to help your retirement savings last, while still enjoying your favourite comforts in life. Continue reading “Lasting the distance” →

Don’t be penalised by the tax system when you exercise your freedoms

The ‘pension freedom’ reforms of 2015 were welcomed by consumers, as they vastly widened options available to most savers at retirement. Continue reading “Taxing times ahead” →

Reaching those milestones starts with setting clear financial goals

We all have dreams for the future, and many of those dreams require money and planning to make them become a reality. Reaching those milestones starts with setting clear financial goals. Making decisions with a clear endpoint in mind can make it easier to achieve financial security and allow you to enjoy your life to the full, so we’ve put together this brief rundown to help you get closer to your goals today. Continue reading “What’s important to you?” →

Critical gap in consumer awareness

Drawdown allows most pension holders to withdraw a tax-free lump sum and reinvest the remainder as an income. But hundreds of thousands of DIY drawdown investors are unaware they can scale back or stop their withdrawals, putting them in danger of draining their retirement savings too rapidly, according to new research[1]. Continue reading “Unlocked pension savings” →

Make sure your pension savings don’t get left behind

The employment landscape has evolved significantly over the last few decades, and changing jobs multiple times before retirement is now very much the norm. Even if you have not had that many jobs, you may still have a number of different pensions to keep track of. Continue reading “Lost pensions” →

Don’t lose your life savings or be persuaded to invest in high-risk schemes

Don’t let scammers enjoy your hard-earned pension proceeds. Anyone can be the victim of a pension scam, no matter how savvy they think they are. It’s important that everyone can spot the warning signs. Continue reading “Pension scammers: spot the warning signs” →

Taking the reins and having more control over your pension pot

Saving for retirement is one of our greatest financial priorities, especially as life expectancy is growing and retirements are likely to last longer. Continue reading “Retirement resilience” →

Looking after your lifestyle during a time of uncertainty

Nobody wants to worry about how they’ll pay the bills if they become sick or injured and can’t work. But illness or injury can strike at any time and can lead to serious financial trouble. The latest government figures[1] report the dramatic increase in the likelihood of long-term sickness absence when we age, leading to an employment absence of four weeks or more. Continue reading “Financial support” →