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… Continue reading Diversified portfolio
Category: All News
Matters of risk
Investment goals and timescales that influence your choices If you want to plan for your financial future, it helps to understand risk. If you understand the risks associated with investing and you know how much risk you are comfortable taking, you can make informed decisions and improve your chances of achieving your goals. Risk is… Continue reading Matters of risk
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… Continue reading Independence plan
Dot-com crash to global financial crisis
Busting the myths of investment companies’ performance Saturday 15 September 2018 marked ten years since the collapse of Lehman Brothers. And with the bull market following the global financial crisis – now the longest in history in the US – it’s useful to revisit the past. The Association of Investment Companies (AIC)[1] has looked at… Continue reading Dot-com crash to global financial crisis
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… Continue reading Funding your golden years
Investing for tax-free dividends
No longer the precursor to end-of-tax-year planning Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) provide the opportunity for appropriate investors to support the growth of small UK businesses and receive attractive tax reliefs in return. Introduced in 1995, VCTs enable smaller companies that may find it hard to get traditional finance, such as from banks. VCTs have historically… Continue reading Investing for tax-free dividends
Market exposure
Build a portfolio that meets your needs The earlier you commit to an investment strategy, the longer your money can work in the market. However, the world is an uncertain place at the moment. The deadline for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU is edging closer, and there is also the ongoing threat of… Continue reading Market exposure
Self-employed finances
Looming pension saving crisis on the horizon The number of people running their own businesses has soared since the financial crisis, with a significant number being set up by someone aged over 50. But an unhealthy number of self-employed workers in the UK do not currently save into a pension. New research[1] has highlighted that… Continue reading Self-employed finances
Generational finances
Job prospects, savings, safety nets and life expectancy Rising housing costs, soaring student debt and low wage inflation have left many millennials with stretched budgets. They may get regularly mocked as Generation Snowflake obsessed with spending on luxuries, but new research[1] shows they are focused on saving for retirement and want more support. We know… Continue reading Generational finances
Protecting your identity
Common ways fraudsters can steal your personal information As individuals, throughout our lifetime we exchange personal information with a vast number of institutions including banks, credit card suppliers, utility companies, supermarkets, government organisations and retailers. This may be to receive important services, but also to allow us to do the fun things like shopping, eating… Continue reading Protecting your identity