Category: Financial News

Don’t  lose sight of your investment goals Planning for your future financial independence relies on selecting the right type of investments and balancing the risks you are comfortable with alongside the potential returns. Every investor is unique and complex, so when it comes to investments, a one-size-fits-all approach just doesn’t work – there isn’t a… Continue reading Wealth Matters

Socially responsible investing If you are an investor concerned about global warming and other environmental issues, how can you save and invest ethically? Ethical investments cover a multitude of different strategies, with the terms ‘ethical investment’ and ‘socially responsible investment’ (SRI) often being used interchangeably to mean an approach to selecting investments whereby the usual investment criteria… Continue reading Green Money

Taking the right steps to making adequate provision for your future As your life changes, you’ll have different protection requirements. That’s where we can help. Your financial planning isn’t complete until you assess and address your protection needs. It is important that in committing yourself to any form of protection you take into account the… Continue reading Discover more

Alternative complementary asset class Tax-efficient investments are increasingly being used to complement pensions as part of an overall retirement planning solution. The tax relief provides a reliable return and you are able to access your money after the tax qualification periods, either to reinvest in tax-efficient investments for another round of tax relief, or to invest elsewhere. Appropriate… Continue reading Reliable Returns

Nearly a quarter of the UK population is currently over the State pension age Nearly a quarter of the UK population is currently over the State pension age, according to United Nations figures. The same analysis predicts this will rise to almost 30 per cent by 2030. As it stands the Government has pledged to… Continue reading Drawing on a State retirement income

New rules mean much more dramatic rises than had been expected For many years the age at which you can claim your State pension benefits has been 65 for men and 60 for women. But the previous Labour Government set out plans, based on recommendations from Lord Turner, to steadily increase the State pension age… Continue reading When will you claim your State pension benefits?

Nearly half the working population are not saving enough Only 51 per cent of British workers are saving adequately for old age, according to the latest annual Scottish Widows pension report. Nearly half the working population is not saving enough for retirement, and one fifth are failing to save anything at all, according to a… Continue reading How much retirement income will you need?

A new, simple, low-cost pension scheme In December 2006, the former Government published a White Paper outlining its workplace pension reforms, including proposals for NEST (the National Employment Savings Trust) – previously called Personal Accounts. This led to the Workplace Pension Reforms set out in the Pensions Act 2008. These reforms aim to increase individuals’ savings for retirement. A new, simple,… Continue reading The National Employment Savings Trust

Bringing your pensions under one roof Pension transfers can be complicated and you should always seek professional financial advice before going ahead. Remember, whether a transfer is suitable or not will very much depend upon your individual circumstances and objectives. There are a number of different reasons why you may wish to consider transferring your… Continue reading Pension transfers

Making retirement more flexible The Treasury published its draft Finance Act legislation on 9 December 2010. The rules revolutionise the way pension benefits are taken and are designed to make retirement more flexible. There is no longer a requirement to set up benefits by age 75. Whilst the majority of retirees will still want a secure income at… Continue reading Alternative options for investors