A time-tested method for controlling risk over time It’s natural to be looking for ways to smooth out your portfolio’s returns. Investing regularly can smooth out market highs and lows over time. In a fluctuating market, a strategy known as ‘pound-cost averaging’ can help smooth out the effect of market changes on the value of… Continue reading Pound-cost averaging
Category: News
New Individual Savings Accounts
Providing you with increased simplicity and greater flexibility Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) have been around since 1999, providing a tax-efficient wrapper for savings and investments. However, in the recent Budget, the Chancellor, George Osborne, promised to increase the simplicity and flexibility of ISAs. As of 1 July 2014, there is now a single ISA which… Continue reading New Individual Savings Accounts
Open-ended investment companies
Investing in a variety of assets to generate areturn for investors Open-ended investment companies (OEICs) are stock market-quoted collective investment schemes. Like unit trusts and investment trusts they invest in a variety of assets to generate a return for investors. An OEIC, pronounced ‘oik’, is a pooled collective investment vehicle in company form. They may… Continue reading Open-ended investment companies
Power of Attorney
Providing the legal authority to act on your behalf A Power of Attorney is a legal document that allows you to give someone else the legal authority to act on your behalf. There are several different types of Power of Attorney. A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) (previously called an ‘Enduring Power of Attorney’) allows your… Continue reading Power of Attorney
Changing work patterns
Over-50s retrain for later life retirement funding Nearly two thirds of over-50s workers would consider retraining so they could work longer in retirement, research from MetLife[1] shows. 63% of over-50s are looking at potentially lengthening their working lives, with 50% considering learning new skills to continue in full- or part-time employment, while 13% would look… Continue reading Changing work patterns
Accumulating wealth for your children or grandchildren
How to give them a financial head start in life as they grow up in the modern world Anyone with children knows there will be lots of demands on the household finances, but when it comes to long-term saving, perhaps for university or a first home, even a small sum can give your child a… Continue reading Accumulating wealth for your children or grandchildren
Passing on your pension savings
It’s never been more important to plan whom you’d like to inherit them Your pension is your life savings you’ve built up to give you the retirement you want. Since new pension rules came into effect from 6 April this year, pensions have become more flexible – including a cut in tax when a pension… Continue reading Passing on your pension savings
Compulsory financial advice
Two-thirds of people aged 55 and over believe financial advice should be compulsory at retirement Two-thirds (65%) of people aged 55 and over who are not yet retired believe that it should be compulsory to receive financial advice at retirement according to findings from Retirement Advantage. On-going advice More than one third (35%) of people… Continue reading Compulsory financial advice
Generation Y
More than one in ten would use parents’ pension on mortgage deposit More than one in ten (12%) 20-35 year olds are prepared to ask their parents to access pension savings to help pay for a mortgage deposit, research from Old Mutual Wealth[1] shows. But only half as many over 55s are willing to use… Continue reading Generation Y
Pension earmarking orders
Divorcees may need to take action to protect benefits following pension reforms An unintended consequence of the pension reforms is that any divorcee with a pension earmarking order may need to act fast to protect their benefits. Any earmarking order that provides the ex-spouse with a fixed percentage of the pension income in retirement should… Continue reading Pension earmarking orders
