State Pension

A significant number of people working past the State Pension age could be paying unnecessary tax on their State Pensions, according to new research [1]. This is because they failed to take up the option of deferring their State Pension until they stopped work. As a result, their entire State Pension is being taxed, in…

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Building a diverse portfolio

Time, patience and making informed decisions are key to building a diverse portfolio. Making sense of today’s market headwinds and building a diverse portfolio should be key priorities for all investors. Whether you have a lump sum to invest or want to invest regularly each month, it’s important to know your money is working hard…

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tips-may-jun19

May/June TIPS Financial Magazine

At the time of releasing the May/June TIPS financial magazine, the uncertainty around the terms of Brexit have been extended to a new deadline set for 31 October. All we can do is expect the best, prepare for the worst and capitalise on what comes. Inheritance Tax is no longer something that only affects the…

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Purchasing an annuity

You can normally withdraw up to a quarter (25%) of your pension pot as a one-off tax-free lump sum, then convert the rest into a taxable income for life called an ‘annuity’. There are different lifetime annuity options and features to choose from that affect how much income you would get. You can also choose…

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Millennials get real with the numbers

Millennials are chasing the home ownership dream at the potential cost of a lower income in retirement, new research [1] shows. Over a third (35%) of millennials say they prioritise saving for a deposit on a home instead of their retirement. Nearly a fifth (19%) say buying a house is the main reason they don’t…

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approach-to-retirement-savings

Approach to retirement savings

A revolution in pensions transformed the retirement prospects for millions following the passing of the Pension schemes Act 2015. April 2019 is the fourth anniversary since the introduction of the pension freedoms, a fundamental change in the approach to retirement savings. Announced by the then Chancellor, George Osborne, in Budget 2014, pensions freedoms gave over-55s…

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looking-to-the-future

Looking to the future

Your wealth should work in all the ways you want it to. Whatever your goals are in life, careful planning and successful investing of your wealth can help you get there. Whatever stage of life you’re at, we’ll help navigate you through the opportunities and challenges you may face. From the old adage of saving…

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later life care

Later Life Care

Have you thought about the cost of later life care? One of the biggest challenges of the 21st century is Britain’s ageing population. There is continually much talk about later life care in the media, and it’s a subject that is going to be one of the biggest social challenges in the coming years. As…

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cost of inflation

Cost of inflation

The impact of inflation on savings and investments, especially of those retirees living on fixed income, is an important issue. But it’s also not good news for other savers and investors, as it can erode the purchasing power of money. Inflation is officially defined as the sustained rise in the general level of prices of…

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Your ISA, your future

Your ISA, your future

Is it time to re-imagine how to invest more tax-efficiently? Each tax year, from the age of 16 we are each given an annual Individual Savings Account (ISA) allowance. The ISA limit for 2018/19 is £20,000, and anyone wishing to utilise their allowance should do so before the deadline at midnight on Friday 5 April…

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Smart plans

For anyone enjoying their retirement years and living a less complicated life, it can be easy to assume that you no longer require professional financial advice. Some people may believe that since they have reached their 60s and ‘retired’, the hard work is over. But there are probably another three or four decades ahead, and…

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life after work

Life after work

Planning for retirement is essential to have the life after work you desire. We all know when planning for retirement, the earlier we start saving and investing, the better off we’ll be, thanks to the power of our money compounding over time. And even if we start saving later in life or we’ve yet to…

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