Have you fully used your 2012/13 ISA allowance? In times like these, every penny counts. Interest rates are at historic lows and rising inflation can erode our buying power. But one way to mitigate these effects is to shield savings from tax by investing through an Individual Savings Account (ISA). A flexible ‘wrapper’ An ISA […]

A renaissance period for investment trusts Investment trusts have had to exist in the shadow of unit trusts for the past few decades. But in rising markets investment trusts generally outperform other funds and can deliver more stable, growing income streams. Superior performance records Investment trusts are in a renaissance period and are coming up […]

Retiring baby boomers are setting out a new model for later life The UK is witnessing the march of a new type of retiree as the first post-war ‘baby boomers’ pass the old Default Retirement Age of 65. According to Aviva’s latest Real Retirement Report, more than one in three (39 per cent) over-55s are […]

New rules mean women could increase their pension income by over 20 per cent The new 20 per cent uplift in capped income withdrawals will come into force on 26 March this year, and people could start to see the benefit of this uplift from the start of their new income year following that date. […]

Tax planning checklist 2012/13 for you, your family and your business Make sure you take advantage of the wide range of year-end tax planning opportunities available this year. Here is our checklist of the main top ten areas to consider for you, your family and your business. For myself AND my family I have… Made the most […]

The cost of bringing up a child until they reach the age of 21 has hit an all-time high Having children has never been more expensive, with the cost of bringing up a child until they are 21 at an all-time high of £222,458. This is more than £4,000 up on last year and £82,000 […]

An important requirement, especially if you’ve retired or are approaching retirement How do you generate a reliable income when interest rates are stuck at all-time lows and the Bank of England’s quantitative easing policy of ‘printing’ money is squeezing yields on government bonds (gilts) and other investments? Your ability to generate income With more of us […]

This important one-off decision has long-term consequences if you get it wrong If you save through a private pension, when you approach retirement age you’ll have to decide what to do with the pension fund you have built up. If applicable to you, one option is to buy an annuity. It’s important to find an […]