Looking forward to a secure and financially independent retirement It’s good to have choices when it comes to pensions and your retirement, but it’s also important to understand all your options from age 55 onwards. With the money in your pension pot, you could buy an annuity, take some while leaving some invested, take it […]

The single most important decision you can make to help realise your long-term goals Retirement planning involves making your plans for the future now – that means investing your money with the aim of maximising its value ready for when you retire. Careful retirement planning, the right mix of assets and starting sooner rather than […]

Over half of the UK population unaware of government plans Over half of the UK population are unaware of government plans to reform the State Pension and the impact that will have on them, according to recent research[1]. Among the 55 to 64-year-old age group, 32% are unaware of the changes due to come into […]

New rules will simplify the existing regime The Chancellor, George Osborne, has brought forward the expected announcement on the tax charge that applies to certain individuals’ pensions on their death. The new rules will simplify the existing regime and come into force from 6 April 2015, abolishing the 55% tax that applies to untouched defined […]

The most radical reforms this century In Budget 2014, Chancellor George Osborne promised greater pension freedom from April next year. People will be able to access as much or as little of their defined contribution pension as they want and pass on their hard-earned pensions to their families tax-free. For some people, an annuity may […]

Three very important questions you need to consider, sooner rather than later Inheritance Tax (IHT) in the UK may be one of life’s unpleasant facts, but with the appropriate IHT planning and professional advice, we could help you pay less tax on your estate. The aim of this guide is to provide a brief outline […]

UK couples are spending more than £44,000 on average when they divorce or separate Achieving a fair resolution of all the financial issues surrounding divorce or the dissolution of a registered civil partnership can be highly stressful. Alongside wanting to resolve these effectively and affordably you may also be worrying about how you will achieve […]

Is there room for any further disappointment? Europe has suffered a stream of destabilising news this year. Firstly, there was January’s emerging markets crisis, which slowed the demand for European exports. Then there were EU parliamentary elections in May, which returned a large number of anti-establishment MEPs to Brussels and spurred David Cameron’s attempt to […]

Significant challenges for investors this year and beyond In the first half of the year, geo-political unrest has dominated the headlines. There have been significant challenges for investors in recent months – geo-political upheavals, economic growth and monetary policy. Once the summer is out of the way, the attention will turn to domestic political uncertainty.

Over 6 million UK adults plan to move abroad in later life An even split In total, over 6 million UK adults are planning to retire abroad, with an even split between Europe and the rest of the world. Of the estimated 3.2 million UK adults planning to retire in Europe, Spain is the most […]