An Individual Savings Account (ISA) is a tax-efficient ‘wrapper’ designed to go around an investment. You’ve got until 5 April 2014 to use your current 2013/14 tax year annual ISA allowance before you lose it forever. Read the rest of this entry »

During these difficult economic times, one of the tools available to the Bank of England to stimulate the economy is interest rates. Lower interest rates mean that it is cheaper to borrow money and people have more to spend, hopefully stimulating the economy and reducing the risk of deflation. This is why the Bank of England has aggressively cut them. With interest rates at their lowest levels in history, those relying on the interest from bank or building society accounts to supplement their income potentially face a problem. Indeed, once tax and inflation are taken into account, for many their capital on deposit is at risk of losing money in real terms. Read the rest of this entry »

For the appropriate investor looking to achieve capital security, growth or income, there are a number of advantages to investing offshore, particularly with regards to utilising the tax deferral benefits. You can defer paying tax for the lifetime of the investment, so your investment rolls up without tax being deducted, but you still have to pay tax at your highest rate when you cash the investment in. As a result, with careful planning, a variety of savers could put offshore investments to good use. Read the rest of this entry »

Whether it’s a long way off or just around the corner, having a plan in place for your retirement can help you get the lifestyle that you want. The State pension alone won’t be enough to ensure a comfortable retirement so it’s important to review your options as soon as you can to make sure you can afford life’s little pleasures once you retire. When it comes to planning for retirement, time is your friend. The earlier you start, the longer your money has the potential to grow. Read the rest of this entry »

In December 2010 the Government announced the introduction of a facility to allow unlimited pension income drawdown as long as members could satisfy a few requirements. This is referred to as ‘flexible income drawdown’ and has been available since 6 April 2011. Read the rest of this entry »

You’ve spent years putting money aside into a pension scheme, but what actually happens once you retire? Sadly, it’s not as simple as just withdrawing the money. You must now convert your pension pot into an income that will last you for the rest of your life, which is typically done by buying an annuity. Read the rest of this entry »

If you would like to have more control over your own pension fund and be able to make investment decisions yourself with the option of our professional help, a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) could be the retirement planning solution to discuss. Read the rest of this entry »

Most people, during their career, accumulate a number of different pension plans. Keeping your pension savings in a number of different plans may result in lost investment opportunities and unnecessary exposure to risk. However, not all consolidation of pensions will be in your best interests. You should always look carefully into the possible benefits and drawbacks and if unsure seek professional advice. Read the rest of this entry »

If you think you may have an old pension but are not sure of the details, the Pension Tracing Service may be able to help. They will try and match the information you give them to one of the schemes on their database and inform you of the results. If they have made a match they will provide you with the contact address of the scheme(s), and you can get in touch with them to see if you have any pension benefits. Read the rest of this entry »

Whatever happens in life, we can work with you to make sure that you and your family is provided for. Premature death, injury and serious illness can affect the most health conscious individuals, and even the most diligent workers can be made redundant. Read the rest of this entry »