By James Tanswell
For some, there is no greater feeling than getting a good deal on something. Whatever it is, from car insurance to the car itself; getting the most for your money can be incredibly satisfying.
However, new research from Retirement Advantage suggests that retirees are missing out on a total of £765 million in Annuity income, simply by not shopping around.
This equates to the average person losing out on £8,460 over the course of their retirement; money that would no doubt be better off in your pocket than that of your pen...
By Rob Barron
Confusion reigned this week as the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, revealed that two measures previously announced in his Budget will not go ahead.
For now, anyway.
Mr Hammond’s Budget, delivered in early March, will be remembered for the proposed National Insurance rise for self-employed workers. A few days later, following protests and a media backlash, he changed his mind.
It now seems that two other measures, which would have affected pensioners and shareholders, will now not go ahead.
Contribution cut
Prior to the Budg...
By James Tanswell
The 6th of April is an important date to many for a number of reasons:
It’s also the first day of the brand-new tax year, which brings with it a long list of changes that you should know about. This article looks at the 10 most important changes to your personal finances, from your personal tax allowance...
By James Tanswell
The answer to that question depends on two things; the outcome of the election and how you react to the inevitable instability it will cause.
At this early stage, the most likely outcome seems to be a Conservative victory, with an increased majority. At least that’s what a certain Mrs May, of Number 10 Downing Street, has gambled on.
Logically, if this is the case, Mrs May, and the Chancellor Philip Hammond, will be emboldened to drive through changes to domestic policy, whilst negotiating Brexit. Of course, even if it...
By David Triggs
National Savings & Investments (NS&I) has launched its new Investment Guaranteed Growth Bond, after announcing it in November 2016.
The fixed rate bond offers the highest interest rate currently available at 2.2% gross/AER, and has been called ‘market leading’ by the Treasury. Despite the competitive interest rate, it doesn’t beat the current rate of inflation, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), which is currently at 2.3%.
What are the key features?
Although the account is called an Investment Guaranteed Gr...
By James Tanswell 2/3/2016
As Britain's voters prepare to end the hokey-cokey and finally decide if they want to be in or out of the European Union, analysts are already divided on the potential effects on markets of both the vote and the result.
The currency markets have already spoken, with the pound falling and hitting its lowest point against the dollar since September. The problem is that although two obvious factors caused that decline, it's hard to tell yet what the balance between the two is.
As always, market movers hate nothing ...
By Rob Barron 14/1/2016
The buy-to-let market is braced for a major hit when several tax changes take effect from this April. While some landlords have vowed to fight the changes in court, the industry is divided on whether this marks a long-term attempt to deter buy-to-let.
The package, introduced in the recent Autumn statement, has two key changes that make buy-to-let less attractive. The first is to stamp duty where anyone buying a property as a buy-to-let or second home will now face a surcharge of three percentage points on top of ...
By David Triggs 11/112015
When is a flat rate not a flat rate? When it's the new state pension.
The state pension is undergoing major changes for people retiring after next April. In theory it's a change to a simpler system, but there's plenty of confusion and complexity involved, so it's worth exploring your personal position carefully.
The main change is to the way the pension is calculated. At the moment it comes in two parts: a basic amount which is the same for most people, and then an additional amount which varies depending on ...
Author James Tanswell DipFA 23/09/2015
Changes to a government regulation scheme mean that people with large amounts of savings could be at increased financial risk from next year. It's a good opportunity to review your finances and check your risk and reward ratio meets your needs.
The changes, which take effect on 1 January, are to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. That's an industry-wide scheme by which a set amount of a customer's savings are guaranteed against bank or building society failure, with the government picking...
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Article by Rob Barron 28/08/15
With the "Great Fall of China" prompting dips in Western financial markets and reminding us of the interconnectedness of today's global economy, you might be forgiven for worrying about market drops harming your investment. Instead, however, recent events should serve as a reminder of the importance of taking a long term view.
Easy as it may be to forget when TV screens are full of downward pointing red arrows and sweaty men in their shi...
