Investment company growth story of the decade
Over a third of the investment company sector is invested in alternative assets as research suggests from the Association of Investment Companies (AIC). The term ‘alternative’ is used to cover many other types of investments that are not traded on stock markets. These might include the shares in private companies, physical property or infrastructure projects. Continue reading…
Innovation in both finance and technology
One of the main innovations in both finance and technology over the past few years has been the advent of crowdfunding. Crowdfunding is a way of raising finance by asking a large number of investors each for a small amount of money. In the past, financing a business, project or venture typically involved asking a few investors for large sums of money. Crowdfunding switches this idea around. Continue reading…
One of the most important relationships you may ever have
Few people really have the time to understand the significant number of financial products on the market at any time. If you’re looking to invest, buy a protection product or plan for the longer term, expert professional financial advice is essential to help enable you to create a financial plan that is realistic. Continue reading…
Getting your pension in shape to enjoy the kind of lifestyle you want in later life
‘Will I be able to afford the retirement lifestyle I want?’ is a question that many people ask but struggle to figure out. There are many ways to assess your likely income in retirement and work out how much you need to put away now to enjoy the kind of lifestyle you want in later life. Continue reading…
Structuring your affairs efficiently means starting the correct planning early enough
Inheritance Tax (IHT) is payable by some people that, for the most part, could have avoided it. If you want your estate to go to your loved ones with the minimum amount of IHT payable, you should obtain professional advice. There are currently a number of generous reliefs relating to IHT. Indeed, if the correct planning is started early enough, it may be possible to avoid IHT altogether. Continue reading…
Value of payouts from pension schemes
The lifetime allowance is a limit on the value of payouts from your pension schemes – whether lump sums or retirement income – that can be made without triggering an extra tax charge. Continue reading…
Annual and lifetime limits
Tax relief means some of your money that would have gone to the Government as tax goes into your pension instead. You can put as much as you want into your pension, but there are annual and lifetime limits on how much tax relief you get on your pension contributions. Continue reading…
Why it’s important to know your start and end points
Reaching wealth goals and achieving personal ambitions are major objectives of the financial planning process. In order to make plans for the future, you need to know where you are today and where you want to be in the future. Continue reading…
Increasing the long-term value of your investments
It’s natural to be looking for ways to smooth out your portfolio’s returns. Investing regularly can smooth out market highs and lows over time. In a fluctuating market, a strategy known as ‘pound-cost averaging’ can help smooth out the effect of market changes on the value of your investment and is one way to achieve some peace of mind through this simple, time-tested method for controlling risk over time. Continue reading…
