29 December 2023

Protection – a financial and wellbeing safety net

Life has a funny way of turning out differently to how we expect it. When faced with the unpredictable twists and turns of fate, it is comforting to have the support of the right protection cover for your needs.  Rising bills reinforce need for protection  Increased household bills, mortgage and rent costs, mean that protection […]

29 December 2023

Gender division extends to money matters

Despite women’s earning power increasing significantly over recent decades, the division of financial responsibilities does not appear to have evolved.  A survey1 of 4,000 UK adults earlier this year found that women still typically have greater oversight of domestically focused financial matters, such as household costs (67% of women versus 51% of men) and utility […]

20 December 2023

Understanding your behavioural biases

As an investor, you will have your own financial personality and preferences, which your adviser will consider when helping you to make financial decisions.  Parallels with F1  You may not think so, but parallels can be drawn between Formula One (F1) and investing. In F1, drivers may make suboptimal decisions during races due to cognitive […]

20 December 2023

BOMAD to the rescue!

The Bank of Mum and Dad (BOMAD) is being called upon to help with more than just a house deposit these days. As more parents and grandparents reach deeper into their pockets to help their offspring, it is vital not to compromise your own financial security.   Mortgages and more   One in four parents with assets […]

12 December 2023

‘Spot the dog’ fund

According to the latest data1, the number of ‘dog’ funds have increased by 27% since February this year, that represents 56 equity investment funds versus 44 earlier in the year, but a reduction on the 86 dog funds identified in January 2022.  A ‘dog’ fund is defined as one which has failed to beat its […]

12 December 2023

The FIRE investment movement

Many of us dream about retiring early so we can devote more time to things we enjoy; but financial realities inevitably mean few of us actually realise those dreams. A growing number of people though are turbo-charging their chances of early retirement success by embracing the FIRE principles of investing.  We didn’t start the fire  […]

12 December 2023

Interest-only searches rise

The number of searches relating to interest-only mortgages soared by 53% in June, as borrowers sought out ways to lower their monthly expenditure.  More interest in interest-only  Research1 shows that ‘interest-only mortgages’ was the most common search term in August, ahead of other staples like ‘buy-to-let’ and ‘fixed-term’.  The jump is likely to be linked […]

5 December 2023

Tax punishment on prudence

Taxes on savings and dividends are set to top £24bn this fiscal year in what is being seen by some as a fresh attack on savers who have shown prudence and thrift.  Savers hit…  Higher interest rates mean that more savers are being drawn into paying tax by crossing the Income Tax savings threshold. Interest […]

5 December 2023

It’s good to talk

A pandemic closely followed by a cost-of-living crisis has undoubtedly created a challenging financial backdrop for us all and inevitably heightened money-related stress and anxieties. At times like these, it’s more important than ever to open up and talk any concerns through with loved ones or a professional adviser in order to protect both financial […]