Dividing your finances on divorce
The past year has sadly put huge strain on many relationships, with couples locked down together for months on end whilst trying to work remotely and home school their children, bringing relationships to breaking point. This brings financial challenges. Separating your finances When a couple divorce, they need to decide how to fairly divide financial […]
Are you unwittingly invalidating your home insurance?
One in four UK households have no home contents insurance whatsoever, a situation made worse by the pandemic, as many people tighten their financial belts. Even if you are insured, you may not be aware that there are several ways to potentially invalidate your policy, leaving your precious possessions at risk. Here are some surprising […]
Retirement finances: Take back control
Two pieces of research have again highlighted consumer confusion and concerns around pension provision and thereby the necessity for people to take control of their retirement planning. State pension overestimated Firstly, a survey by Which?1 found that three in ten people overestimate their future state pension income, some by almost £50,000 over the course of […]
The financial basics you wish you’d learnt at school
A survey of British employees reveals that a significant proportion of working adults wish they’d been taught more about basic financial topics at school. According to research1, the number one topic UK adults wish they’d learnt more about at school is pensions: 40% of respondents to a survey said that learning about pensions at school […]
‘Side hustles’ become a lockdown staple
If you’ve seen your income drop during the pandemic, have you considered taking up a side hustle? The term is an Americanism that is slowly making its way into common usage here in the UK. It refers to the practice of taking up a second job alongside your main job. A nation of side hustlers? […]
More people accessing pension cash
More people accessed their pensions and more money was withdrawn in the final three months of 2020 compared to the same quarter the previous year. A total of £2.4bn was withdrawn from pensions flexibly in the three months to December 2020, representing a 6% increase from £2.2bn in Q4 2019. The HMRC data1 shows that […]
Planning to retire in 2021?
Whether you had always been planning to retire this year, or COVID-19 has forced your hand, it’s never too late to get organised. We believe that retirement is something to be looked forward to after a lifetime of hard work – so don’t let it be overshadowed by financial concerns. We can help you quantify […]
ESG: A megatrend here to stay
New research suggests environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing is set to continue gaining prominence, with ESG issues increasingly converging into mainstream investment strategies. A growing trend The last few years have seen a substantial rise in ESG investing around the globe, driven by an increasing desire for investors to know both where their money […]
Dividends down 44% year-on-year
UK dividends fell 44% in 2020 to £61.9bn, the lowest annual total since 2011, according to Link Group’s latest Dividend Monitor1. However, a better-than-expected Q4 was boosted by suspended payouts being restored. The biggest impact came from the financial sector, which contributed to two-fifths of cuts, while oil dividend cuts accounted for another fifth. Dividends […]
Why it pays to update your pension expression of wishes
An expression of wishes tells your pension provider who you would like the beneficiaries of your pension to be in the event of your death. Multiple beneficiaries can be named, and you can state how much of your pension you want each to receive. However, while many people complete an expression of wishes when they […]