Mid 30s is the Perfect Pension Planning Time
Adjusting to adulthood can be a difficult stage of life, as you strike out on your own for the first time and adapt to huge changes at home and at work. It is therefore understandable that getting to grips with your finances can get pushed down your list of priorities, in particular, saving for your pension. Of course, auto-enrolment has helped many young adults get started with planning for…
How Can I Improve My Credit Score?
Having a good credit score can make a big difference to your life, such as helping you qualify for a credit card or being approved for a loan or mortgage. Your credit score can be the key that unlocks countless opportunities, so what do you need to do to make sure yours is as good as it can possibly be? Be punctual with your repayments It’s vital that you meet…
Savers are missing out on extra money
What do you do with your monthly earnings when they land? Do you leave all the money sitting in your current account? Or do you invest some elsewhere, so you can make your money work hard for you and maximise your returns? A new survey by the Building Societies Association (BSA) reveals that many of us are, worryingly, not really doing anything at all! According to the data, 34%…
Should you consider downsizing?
When your children have grown up and left home, your house can suddenly feel a lot bigger and emptier. But despite there being many compelling reasons to move to a smaller property, many of us stay put. So should you be thinking about downsizing? According to a study by Zoopla, most homeowners aged 65 or above either live on their own or just with their partner. Nevertheless, more than…
Autumn Budget
Jeremy Hunt says the government has taken difficult decisions to put the economy back on track and halve inflation, but “the work is not done”. His priorities are to avoid big government spending and high tax, and instead cut taxes and reward those working hard. He set out 110 “growth measures” in the Autumn Budget. The main 12% rate of employee national insurance that we currently pay is going…
Are you confident about repaying your mortgage?
Are you confident about repaying your mortgage? Your mortgage is one of your biggest financial commitments, and as such, you do not want to have sleepless nights worrying about repaying this debt. It is more important than ever to be on top of your repayment plan given that many households are seeing their monthly mortgage bills going up. According to analysis by Nous, the average monthly mortgage bill has…
Should you have Critical Illness Cover?
Saving and investing are always at the heart of a financial plan, so you can be sure that you are on course to achieve your future goals. But it is easy to make one big mistake – believing that this journey will go smoothly and that you won’t ever get knocked off course. What would you do if an emergency did arise, such as an unexpected health crisis? That…
Why Asset Allocation Matters When Investing
Investing is an uncertain pursuit, as you have to carefully navigate an ever-changing financial climate. Perhaps the only certainty is that the value of your investments will go up as well as down, so it is really important that you allocate your assets carefully to help you stay on course. Here are some key issues you should be considering when you are making crucial decisions: Exposure to risk If…
Have Interest Rates Peaked?
The Bank of England surprised us this month by holding interest rates at 5.25%, bringing to an end a run of 14 consecutive interest rate hikes. So what does this mean for you and your money? Can we cautiously hope that interest rates have peaked? The Bank of England started hiking rates in December 2021 in an effort to tackle inflation. However, these figures have been starting to move…
Is it ever too late to start Pension Planning?
As financial advisers, we will always recommend that you start preparing for retirement as early as you can. But if you are in your 40s or 50s and have only just started thinking about pension planning, then the rule of thumb is that something accrued is better than nothing. You still have time to secure your future. Below is a list of pointers, that will lead you to thinking…
