Our Blog
2024/25 Tax planning is underway
Every year brings new possibilities – and at the start of the 2024/25 tax year, it’s time to maximise your financial options and opportunities. If you’re an investor or saver then there are plenty of tax perks you can take advantage of. But the clock is ticking before...
Worried a “credit blip” will stop you getting a mortgage?
The cost-of-living crisis and inflationary pressures has put pressure on people’s finances and made it harder for people to get on the housing ladder due to affordability constraints and more people having a less than perfect credit history. How important is your...
General election 2024: 4 July
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak surprised everybody on 22 May – including many in his party – with his announcement of a general election on Thursday 4 July. At the start of 2024, Rishi Sunak said that his “working assumption” was that the general election would be held...
How to improve your chances of passing a mortgage affordability assessment
Getting on the housing ladder can feel like one of the hardest and longest processes in the world and the cost of living crisis is probably not helping. You need to come across as attractive as possible for lenders to consider you but there are many factors that can...
Considerations for first-time buyers
Being a first-time buyer can be daunting. Not only are you about to make one of the biggest financial decisions in your life, but you’ll probably also have family members and friends offering their ideas on the right house, mortgage, lender conveyancer and even...
The Effect of Psychology on Investors
You should base financial decisions on logic and facts. But psychology can have a much larger effect than you think, and it can lead to you making decisions that aren’t right for you. Read on to find out more about what behavioural finance is and how it could affect...
Overpaying your mortgage: should you do it?
Hardly a day goes by without the cost of living hitting the headlines. For many homeowners the increasing costs of owning and running a home is having a huge impact on household budgets. Even if you are near the top end of your monthly budget, or are expecting a...
Why Diversification is Important
It is impossible to predict exactly how markets will behave in the future. Trying to predict which single asset class will deliver the best performance will often lead to disappointment. Click here to see how different asset classes have performed over the last 10...
How critical illness cover and life insurance work to provide financial security
How do critical illness cover and life insurance work to protect your income from the unexpected? With the rise in the cost of living and borrowing, many people are worried about paying the bills if anything happens that leaves them unable to work. Recent surveys have...
Consolidating your pensions – is it a good idea?
Jenny is a 47-year-old Account Manager with a long and varied CV. She hasn’t quite had more jobs than hot dinners but, when she thinks about the various pensions she’s acquired over the years, sometimes it feels that way. Jenny has recently been considering...
