by Brian Downton | J, Jun, 2016 | blog, wealth-management
If you’ve always been a saver but never considered an Individual Savings Account (ISA) you could be losing out to the tax man. Make your savings work harder ISAs are tax-efficient savings plans that allow you to shelter up to £15,240 in the 2016/17 tax year from...
by Brian Downton | J, Apr, 2016 | blog, wealth-management
New research suggests under-40s face a 148% hike in retirement living costs, while many over-45s are exposed to financial ‘shocks’ that could upset their retirement plans. monthly retirement expenditure to rise from £1,183 to £2,930 by 2050 (For pensioners who are not...
by Brian Downton | J, Feb, 2016 | blog, wealth-management
“How much do I need for my retirement” is arguably one of the most serious questions facing a working-age adult. The answer ultimately depends on two questions. When do you want to retire and what kind of retirement do you want to have? Planning Your Retirement If you...
by Brian Downton | J, Feb, 2016 | blog, wealth-management
Saving for a rainy day is what lets you buy an umbrella to keep you dry until the rain passes. Alternatively you may be saving with a specific goal in mind, for example to buy a house. Like many aspects of life, your saving needs and habits may change as time...
by Brian Downton | J, Jan, 2016 | blog, wealth-management
“Breaking up is never easy” but sometimes it’s the best you can do. The Abba hit “Knowing Me, Knowing You” was released in 1976. A lot has changed since then, but breaking up still remains a painful and potentially expensive matter. The Basics of Divorce There are...
by Brian Downton | J, Jan, 2016 | blog, wealth-management
Retirement isn’t what it used to be. A century ago, when old age pensions were first introduced, life expectancy was far lower than it is today. After a life of hard manual work, most people of retirement age, enjoyed on average, only 31 percent of their total...
by Brian Downton | J, Jan, 2016 | blog, wealth-management
The phrase “use it or lose it” is very relevant to ISAs. As of April 6th 2015 you have 366 days to save up to £15,240 in your ISA. Even though 2016 is a leap year, giving you an extra day to achieve this, it’s recommended to get off the starting blocks quickly. Let’s...
by Brian Downton | J, Jan, 2016 | blog, wealth-management
It seems that wherever one looks in the media at the moment a commentator, government minister or journalist is stepping forward to tell us how awful annuities are and posing the question: why are annuities so bad? This, therefore is an important statement that should...
