Unintended consequences At the time of writing this article, the UK Government is still in negotiations with the European Union over the terms of its planned withdrawal on 29 March 2019. As we’ve been constantly hearing over the past few years in the media, Brexit uncertainty is affecting business and consumer confidence, whilst also contributing to a difficult political backdrop. But…

Greater responsibility on individuals to plan for financial security in old age Deciding what to do with your pension pot is one of the most important decisions you will ever make for your future. The ‘pension freedom’ changes of April 2015 represented a complete shake-up of the UK’s pensions system, giving people much more control over their pension savings than before….

Time to reimagine how to invest more tax-efficiently? Each tax year, from the age of 16 we are each given an annual Individual Savings Account (ISA) allowance. The ISA limit for 2018/19 is £20,000, and anyone wishing to utilise their allowance should do so before the deadline at midnight on Friday 5 April 2019. The date marks the end of the…

In anticipation of our long awaited exit from the European Union Matthew Douglas and Ellisons Financial Planning had the pleasure of hosting the Brexit Breakfast on the morning of Wednesday 27th March; just 2 days before we officially shook hands with the executive of the European Union, wished each other well and finally took control of our borders, laws and money….

Planning for the retirement you deserve Over time, with life expectancy and the cost of living rising, it could mean that some retirees are at risk of running out of pension income in later life. So what can you do to make sure that you have a big enough pension to meet your needs for the whole of your retirement? To…

Living a less complicated life! For anyone enjoying their retirement years and living a less complicated life, it can be easy to assume that you no longer require professional financial advice. Some people may believe that since they have reached their 60s and ‘retired’, the hard work is over. But there are probably another three or four decades ahead, and if…

Investing for income or growth, or both Investment trusts are a well-established way of investing. Many investors prefer to invest in a fund rather than by picking individual stocks, shares or other assets. Funds allow you to diversify your portfolio easily, as well as giving you the chance to benefit from the expertise of fund managers. They are set up as…

Not putting all your eggs in one basket Everybody has investment goals in their life, from the old adage of saving for a rainy day to planning a comfortable retirement. There are many reasons why investors might seek an income stream from their investments, for example, to pay for a dependant’s education, supplement a pension or fund the cost of care,…

Making the most of the next chapter in life Pensions can seem complicated, but the basic idea is a simple one. And increasingly, if appropriate, people are turning to private pensions as a tax-effective way to increase their retirement income. Once you’ve decided to start saving for retirement, you need to choose how you’re going to do it. The precise amount…

Make the most of the early years and maximise from the power of compounding Retirement might seem a long way off, so it’s easy to understand why saving for retirement isn’t a priority in your 20s – a decade when advancing your career, not planning for the end of it, seems more important. But, youth is a huge advantage when it…