Retirees now have a whole host of new options The pension freedoms, introduced on 6 April 2015, have given retirees a whole host of new options. There is no longer a compulsory requirement to purchase an annuity (a guaranteed income for life) when you retire. The introduction of pension freedoms brought about fundamental changes to the way we can access our…

Preserving your wealth and transferring it effectively Estate planning is an important part of wealth management, no matter how much wealth you have built up. It’s the process of making a plan for how your assets will be distributed upon your death or incapacitation. As a nation, we are reluctant to talk about inheritance. Through estate planning, however, you can ensure…

Legitimate ways for higher earners to reduce a tax bill Without a carefully developed tax planning strategy, higher-rate taxpayers run the risk of missing out on key tax benefits and paying more in taxes than necessary. A higher tax liability can diminish the value of your investment earnings over the long term. To start with, it’s important to look at how…

If the worst were to happen, would your bills still get paid? Everyone should consider protection, even those who don’t have a family or a mortgage! Unless they have substantial savings or inherited wealth, most people rely on their salary to pay for everything. Over the years, you may have taken out a number of different insurance policies to give you…

What does wealth look like to you? Whether it’s stopping smoking, losing weight, eating more healthily or getting fitter, most of us have probably made at least one New Year’s resolution, but how many of us will actually go on to achieve it? We all have different financial goals and aspirations in life, yet these goals can often seem out of…

Looking after your lifestyle during a time of uncertainty Nobody wants to worry about how they’ll pay the bills if they become sick or injured and can’t work. But illness or injury can strike at any time and can lead to serious financial trouble. The latest government figures[1] report the dramatic increase in the likelihood of long-term sickness absence when we…

Don’t be penalised by the tax system when you exercise your freedoms The ‘pension freedom’ reforms of 2015 were welcomed by consumers, as they vastly widened options available to most savers at retirement. Pension freedoms allow savers to have the flexibility on how and when to spend their money without being penalised by the tax system, but it is worrying that…

Signs you are not financially ready to retire Those potentially most exposed to a pension shortfall are not people just entering the workforce, most of whom presume they will work until their 70s and will receive limited support from the state. Those most at risk of enduring a more frugal older age are those currently in their 40s and 50s who…

Income gap between the wealthiest and poorest pensioners is growing The members of Britain’s baby boomer generation who are now entering retirement have been called ‘the richest generation in history’. But the income gap between the wealthiest and poorest pensioners is growing, with those in the top pension income band now having an average weekly income of almost £1,000. Government figures…

Last week Matthew was invited to help upcoming school leavers to come to grips with the potential pitfalls of going through job interviews! Hadleigh High School is the main state funded mixed senior school in the area (part of the South Suffolk Learning Trust) and so, as part of our commitment to supporting local initiatives, Matthew lent his time to help assess candidates…