As we prepare to bid a (fond) farewell to the year 2017, here’s a quick round up of the year’s main financial news. January While it wasn’t, strictly speaking, financial news, the inauguration of President Trump, was pretty much guaranteed to set the stage for some major changes in numerous areas, including financial changes. As […]
Retirement
State Pension – All You Need To Know
If you were born after the 5th of April 1951 (for men) or 1953 (for women), you will receive what is being called the “new state pension” as opposed to the old one. Any contributions you made under the old scheme will be transferred to the new one and treated under its rules. Here are […]
The Importance of Good Pension Advice
Good advice can be invaluable and when it comes to pensions, getting the right advice at the right stage in your life can make all the difference to the degree of comfort in which you spend your retirement. Fortunately the government has recognized this and since April this year it has been possible to withdraw […]
Making A Retirement For Those Who Make A Home
Children are expensive and as soon as you know you’re having one, planning for their arrival and taking care of them once they’ve arrived can take precedence over every other priority. You’ll always be a parent, but you’ll always be a person too and while your children may seem like they’re growing up so quickly […]
Preparing your Pension
As the old saying goes “money doesn’t grow on trees” and sadly pension pots aren’t found at the ends of rainbows either. Building a meaningful pension pot takes time and, frankly, some degree of effort and sacrifice. Essentially, you’re giving up part of your income today, in order to provide an income for yourself at […]
The Upfront Cost of Downsizing
With the notable exception of children, smaller is generally cheaper. This is usually very true when it comes to housing (on a like-for-like basis of course, a studio flat in London might well cost more than a house in rural Wales). Because of this, there’s an obvious financial attraction in downsizing property once children have […]