The International Monetary Fund (IMF)1 has predicted a challenging 2023, reducing growth expectations and forecasting economic contraction in a third of the world, in its latest World Economic Outlook entitled ‘Countering the Cost-of-Living Crisis.’ With the cost-of-living crisis ‘tightening financial conditions in most regions’, the outlook suggests that in order to restore price stability, monetary […]
Category archives: General Financial News
New year – check your protection
The start of a new year is a great opportunity to reassess your finances. In 2023, with difficult economic conditions causing cost-of-living difficulties for many, it is especially important to make sure everything’s in order. Protection is an essential part of long-term financial planning. The right protection for your unique needs is an indispensable safety […]
Building retirement resilience in 2023
Although there are many challenges on the household finance front at the moment, the start of a new year always provides the perfect opportunity for a financial health check; and a key element of any finance MOT will inevitably be an honest appraisal of your financial fitness for life after work. Retirement income targets A […]
Your investment focus for 2023
By any comparison, the past 12 months have been tough for investors with a series of shocks impacting markets and, as 2023 dawns, uncertainties remain. One constant on the investment horizon, though, is the requirement to be strategic with your portfolio. A sound strategy based on careful planning; making purposeful decisions, based on thorough research […]
Looking to retire early? There’s lots to think about
It is the dream of many to retire early. Indeed, 270,000 people in their 50s and 60s left the UK workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Concerns about retirement poverty However, two thirds of people aged 50–70 who quit work or lost their job during the pandemic left the […]
Anyone can fall victim in an ‘epidemic of fraud’
The latest annual fraud report published by UK Finance stresses the need for an urgent response to ‘the epidemic of fraud’ that the UK is currently facing. The report reveals that £1.3bn was stolen by criminals through authorised and unauthorised fraud in 2021. In total, 56% of UK adults1 have received a suspicious communication or […]
Finding your ‘happy place’ in retirement
If you’re in Wiltshire and about to retire, you’re doing it in the right place. This is according to an online search engine1 that helps retirees and their families find the best retirement communities and care homes. The research found that Google searches for ‘retirement homes in Wiltshire’ have soared by 150% in the last […]
Pensions update
Recently released research1 suggests UK consumers are becoming more knowledgeable about pensions and prepared to take a greater role in preparing for retirement. Other research2, however, shows significant sums are still sat in ‘lost’ pensions, while experts have warned about potential pension-related problems as the cost-of-living crisis bites. Pensions knowledge improving A survey conducted by […]
IHT share loss relief – tune in
In challenging market conditions, it’s likely that some bereft individuals will inherit investments that have fallen in value. Through IHT share loss relief, people inheriting can be entitled to claim a tax rebate when they sell certain qualifying investments at a loss. Strict rules, criteria and exemptions apply however. For example, to be eligible for […]
Trending – ‘living legacies’
Over-55s are increasingly looking to help their families out financially while they are still alive, rather than leaving everything in the form of an inheritance. Research1 has revealed a trend towards ‘living legacies’, due to increased life expectancy pushing up the average age at which younger generations inherit from their parents. People born in the […]