Category archives: Pensions & Retirement

New research1 suggests young adults and their parents are becoming increasingly comfortable talking about money matters, which should ensure future generations are much better equipped to tackle their financial affairs.  Breaking the taboo  Historically, intergenerational discussions about finances have too often been viewed as a no-go area, but the research suggests UK families are beginning […]

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned pension holders to beware of scammers’ ‘magic tricks’ as research shows the economic squeeze is encouraging more people to withdraw pension savings.  ScamSmart  Britain’s financial watchdog recently launched its latest ScamSmart campaign aiming to give consumers the knowledge and tools to avoid scams. Over 700,000 pension plans were […]

Inheritance Tax (IHT) is once again in the spotlight following the Chancellor’s decision to freeze IHT thresholds for a further two years until April 2028. Extending the frozen thresholds, together with rising house prices and soaring inflation mean that more estates are likely to be affected.  IHT receipts on an upwards trend   The latest IHT […]

Hold your nerve  Recent research1 reveals women are more likely to hold their nerve and avoid crystallising a loss when the market dips. Almost half of men (48%) have sold investments at a loss when they’ve dropped in value, in an attempt to stem their losses, while just 38% of women have done the same. […]

Following his controversial ‘stealth tax’ Statement in November, the Chancellor made a raft of key personal taxation and pension announcements.  The government pledged its commitment to the pensions Triple Lock, which will increase the State Pension in line with September’s Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rate of 10.1%. This means that the value of the basic […]

As the end of the tax year approaches, a prime consideration should be how external factors such as reduced or frozen allowances, together with high inflation, could impact your finances and what action you need to take before 5 April 2023.  If you are affected by the impending changes to Dividend Tax or Capital Gains […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]