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Investments, Income and Reducing Your Tax Bill
As night follows day, come the end of March and beginning of April each year, you will see many investors busy reorganising their investments, looking to reduce their tax liabilities. While you can take numerous actions in isolation, in many ways, it is the long term cumulative impact that is most important. We will now […]
Posted in Investments
The Benefits of Executive Income Protection
While there are several benefits to executive income protection insurance, many businesses are forced to balance the cost against the potential financial advantages. The keyword here is “potential”, which can sow the seeds of doubt about the full benefits. It is, therefore, no surprise to learn that many businesses are not covered by what can […]
Posted in Corporate Services, Insurance
Why Are US Style 30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgages Not Commonplace in the UK?
The US and UK mortgage markets are well-developed but vary significantly. For example, US mortgage funding in 2021 hit $4.4 trillion, while UK mortgage funding was just over £315 billion. So even though both markets are incredibly liquid, they each have different characteristics. Full-term fixed-rate mortgages are more prevalent in the US, while the UK […]
Posted in Mortgage
Tax Freedom Day: Working 169 Days to Pay Taxes
You may not have heard of Tax Freedom Day, but one thing is sure: after reading about it, you will recognise the importance of tax planning. In summary, Tax Freedom Day is an annual calculation carried out by the Adam Smith Institute demonstrating how many days a year we need to work to pay our […]
Posted in Financial Planning
Empowering Future Generations with Financial Education
Only recently, the UK government announced plans to ensure financial education becomes part of the school curriculum. In reality, elements of financial education have crept into other topics, such as maths, but this topic should stand alone. Even though the authorities are taking the lead concerning schooling, there is still a significant role for parents […]
Posted in Financial Planning
Key Person Insurance: If You Can’t Spot the Key Person in Your Business, Maybe It’s You?
Insurance policies are a critical component of both personal and business life. While public liability and professional indemnity policies are well-known and widely used, there is another policy that is often overlooked but can prove to be indispensable for your business: key person insurance. This type of insurance provides protection in the event of a […]
Posted in Insurance
Mortgage Pressures Linked To Increasing Mental Health Issues
In light of the US subprime mortgage market crash of 2008/9, UK base rates fell to historic lows before beginning a relatively steep upturn and (hopefully) peaking at 5.25%. Consequently, the last 15 years have seen rates that do not reflect historical averages. To put this into perspective, between 1971 and 2023, UK base rates […]
Posted in Mortgage
Adapting Your Financial Goals As You Get Older
Living today while planning for tomorrow is the eternal financial balancing act. But unless you know what you are trying to achieve, how will you know when you get there? How would you define financial success? From the beginning, it is crucial to recognise that your financial goals are not set in stone; they can […]
Posted in Financial Planning
Boost Your Wealth: Unleashing the Power of Income and Investment Tax Breaks
When looking to maximise your income and investment returns, it is essential to fully use tax allowances and tax breaks. While the government will often tweak and change various elements of the tax system, we have rarely faced the level of change seen since September 2022. In less than 18 months, we have had a […]
Posted in Financial Planning
Shielding Pension and Trust Assets from Inheritance Tax
Before we look at ways of structuring asset ownership to minimise inheritance tax, it is essential to address one common misconception. People will often talk about tax evasion and tax avoidance (management) simultaneously. Tax evasion is an illegal method of minimising your tax liability, while tax avoidance is a legal method of reducing your potential […]
Posted in Pensions