Author: Lloyd Kafton
Your 50s Financial Game Plan: 5 Moves to Make Before Retirement Hits
You’re in your 50s. Retirement’s not here yet, but it’s not some abstract idea either, it’s getting real. These next ten years could be the most powerful for shaping your post‑work lifestyle. Whether you’re behind, on track, or flying ahead, this is the time to get strategic. And no, it’s not about chasing some impossible […]
Posted in Pensions
How to Get the Most Out of Your Adviser in 2025
You’ve got a financial adviser on your side; great move. But here’s a question worth paying attention to: are you getting the most out of that relationship? Like a good GP or personal trainer, your adviser can only work with the information you give them. The better the input, the sharper the outcome. This certainly […]
Posted in Financial Planning
No Pension Panic: Here’s Your Retirement Backup Plan
Just as we’re settling into the 2025/26 tax year, the retirement headlines are heating up again. Government chatter about raising the State Pension age to 68, sooner than planned, has sparked fresh anxiety, especially for those born in the late 1960s and early 1970s. And understandably so, because if the rules shift, and access gets […]
Posted in Financial Planning, Pensions
Cash at 5% – Too Good to Pass Up, or a Long-Term Trap?
It’s been a while since savings accounts turned heads, but here we are: 5% AER on easy-access cash. It feels like a win, finally, your money’s earning something without lifting a finger. But before you go stuffing every spare pound under the metaphorical mattress, it’s worth asking: is this the smartest move for your long-term […]
Posted in Financial Planning
New Tax Year, New Rules: Adjusting Your Wealth Strategy in 2025
Just a few months into the new tax year, and already we’re seeing a different landscape – one where familiar tactics may now leave you exposed. If you’re sitting on investments outside of ISAs or pensions, or haven’t reviewed your portfolio since April, this might be your early warning. CGT changes are biting. Exemptions are […]
Posted in Financial Planning
August Advantage: Why This Month Could Be the Best Time to Remortgage in 2025
August is a funny month. The weather’s decent (most of the time), the inbox quietens down, and if you’re a homeowner with a mortgage deal expiring soon, it might just be the month to act. With lenders adjusting rates and fewer people applying, this quieter corner of summer could give you a rare window to […]
Posted in Mortgage
How to Boost Your Retirement Income Without Paying More Tax
You’ve spent decades building your retirement savings, now it’s time to make that money work for you. But here’s the thing: the way you draw your income matters just as much as how much you’ve saved. Get it right, and you could keep more in your pocket every year. Get it wrong, and you could […]
Posted in Retirement Planning
Capital Gains Tax in 2025: Are You Paying Too Much?
Are You Accidentally Giving HMRC a Bonus? You sold some shares. Or offloaded a rental. Nothing dramatic, just tidying up your finances. But thanks to the quiet Capital Gains Tax changes in 2025, that tidy-up might have cost you more than it should’ve. The allowance is down. Rates are up. And for many people, CGT […]
Posted in Financial Planning
Should You Overpay Your Mortgage in 2025, Or Invest the Difference?
Got some extra cash burning a hole in your budget? You could overpay the mortgage. That’s the “sensible” move, right? But in 2025, with interest rates still elevated and investment returns quietly making a comeback, throwing every spare pound at your loan might not be the smartest use of your money. Let’s unpack why overpaying […]
Posted in Mortgage
Is Your Portfolio Ready for a High-Interest World?
It wasn’t that long ago that interest rates were barely a blip, close to zero and easy to ignore. Fast-forward to 2025 and the picture looks very different. Rates are now meaningfully higher, and although the Bank of England recently trimmed the base rate to 4.25%, it’s still a world apart from what we […]
Posted in Financial Planning, Investments