Author: Lloyd Kafton
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
Why Relying on Just a Pension Might Not Cut It: The Case for a ‘Blended Retirement’
Putting all your eggs in one basket is never a good idea. The same goes for income. Relying on one type in retirement might feel like a simple idea, but it can leave you exposed. Markets fluctuate, tax rules change, and your spending needs will likely shift over time. That’s why more people are building […]
Posted in Financial Planning, Retirement Planning
Understanding Tax-Efficient Investing in 2025: What You Should Be Doing Now
There’s certainly more than one smart way to make your investments tax-efficient in 2025; the best approach really depends on what you’re aiming for. Whether you’re building a nest egg, helping your little ones get ahead, or thinking about what to pass on, 2025’s tax rules mean the structure of your investments matters just as […]
Posted in Retirement Planning
Fixed or Tracker? Choosing the Right Mortgage in a Shifting Rate Environment
Which Mortgage Fits You Best? Let’s Break It Down Fixed rate or tracker, fixed rate or tracker, fixed rate or tracker? Is that what your brain sounds like right now? It really can feel like trying to make an impossible decision, especially when rates are still shifting around and advice seems to change every second. […]
Posted in Financial Planning, Mortgage
The Silent Wealth Killer: How Inflation Erodes Your Savings & What You Can Do About It
Inflation Isn’t Always Loud You might not feel it right away, but inflation has a sneaky way of eating into your money. One year, your weekly shop costs £70, the next it’s creeping toward £90. Same basket, less bang for your buck. It’s not a financial crash or a headline-making event, but over time, inflation […]
Posted in Financial Planning
Mid-Year Housing Market Snapshot: What Buyers Need to Know Now
Midway through 2025, the UK housing market is finally showing some signs of life. After quite a subdued 2024, new figures suggest pretty modest price rises, improved mortgage availability, and a slight shift in buyer sentiment. It isn’t quite a boom, but for those who are watching and waiting, the question is whether now marks […]
Posted in Mortgage
The Inheritance Dilemma: Should You Spend or Pass On Your Wealth?
If you’ve spent years building wealth, there’s a point where the question shifts from how to grow it to what to do with it. Should you enjoy it while you can? Pass it on to family now? Or preserve it for future generations? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, especially in 2025, with changing tax rules, rising […]
Posted in IHT Planning