Welcome to our blogs which relate to the financial services you may be interested in from mortgages to pensions; protection to auto-enrolment and many more. So why not grab a drink and enjoy the read.
Almost three quarters of UK adults are unaware that regular gifts from surplus income can be made exempt from Inheritance Tax (IHT), provided certain conditions are met. What this tells us is that many people may already be giving financial gifts that could qualify, without keeping records that HMRC may need. The rule, in brief In order to be exempt from IHT,
New research tells us that delayed estate planning could prove to be a costly decision for affluent families, particularly in conjunction with the scope of changes regarding Inheritance Tax (IHT) and pensions. Research has found that households in the top 10% of UK wealth could pass on an average of £397,000 more to beneficiaries if they started their estate planning at
As of April next year, pension funds are expected to fall within a person’s estate – which could significantly change the way they are used in later-life and estate planning.
New research highlights a growing preference among UK workers for a gradual transition into retirement, rather than a ‘hard stop’ where work ends entirely Fewer than a quarter (24%) of workers expect to stop working altogether when they reach retirement age. The majority plan to either change the way they work (43%), continue in their current role (15%), or move
The start of a new year is an ideal time to assess how ready you are for retirement, and recent research into the UK’s Baby Boomer generation (born 1946–1964) offers a timely reminder of the value of planning ahead The study found that only 40–50% of Baby Boomers are on track to maintain their current lifestyle or achieve a moderate
Everyone knows that a healthy pension pot is crucial for a comfortable retirement. For some workers, however, saving for retirement can seem like a low priority compared to making mortgage payments, saving for a house deposit or keeping up with monthly bills. Small gains New research shows how even a small uptick in pension contributions can go a long way
In our Wise Words Spring 2025 edition, we featured an article about the rise in the minimum pension age and how it might affect you if you have not yet accessed your retirement savings. April 2026 sees the start of the changes, and we thought we would revisit this subject as it becomes more of a feature of our client
The UK State Pension is usually paid every four weeks into a chosen account. However, you can request to change the payment frequency to weekly or fortnightly (every two weeks). The specific day of the week your pension is paid depends on the last two digits of your National Insurance number: 00 to 19: Monday20 to 39: Tuesday40 to 59:
A lifetime mortgage is a type of equity release that’s usually for people aged 55 and over. It’s a tax-free loan secured against your home that can be a great way to release money tied up in your home for things such as home improvements, gifting to family or just to make life a little easier. You can use a
Affordability is an issue for many first time buyers. ‘Helping Hand’ mortgages from one of our lenders could help first time buyers borrow up to six times their income. Features and benefits With Helping Hand, first time buyers could borrow up to six times their income. That’s up to 33% more. Building trust and confidence by their expertise, showing the