Category Archives: Pensions

Did you reach State Pension age between 6/4/2010 and 5/4/2015? 

state pension

Did you reach State Pension age between 6/4/2010 and 5/4/2015?  Here is some help on how you can top up any missing years… The DWP has published updated guidance for those who reached State Pension age between 6 April 2010 and 5 April 2015 on how they can top up […]

Happy Financial Independence Day

funding support

On 25 April the world celebrated Financial Independence Day. So, what is Financial Independence? Well, according to Wiki it’s “the status of having enough income to pay one’s living expenses for the rest of one’s life without having to be employed or dependent on others.” Sound good? But how many of us actually know how […]

When can I retire? Do you know your “magic number”?

magic number

I was having coffee with friends, in those pre-lockdown halcyon days, and one asked “when do you think you will retire?” My answer is always the same “when my pension and investments reach the magic number!”  Obviously my magic number is personal!  But I 100% know what it is and […]

Who wants to be a millionaire? Who needs to be a millionaire?

pension millionaire

Think back to the 80’s (if you can!) we had Wall Street, Harry Enfield’s Loadsamoney, Miami Vice, regular news items on city traders making a fortune.  At that time being a millionaire was out of reach for most people. Maybe a bit distasteful even. Since then, due to the success […]

Financial security – what price peace of mind?

Financial security

In a recent global study* the question “What do you value in the relationship you have with your financial adviser?” The results were: Given what we are going through at the moment you might say that this is pretty obvious.  However these results were similar pre-pandemic. So, how do you […]

Tax Reminder for NHS Pension Members

NHS pension

NHS Pension Members – Don’t forget to declare excesses from your 19/20 pension savings on your January Self Assessment return. If you have exceeded your Annual Allowance for 19/20 and you don’t have sufficient unused annual allowance to carry forward to cover the excess, you must declare this on your […]

Drawing an income from your pension and investments?

wills

If you draw income from your pension or investments ask yourself  – do you have a Power of Attorney in place? If you are taking an income from your pensions and investments and these are managed by a financial adviser, then you will likely meet up with your adviser at […]

Getting closer to 50 – financial planning priorities

Amanda Cowie gains accreditation

To round off with the Financial Planning Week blog posts from our team, Director and Chartered Financial Planner Amanda Cowie gives her thoughts on financial planning when you are nearing 50!…   If, like me, you are getting near your “special” birthday you maybe can’t believe that you are at […]

Advice for young families saving for their future

Danielle Knowles

Today to support Financial Planning Week are some top tips from our paraplanner Danielle Knowles for young families saving for their future whilst looking after their loved ones…   I am Danielle, a 37-year-old mum of two to Charlie 5 and Daisy 3.   Working in financial services makes you […]

Generation Z – Financial Planning Priorities

Megan Dimmick

Continuing with our series of blog posts from members of our team on what’s important to them when planning their financial future, here’s some thoughts from Megan Dimmick, wealth administrator…   As a recently turned 21-year-old and a generation Z, financial planning would usually be the last thing on my […]