When spending opportunities fell during the pandemic, many people increased their investment contributions. Now, travel, leisure and hospitality spending are recovering, but the investing buzz looks set to continue. Don’t stop investing A poll (6) has revealed that 76% of UK investors plan to keep their lockdown habits now restrictions have eased. Notably, half [...]

The concept of ‘self-care’ involves taking time out of your day to do things to promote good mental health and reduce stress (lounging on the sofa counts!). Working for yourself, while having clear advantages, also has some downsides, including a lack of holiday pay, entitlement to sick pay or access to a workplace pension [...]

Far from being a happy event, for some people, receiving a financial windfall can prove an enormous emotional shock. Whether you’re selling your business or inheriting, maybe a successful entrepreneur, sudden wealth can feel overwhelming and can even result in a recognised psychological condition called ‘Sudden Wealth Syndrome.’ Varying from person to person, symptoms [...]

After much speculation, in September, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, confirmed suspension of the average earnings component of the pension triple lock, to avoid a disproportionate rise of the State Pension following the pandemic. For the 2022-23 tax year only, the new and basic State Pension will increase by the higher [...]

Held in Glasgow in November – COP26 – the United Nation’s 26th Conference of the Parties is recognised as the most important climate change event since the 2015 Paris Agreement. Bringing together world leaders from around the globe, to build on the work started by COP25 and the goals set out in the Paris [...]

University students taking on part-time work could be vulnerable to scams this year, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has warned. In early September, HMRC published advice for young people taking on part-time jobs to fund their university courses. Likely to be new to interacting with HMRC, they may lack the ability to distinguish [...]

Issues relating to intergenerational wealth and the growing need to provide financial assistance to the younger generation have become a recurring theme in today’s society and, with so many people now benefiting from inheritance pay-outs, this has inevitably led to more and more family conversations about ‘pre-inheritance’. The scale of inheritance According to a [...]

With the latest data showing Inheritance Tax (IHT) receipts rising and set to reach record levels this year, the need to formulate an effective plan to minimise death duties is becoming increasingly important for anyone who wants to maximise the amount they pass on to beneficiaries. IHT receipts up... In late July, HM Revenue [...]

Have you ever read one of those articles focusing on tell-tale signs of an investment scam? It might not be as useful as you think. Unfortunately, investment scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their techniques, winning their victims’ trust by not conforming to how we think scammers are supposed to behave. Scammers are aggressive [...]

Rising living costs and increased life expectancy mean that it’s more difficult than ever to save up enough to provide a sufficient income for our retirement years. And yet, 63% of Britons who are of pensionable age have never checked their entitlement to benefits, making them the least likely group to do so5. Very [...]