Money – In the news
A third are indebted as they enter retirement Retirement. That much-awaited time when, after paying off your mortgage and accumulating a pension pot, you stop work and sail off into the sunset to enjoy your twilight years. Unfortunately, not every retiree’s story matches this ideal. Indeed, far from having everything paid off, it has been […]
Autumn: Time to hunker down and get organised
As the year progresses to the season of ‘mists and mellow fruitfulness’, thoughts inevitably turn to hunkering down with hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows as the nights draw in. Autumn is a season traditionally associated with change, as well as themes of comfort, preservation and protection; a time to get things in order. Time to […]
Long-COVID pension pot peril
The pandemic has affected almost everyone in myriad ways, whether medically, socially or financially; its death toll has been appalling and overshadows all other consequences. The vast majority have fortunately come through the pandemic, but the speed of recovery from its consequences has been variable. Medically, many patients have recovered well, but some with prolonged […]
Keeping up with the Joneses? – your personal goals matter more
Did the way some people tend to crave and display material success all start with yuppies and Harry Enfield’s ‘Loadsamoney’ character in the 1980s? No, it goes back much further, to 1913, when a New York Globe comic strip ‘Keeping Up With the Joneses’ first appeared and created an enduring, meaningful expression. Envy about others’ […]
Multi-jobbers – listen up!
Workers on lower salaries with more than one job are at risk of a poorer retirement, as they miss out on employer pension contributions, a new study has concluded1. Excluded from auto enrolment Auto enrolment was introduced to encourage people to save more in their pensions during their working years. Under the scheme, employers are […]
In the News – Money
Holiday selfie could invalidate insurance With travel back on the agenda for many, think twice before posting a holiday selfie on social media. Your insurer may consider this as advertising the fact that you are away from home, leaving your property unoccupied and invalidating your insurance cover. Unfortunately, more and more criminals are using social […]
Why it pays to update your pension expression of wishes
An expression of wishes tells your pension provider who you would like the beneficiaries of your pension to be in the event of your death. Multiple beneficiaries can be named, and you can state how much of your pension you want each to receive. However, while many people complete an expression of wishes when they […]
Struggling to save for retirement? Try this tip
More than ever, UK savers are struggling to prioritise their pension, with over half saying they are likely to review or reduce their pension contributions in the wake of the pandemic1. It’s true that it can be easy to think of pension contributions as a drain on your resources. And yet, despite travel restrictions, Britons […]
“It won’t happen to me” – think again
It’s so easy to watch the ads on TV about scams or see the consumer shows interviewing devastated people about their financial losses as victims of fraud, and think “it won’t happen to me,” but think again! In the year to September 2020, Action Fraud received over 17,000 reports of investment fraud, totalling £657.4m in […]
Self-employed? Be pension proud
Last year was challenging, with job losses and pay cuts causing many to tighten their budgets. It was particularly difficult for the self-employed, with many freelancers losing income as companies cut costs and stopped using contractors. Despite government grants being available, many self-employed workers have found they are not eligible. Almost five million people in […]