Protecting your Investment Portfolio
The pandemic has placed immense pressure on financial markets across the globe. Markets hate uncertainty and, in recent months, that has been one commodity not in short supply. Heightened volatility, however, does always demonstrate one investment certainty – the importance of portfolio diversification as a means of guarding against market turbulence. Time to take stock […]
In the news
EQUITY RELEASE RATES RISE FROM ALL-TIME LOWS Rates on lifetime mortgage deals are beginning to rise from record lows, with the average equity release rate for fixed and variable rate deals rising in March and in April1. While those considering taking out a lifetime mortgage will likely want to take advantage of lower rates, equity […]
Buyers move further for new builds
Buyers of new build properties are willing to move 56% further than those purchasing second-hand homes, according to Savills1. New builds are clearly a more attractive proposition for buyers, drawing households an average of five miles from their previous home, against 3.2 miles for households moving into an older property. The research also revealed regional […]
Home working opens new horizons
One effect of the coronavirus epidemic has been the pressure placed on many people to find viable ways of working from home, aided by technology. Where insurance, security, connectivity and any local planning constraints allow, it’s likely that a significant number of these workers may continue to be wholly or partially home-based after the virus […]
Timing pays off for the early bird ISA investor
Early tax year ISA investors could be thousands of pounds better off, according to research1 looking at the investing habits of hypothetical ISA investors over the last 10 and 20 years. The study concludes that if you were an ‘Early Shirley’ and invested your full ISA allowance on 6 April for the past 20 tax […]
Making sense of pensions withdrawals
Research1 has revealed that one in five over-55s with a private pension withdrew a lump sum during 2019, although the study does suggest that, for many, this was probably not a financially sensible course of action. ‘Stash the cash’ The most popular reason for accessing pension wealth was to put the money into a savings […]
Protection for your money
With the outbreak shocking nations around the world and impacting people’s finances, savers understandably want protection for any savings they may have. For UK savers, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) can provide a safeguard adding a valuable level of reassurance. If you have any money in an account with a UK authorised bank, building […]
You’re in safe hands
Buying a home is a major step that is much easier to take if you are well-informed and well-advised, regardless of whether you are a first-time buyer or someone who has moved before. Mortgage debt accounts for over 80% of total UK household liabilities, so finding a suitable mortgage is an important financial decision. Most […]
Know your numbers this tax year
It’s well worth being aware of the tax allowances and exemptions available in 2020–21 to be able to maximise them for your own individual financial planning. Here are a few figures worth knowing: Personal taxation The National Insurance threshold is now £9,500. The Personal Allowance remains at £12,500, while the £50,000 higher-rate threshold remains unchanged […]
Mortgage market update
Stamp Duty Holiday The recent Stamp Duty Holiday announcement in Rishi Sunak’s Summer Budget has come as a huge positive for all homebuyers, with many people now actively looking for a new property knowing they have a significant up-front saving given this great opportunity. To put this in context, the average stamp duty saving will […]