Recent News

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Friday, 29 May 2020 -

Around the country, many employers have implemented lay-offs due to reduced revenues and the closure of their business premises due to coronavirus. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been set up to support those employers and help them continue to pay wages of staff who would otherwise have been let go.

Strategy for financial well-being

Thursday, 28 May 2020 -

Government guidance body launches five goals

A new UK-wide strategy to transform the country’s financial well-being in a decade has been launched by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) under its government mandate.

Millennial money

Tuesday, 26 May 2020 -

Social and environmental good as well as financial returns

Building wealth for the future is important, but increasingly people want their investments to do more than make money. Investing ethically means different things to different people.

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Friday, 22 May 2020 -

Lifeline for small and medium-sized enterprises struggling with cash flow

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) is a loan scheme that was announced by the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, during the 2020 Budget and has been set up to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are struggling with cash flow because of revenues that have been deferred or lost due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak. The loans are being offered on generous terms to support SMEs.

Lifestyle protection

Thursday, 21 May 2020 -

One in five self-employed and contract workers unable to survive a week without work

The world of work has changed enormously over the past 20 years. Being self-employed, freelance or working on a contract basis has become the norm for all sorts of professions.

Discover a clearer financial future

Tuesday, 19 May 2020 -

Professional financial advice tailored to you

It’s often a common fallacy that only those that are wealthy have any need for professional financial advice. Regardless of how careful you are with your money, dealing with the tricky intricacies of taxation, investments and financial regulations can be difficult for even the most money-conscious of earners.

Unlocking property wealth

Thursday, 14 May 2020 -

Are you ‘property rich’ but want or need more than you have saved?

An increasing number of people aged over 65 are using equity release products to pay off debts and mortgages. Many people in the UK might be ‘property rich’ but want or need more than they have saved to enjoy the lifestyle they want. And with more people living longer, there are, on average, more years to fund.

Have you planned for the unexpected?

Tuesday, 12 May 2020 -

One in eight homebuyers don’t discuss their protection needs

Buying a property is usually the biggest financial obligation many of us will take on in our lifetime, and it’s an obvious moment to pause and consider our protection needs.

Pension Freedoms - Did you or will you choose the right option?

Tuesday, 05 May 2020 -

£19m released each day since pension freedoms launched

In his 2015 Spring Budget, then-chancellor George Osborne introduced sweeping changes to the way that pensions are taxed. The new pension freedom rules have led to the over-55s being faced with a variety of different choices when taking and investing their nest eggs.

Divorcees risk losing out on pensions

Thursday, 30 April 2020 -

Dividing this asset is of vital importance to avoid pension poverty

Divorce is an emotional and stressful period for those who have to go through it. However, it’s important that people realise that a pension is a valuable asset when considering how they split their money.

Preserving your legacy

Wednesday, 29 April 2020 -

How to keep your wealth in the family

Are you worried about leaving an inheritance to your loved ones and then having them pay tax on your legacy? No one likes to think about a time when they won’t be here, but unfortunately the reality is that some people aren’t prepared financially.

Portfolio diversification

Tuesday, 28 April 2020 -

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

Portfolio diversification is the foundational concept of investing. It’s a risk management strategy of combining a variety of assets to reduce the overall risk of an investment portfolio.

Life is full of uncertainties

Thursday, 23 April 2020 -

If the worst were to happen, would your bills still get paid?

Everyone should consider protection, even those who don’t have a family or a mortgage! Unless they have substantial savings or inherited wealth, most people rely on their salary to pay for everything. Over the years, you may have taken out a number of different insurance policies to give you and your family financial security. Perhaps this may have been when you started a family, took out a mortgage or became self-employed.

Time to give your pension pot a boost?

Wednesday, 22 April 2020 -

Planning ahead for the financial future you want

Planning for retirement can be both exciting and daunting. It’s essential to structure your affairs to make sure you have enough money when you eventually retire. To give your pension pot a boost, one option to consider if your pension savings are more than your annual allowance is to take advantage of the ‘carry forward’ rules for unused annual allowances from previous years and still receive tax relief.

Do you have a financial safety net?

Tuesday, 21 April 2020 -

One in five self-employed and contract workers unable to survive a week without work

We’re a nation of entrepreneurs with a record number of self-employed people now working in the UK. The world of work has changed enormously over the past 20 years. Being self-employed, freelance or working on a contract basis has become the norm for all sorts of professions.

Women better prepared for retirement

Thursday, 16 April 2020 -

Record high despite £78k pension pot gender gap

Women in the UK are better prepared for the future than ever before, with 57% now saving enough for their retirement – the highest proportion recorded in 15 years. A recent report[1] shows that average savings amongst women are up 4.6% since 2007/08, equating to an additional £5,900 in income every year of retirement.

Planning for tomorrow

Wednesday, 15 April 2020 -

Will my retirement income be enough to live ON comfortably?

The questions our clients almost always ask us are: ‘Will I be able to retire when I want to? Will I run out of money? How can I guarantee the kind of retirement I want?’

Coronavirus Economic Update - Extended lock-down periods and their potential consequences for the global economy, stock markets and your investments

Tuesday, 14 April 2020 -
Ray Black, Money Minder's MD and chairman of the in-house investment committee considers the consequences of extended Coronavirus lockdown periods and their potential effect on the global economy, stock markets and your investment / pension portfolios.

Retirement matters

Tuesday, 14 April 2020 -

There’s a lot to look forward to

In your 50s, it’s important to make retirement planning a priority if you haven’t done so already. At this age, retirement is no longer a distant concept, and time is short if your plans aren’t on track.

Tax savvy

Monday, 13 April 2020 -

Savers should think twice before using their pension to purchase property

From age 55, you have the flexibility to choose how you take money from your pension. But pension savers risk throwing away thousands of pounds of their hard-earned savings if they use their pension to purchase a second property.

Future retirement security

Friday, 10 April 2020 -

More younger women opting out of pensions

Young women are putting their future retirement security at risk by opting out of their workplace pension[1]. The analysis shows a worrying spike in opt-outs, with 10.5% of women aged 22–29 opting out of their workplace pension. This compares to 8.1% of men in the same age group.

Mind the gap

Thursday, 09 April 2020 -

Self-employed would back new laws to expand retirement savings

For the self-employed, even if the will to save for retirement is there, the way can be problematic. Self-employed workers want Government help to save for retirement and would back new laws to expand auto-enrolment or to make saving for retirement compulsory, new research[1] shows.<

Bullish millennials

Thursday, 02 April 2020 -

Putting money to work earlier allows more time for savings to grow

Millennials are more bullish than any other generation about their retirement savings, a major new study has found[1]. But with time on their side, should they be doing more?

Please be aware these articles are for general information purposes only and correct at time of printing. We will not accept responsibility for any errors made or actions taken by any readers that have acted on the information contained. Answers given are for guidance only and specific advice should be taken before acting on any of the suggestions made. All information is based on our understanding of current tax practices, which are subject to change. Always remember when investing, past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance and the value of some investment units can fall as well as rise.

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