It’s essential to talk
If you are having difficulty meeting your mortgage repayments or are worried it may become a problem in the future, you may wish to consider the following information.
Monthly Archives: September 2009
Long-term care
There is no panacea when it comes to paying for care
Long-term care provision in the United Kingdom has been the subject of much debate and analysis over the past decade, yet the issue of how to fund the cost of that care for future generations remains unresolved. Much of the debate has revolved around how the State should address the problem.
Buy-to-let landlords acquiring more properties
Interest rate cuts tempting property investors back in to the market
Landlords have been buying more properties in the last quarter according to a survey. The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) quarterly survey revealed a “bounce back” in the buy-to-let market. In the ARLA members’ survey of the Private Rented Sector (PRS) for the second quarter of this year, nearly twice as many ARLA members reported landlords are buying more properties.
Locating a lost pension
Tracing service may provide the help you need!
If you think you may have an old pension but are not sure of the details, the Pension Tracing Service may be able to help. They will try and match the information you give them to one of the schemes on their database and inform you of the results. If they have made a match they will provide you with the contact address of the scheme(s) and you can get in touch with them to see if you have any pension benefits.
Investing in uncertain times
In a low growth environment, which areas offer the best prospects?
Interest rates have fallen to their lowest levels in the Bank of England’s 315-year history and could fall even further, along with further inflationary falls.
Inheritance tax planning
Keeping your hard earned assets out of the hands of the taxman
Effective inheritance tax planning could save your beneficiaries thousands of pounds, maybe even hundreds of thousands depending on the size of your estate. At its simplest, inheritance tax (IHT) is the tax payable on your estate when you die if the value of your estate exceeds a certain amount.
Financial protection for you and your family
With the abundance of choice, we can help you make the right decisions
With so many different protection options available, making the right decision to protect your personal and financial situation can seem overwhelming. There is a plethora of protection solutions which could help ensure that a lump sum, or a replacement income, becomes available to you in the event that it is needed. We can make sure that you are able to take the right decisions to deliver peace of mind for you and your family in the event of death, if you are too ill to work or if you are diagnosed with a critical illness.
What type of investor are you?
Building a solid investment strategy through good and bad times
During this period of economic turbulence, what strategy should investors take? Your own attitude to risk is crucial. You may be comfortable to live with capital risk if it means the chance of a higher return in the end. Alternatively, you may be ‘risk averse’ and don’t want to risk your capital under any circumstances.
Transferring your pensions
Your questions answered
There are a number of different reasons why you may wish to consider transferring your pension schemes, whether this is the result of a change of employment, poor investment performance, issues over the security of the pension scheme, or a need to improve flexibility.
Planning your retirement income
Maximising an income from your pension fund
The earliest you are currently permitted to take your retirement benefits is from the age of 50, but this is set to rise to age 55 from April 2010. If you are considering setting up a conventional lifetime annuity, which pays a secure income for life, there is now no requirement to buy an annuity by the age of 75. However, you must start to take your benefits from the age of 75, in addition to any tax-free element.