Monthly Archives: November 2011

Emerging Views

Posted on November 9, 2011 by - Uncategorized

The lure of greater growth and younger economies

‘Emerging markets’ is a broad term that encompasses the giants of Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC), as well as some other nations. Emerging markets have continued to outperform developed markets, even during the difficult economic climate we have experienced throughout 2011. The lure for investors is greater growth and younger economies than typically found in the developed West, but the trade-off for this growth is higher volatility and greater risk.

Personal protection

Posted on November 9, 2011 by - Uncategorized

Could you cope with the unexpected?

Personal protection is an important part of most people’s financial planning requirements. The financial effects on your family in the event of death or illness could be profound. There are many protection options available and we can help you identify the most suitable for your specific requirements.

Making the most of your pension contributions

Posted on November 9, 2011 by - Uncategorized

Are you claiming higher rate pensions tax relief?

If you pay higher rate tax you will not receive tax relief automatically on your personal pension contributions unless you claim it. This means that someone earning more than £42,475 in the current financial year could potentially be losing a fifth of the value of their pension if they are not actively claiming back higher rate tax relief on their contributions.

Tax matters

Posted on November 9, 2011 by - Uncategorized

How much of your hard-earned money
will the taxman get his hands on?

Inheritance Tax (IHT) in the UK may be one of life’s unpleasant facts but IHT planning and quality advice could help you pay less tax on your estate.

Fine-tuning your portfolio

Posted on November 9, 2011 by - Uncategorized

Reduce risk, hedge inflation and diversify your overall investment strategy

Commodities have received much media coverage over the past year, with prices rising as other asset classes falter. Investing in commodities within your portfolio may not only create exposure to different investment products, but can also help reduce risk, hedge inflation and diversify your overall investing strategy.

Staving off a sovereign default

Posted on November 9, 2011 by - Uncategorized

The need to get to grips with the current crisis of indebtedness

The turbulence that has gripped financial markets is a response to the perception that politicians in the Eurozone and the US have been slow to face up to issues of indebtedness.

Time to go annuity shopping?

Posted on November 9, 2011 by - Uncategorized

Don’t make your final decision until you’ve received different comparisons

Before you can start planning your retirement, you need to understand how the money you’ve built up in your pension will be used to provide you with an income when you retire. One of the options you could choose is to invest most of your pension in an annuity, which pays you a regular income throughout your retirement years.

SIPPing into retirement

Posted on November 9, 2011 by - Uncategorized

Are you in control of your investments?

There are numerous ways of saving for retirement, including various types of pensions. The government views retirement savings as being so important that it offers generous tax benefits to encourage us to make our own pension provision. It is usually also the case that you may be able to contribute to more than one pension – for example, if appropriate, you could contribute to a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) as well as to your company pension scheme.

Do your retirement numbers add up?

Posted on November 9, 2011 by - Uncategorized

Saving to secure the kind of pension you would like to live on

How much money do you need to save to secure the kind of pension you would like to live on when you retire? It’s a question that concerns everyone saving for their retirement.

Wealth preservation

Posted on November 9, 2011 by - Uncategorized

Making the most of different solutions

Decreasing term assurance
Decreasing term assurance can be arranged to cover a potential Inheritance Tax liability and used as a Gift Inter Vivos policy (a gift given during the life of the grantor who no longer has any rights to the property and can not get it back without the permission of the party it was gifted to). This is a type of decreasing term plan that actually reduces at the same rate as the chargeable Inheritance Tax on an estate as a result of a Potentially Exempt Transfer (PET).