£19m released each day since pension freedoms launch 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.

Are you facing a pensions challenge? We all want to ensure we have sufficient funds when we retire so we can spend our time the way that we want to. But how realistic are your current retirement plans?

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.

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.

One of the biggest threats to the health of your investment portfolio If you’re investing – especially for major goals years away, such as retirement – you can’t afford to ignore the corrosive effect rising prices can have on the value of your assets.

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 … Continue reading “Unlocking property wealth”

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.

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.

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.

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.