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No laws have changed

A week before the EU referendum, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, warned that a vote to leave the EU might result in tax increases too. He spoke about a 2p rise on the basic tax rate (currently 20p in the pound) and a 3p rise in the higher rate (currently 40p). He also said Inheritance Tax (IHT) might rise by 5p from its current 40p in the pound. But to do so would go against the Conservative Government’s promises at the last general election, making this decision to implementdifficult politically.

Will the Bank of England cut interest rates?

Before the EU referendum vote, the Treasury predicted a vote for Brexit would mean a rise of between 0.7% and 1.1% in borrowing costs. The Prime Minister, David Cameron, claimed the average cost of a mortgage could increase by up to £1,000 a year.

For the UK to leave the European Union, it has to invoke an agreement called Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.

The Prime Minister, David Cameron, announced on Friday 24 June he would be stepping down as prime minister by October, and he or his successor will need to decide when to invoke Article 50 which sets in motion the formal legal process of withdrawing from the European Union and gives the UK a period of two years to negotiate its withdrawal.

One of the most important relationships you may ever have

Few people really have the time to understand the significant number of financial products on the market at any time. If you’re looking to invest, buy a protection product or plan for the longer term, expert professional financial advice is essential to help enable you to create a financial plan that is realistic.

Getting your pension in shape to enjoy the kind of lifestyle you want in later life

‘Will I be able to afford the retirement lifestyle I want?’ is a question that many people ask but struggle to figure out. There are many ways to assess your likely income in retirement and work out how much you need to put away now to enjoy the kind of lifestyle you want in later life.

Investment company growth story of the decade

Over a third of the investment trust company sector is invested in alternative assets suggests research from the association of investment companies (AIC). The term ‘alternative’ is used to cover many other types of investments that are not traded on stock markets. These might include the shares in private companies, physical property or infrastructure projects. Due to the nature of many of these ‘alternative’ investments, they will only be suitable for a very limited number of investors. Professional advice should be taken by any investors considering such ‘alternatives’.

What are the income options for your pension?

Deciding what to do with your pension savings is an important step we will all have to take. Following changes introduced in April 2015, you now have more choice and flexibility than ever before over how and when you can take money from your pension pot. These changes give you freedom over how you can use your pension pot(s) if you’re 55 or over and have a pension based on how much has been paid into your pot (a defined contribution scheme).

A quarter of us could only afford to pay household bills for a maximum of three months

Protecting your family should underpin financial planning, and it can also be a key business tool or estate planning mechanism. But, despite this, MORE THAN one in five (21%) people admit their household would not be financially secure for any length of time if it lost its main income through unexpected circumstances.

Innovation in both finance and technology

One of the main innovations in both finance and technology over the past few years has been the advent of crowdfunding. Crowdfunding is a way of raising finance by asking a large number of investors each for a small amount of money.

Consolidating your separate pensions into one single pension wrapper

If you’ve accumulated numerous workplace pensions over the years from different employers, it can be difficult to keep track of how they are performing. The process of bringing all your pensions together is called ‘consolidation’.