Year-on-year rise in the number of long-term savers
The UK is becoming a nation of savers, with three quarters (74%) of people saying they are currently saving, research from Scottish Widows has revealed.
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Category: Investment
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Trading places
It’s not just about picking investments wisely, it’s holding them in the most suitable place
Now that we’ve entered a new tax year, if you are already planning how you are going to fully utilise your current Individual Savings Account (ISA) tax-efficient allowance, it’s not just about picking investments wisely – it’s also important to make sure you hold them in the best place.
With this in mind, the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) has taken a look at investment company performance data when the full ISA limit is invested. If you had invested a lump sum of £15,000[1] into the average investment company ten years ago, you would now have £38,323.50. This is £6,433.90 more than the same investment in the FTSE All-Share, which would generate £31,889.60.
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Getting more financially savvy
Sorting out finances high on most people’s list
Britons are determined to become more financially savvy about their saving and spending habits this year, with three quarters (76%) of adults admitting they are prepared to moderate their lifestyle, according to a new survey by Standard Life.
Sorting out our finances is high on our list of priorities in 2015
The British population is determined to get more savvy about their saving and spending habits in 2015, with three quarters (76%) of adults admitting they are prepared to moderate their lifestyle, according to a new survey by Standard Life.
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Hedging against downside risk
Divergent monetary policies and growth
trends could be key themes of 2015
The return of volatility – as valuations and investor complacency remain elevated – will make it vital for investors to consider hedging against downside risk and cut back on ‘me too’ investments this year, according to the BlackRock Investment Institute’s (BII) 2015 Investment Outlook.
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Trust in your future
Exposure to a range of assets through a single investment
In performance terms, the attraction of investment trusts is consistently evident. They allow you to pool your money with that of other investors to get exposure to a range of assets through a single investment and are listed companies that issue a fixed number of shares quoted on a stock market, such as the London Stock Exchange.
When was the last time you revisited your investment goals?
It’s vital to know why you’re investing. The first step is to have a good think about your financial situation and your reasons for investing. Whatever your personal investment goal may be, it is important to set your time horizon at the outset, as this will impact on the type of investments you should consider to help achieve your goals. It also makes sense to revisit your investment goals at regular intervals to account for any changes to your personal circumstances.
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NISA Countdown
Time is running out if you want to make the most of your tax-efficient savings allowance
If you are keen to take advantage of the New Individual Savings Account (NISA) allowance, now increased to £15,000, and make the most of your tax-efficient savings, time is running out. You only have until 5 April to fully utilise your 2014/15 NISA allowance, after which it will be lost forever.
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Wealth attraction
Legally minimising or mitigating taxation on current and future tax liabilities before 6 April 2015
Tax planning is a very complex area covering many forms of tax. No one likes paying more tax than they legally have to, but one of the challenges of wealth is the high taxation it attracts. For some individuals the need for specialist professional advice has never been greater. With the current tax year end rapidly approaching, we’ve provided some tax planning areas for you to consider before 6 April 2015.
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Investing for income
During difficult economic times, one of the tools available to the Bank of England to stimulate the economy is interest rates. Lower interest rates mean that it is cheaper to borrow money and people have more to spend, hopefully stimulating the economy and reducing the risk of deflation.