The volatility experienced in global markets over the past six years has tested the nerves of even the most experienced investors, making it a difficult time for individuals who rely on income from investments for some or all of their needs.
Category: Wealth Creation
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Asset classes
When putting together an investment portfolio there are a number of asset classes, or types of investments, that can be combined in different ways. The starting point is cash – and the aim of employing the other asset classes is to achieve a better return than could be achieved by leaving all of the investment on deposit.
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Spreading risk in your portfolio
One of the principal tenets of spreading risk in your portfolio is to diversify your investments. Diversification is the process of investing in areas that have little or no relation to each other.
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Wealth creation
The first step to building wealth starts with a disciplined decision to pay yourself first, then compounds with a disciplined investment approach.
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Saving for a rainy day
Fewer people are putting money away despite improvements to the economy
T he gap between the fortunes of savers and non-savers continues to widen, and research supports these findings[1]. ‘Habitual savers’ continue to put away more for a rainy day, but the total number of people saving has fallen, and, despite improvements to the economy, one in five people in the UK have no savings at all.
Have you taken advantage of your larger tax-efficient allowance?
The new Individual Savings Account (ISA) rules were introduced in July, giving savers and investors more flexibility and a larger tax-efficient allowance than ever before. Four out of ten people told the consumer organisation Which? that they would save more as a result of the annual limit increasing to £15,000, up from £11,880.
Families are feeling the impact of benefit cuts
The cost of bringing up a child has reached £227,266, up from £222,458 last year, with the first year of a child’s life seeing the largest increase.
You need to act fast to avoid next year’s child benefit charges
Families impacted by the high income child benefit charge need to act now to limit or avoid it in the next tax year. Doing this could make them potentially up to £2,449 better off, but they only have until the 6th April 2014 to take some vital steps for the 2013/14 tax year, according to Standard Life.
New data shows consumer confidence improving but worry is still strife
Data recently released by Aviva shows that over half (55%) of UK consumers worry that they will not have enough money to provide an adequate standard of living when they retire, with 18% of consumers saying they do not hold any form of savings or long-term investment products. Almost the same proportion of consumers (49%) think they will have to work beyond the normal retirement age.
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Tax attack
Legitimate planning could save you money by reducing a potential tax bill
With tax increases the prospect for the foreseeable future, it is essential that you make the most of every available tax relief. Using the tax breaks available to you also makes good financial sense.