magazine archive
magazine archive
Money Matters
How are my savings and investments protected?
Thursday 26 Apr 2018The UK’s financial services sector is one of the most heavily regulated in the world. While for businesses this can sometimes be burdensome, one key benefit is the protective cloak it offers to savers and investors when things go wrong. The extent of this protection – and any compensation you might...
A cut-out-and-keep guide to defined benefit pension transfers
Thursday 19 Apr 2018Since joining AJ Bell two years ago, I’ve had more questions from investors about defined benefit (DB) pension transfers than any other subject. This spike in interest has undoubtedly been driven by the launch of the pension freedoms in April 2015, as well as a number of high profile company...
How much investment risk do I need in retirement?
Thursday 19 Apr 2018Getting the right balance between investment growth and risk is important for every investor, but for retirees it is even more crucial. You need to ensure your money keeps growing so that it lasts throughout your retirement, and protect yourself from a market crash that could wipe out your savings...
Avoid the pension freedoms emergency tax pitfall
Thursday 12 Apr 2018As we enter the new tax year, a whole range of savings options and tax allowances once again open up to savvy investors. If you are over 55, you might also use this as an opportunity to review your retirement plans and consider your drawdown withdrawal strategy. While for many taking a regular...
What should I do with my 25% tax-free pension lump sum?
Thursday 12 Apr 2018Figuring out what to do with your tax-free pension lump sum is a complex but extremely important decision. If you’ve built up a sizeable pension pot, your lump sum could be worth more than £100,000 so it’s vital to ensure you use it wisely. WHAT IS THE TAX-FREE CASH LUMP SUM? You can start taking...
The Canadian lottery conundrum: $1m today or $1,000 a week for life?
Thursday 05 Apr 2018What would you do if you were offered a choice of £1m today or £1,000 a week, tax-free for the rest of your life? This was exactly the conundrum facing 18 year-old Charlie Lagarde, from the province of Quebec, when she won the Canadian lottery recently. Well, almost – her choice was between C$1m (...
How to use past performance figures wisely
Thursday 05 Apr 2018Fund managers always warn investors that past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. But past performance figures can be really useful when comparing funds and assessing how managers cope in different market conditions. So how do you use the figures wisely? We spoke to three...
Investing can be a good way to help finance a second home
Thursday 29 Mar 2018Buying a second home in the UK is a great option for people who want to get away for the weekend. It can even earn you an eye-catching yield if you decide to let it out for part of the year. Raising finance is not as straightforward as when you’re buying a first home, so there are lots of facts to...
Why the gender pay gap extends to pensions
Thursday 29 Mar 2018You’ve probably read stories recently about the gap between the salaries of men and women, as well as the lack of women on the boards of major companies and institutions. In order to tackle this, the Government is requiring businesses to publish gender pay gap details for the first time. Among the...
What does the change in auto-enrolment contributions mean for you?
Thursday 22 Mar 2018In less than a month’s time millions of people saving in workplace pensions will see their monthly contributions increase as part of the Government’s ambitious ‘automatic enrolment’ reform programme. At the moment, all UK employers are legally required to enrol employees aged 22 and over who earn £...