magazine archive
magazine archive
Money Matters
Why people are questioning the 4% rule
Thursday 09 Mar 2017Anyone in retirement faces the difficult task of ensuring their money lasts as long as they do. Historical income strategy rules suggested investors could afford to take 4% of your pot each year. Nowadays people are living for longer, so should you aim for a much lower percentage withdrawal? What...
Alarm bells ring over Innovative Finance ISAs
Thursday 09 Mar 2017Investors are being urged not to get blindsided by the impressive yields advertised by Innovative Finance ISAs amid concerns providers could lower their lending standards. Innovative Finance ISAs are designed to hold investments made via peer-to-peer ( P2P ) platforms; interest from your...
Top tips if you’re late to retirement planning
Thursday 02 Mar 2017Life often gets in the way of our best laid plans. Saving for a first home, raising kids and sky-high tuition fees often mean people don’t think seriously about retirement until their 40s or 50s. If this sounds like you, don’t panic! Everyone’s pension journey is different and, with a bit of...
Can you live off a natural yield?
Thursday 02 Mar 2017In theory a sensible approach for income-seeking investors, the ‘natural yield’ retirement strategy has been slammed as a ‘bonkers’ tactic that is unsuited to the current low yield environment. What is natural yield? The concept of natural yield has been around for generations. Instead of selling...
Making the most of your pension allowance
Thursday 23 Feb 2017As the end of the tax year approaches, savvy investors will be considering how to make the most of the various savings incentives on offer from the Government. And with Philip Hammond preparing his first Budget as Chancellor in an environment of political and economic uncertainty, there is no...
Will this be the year when fund managers thrive?
Thursday 23 Feb 2017Active funds are increasingly facing serious competition from the lower cost, passive side of the market such as tracker funds and exchange traded funds. However, current market conditions are ripe for skilled stock pickers to thrive. It is fair to say that 2017 could see significant volatility on...
Should you dip into your pension pot to pay for financial advice?
Thursday 16 Feb 2017Investors planning for a secure retirement face a complex financial maze of often baffling jargon, tax rules and investment options. While some will feel confident enough to navigate a safe path solo, many could benefit from speaking to a UK regulated financial adviser. Research by Unbiased, a UK-...
My investment has gone wrong, can I get my money back?
Thursday 16 Feb 2017We’ve been asked by members of the public who invested without financial advice if there is a way to get a full refund if their stocks or funds fall in value. Seasoned investors may think that is a silly question; for the less experienced it is fair question to ask. Some people who made investment...
Four things you need to know about Lifetime ISAs
Thursday 09 Feb 2017Millions of investors will be considering whether the Lifetime ISA (LISA) is the right savings option for them ahead of its debut in less than two months’ time. Here, I assess four key issues people need to know ahead of the 6 April launch date. 1. Age restrictions The Lifetime ISA will be...
How to build a £40,000 portfolio in five years
Thursday 09 Feb 2017The best way to achieve your financial goals is to have a sensible plan and the discipline to stick to it. We will now talk you through a plan that involves saving £600 a month via your Stock & Shares ISA to build up an investment portfolio worth £40,000 in just five years. That could give you...