magazine archive
magazine archive
Money Matters
What election manifestos DON’T say on pensions
Thursday 25 May 2017Election manifestos from the Conservative and Labour parties include several points relevant to retirement – but they also neglect to address several important factors. Jeremy Corbyn has pledged to keep the state pension triple-lock policy for the entire Parliament. Theresa May is planning to...
Why investors should read annual reports
Thursday 25 May 2017A full-year results statement is a useful document for understanding how a company has performed over the last 12 months but if you want a deeper insight the annual report is a much more worthwhile read. You might think annual reports are simply full-year results in a pretty format. In fact, they...
Navigating the pensions ‘lifetime allowance’
Thursday 18 May 2017Investors attempting to pick their way through the mire of pension tax rules could be forgiven for losing the will to live. However, if you’ve saved diligently and have a retirement pot approaching £1 million, it’s vital you know how the system works so you can shelter as much of your hard-earned...
How to collect dividends in shares rather than cash
Thursday 18 May 2017Scrip dividend schemes offer shareholders the option to increase their investment in a company by receiving dividends in new shares rather than cash. They are different to Drip schemes and dividend reinvestment services offered by your stockbroker, as we now explain. Scrip distributions are...
Are you due a pension freedoms tax refund?
Thursday 11 May 2017You may have paid thousands of pounds too much in tax if you made a single ad-hoc withdrawal from your retirement pot from age 55 following the introduction of the pension freedoms just over two years ago. The tax quirk is most likely to have affected those who take a single Uncrystallised Funds...
Don’t be fooled by low ETF fees
Thursday 11 May 2017Deciding which exchange-traded fund (ETF) to buy can be difficult when you’re presented with a handful of products tracking the same index. You might lean towards the one with the cheapest headline fee, but this won’t necessarily be the best way forward. The impact of high charges In many instances...
Investing for a loft conversion
Thursday 04 May 2017Rising property prices mean many people prefer to increase space by getting a loft conversion, rather than move home. Loft conversions are by no means cheap, but investing a relatively small amount of money each month could help you to raise the necessary funds sooner than you might think. Funding...
What could the general election mean for savers?
Thursday 27 Apr 2017The forthcoming general election on 8 June is likely to be a bun fight for the so-called ‘grey vote’. Labour has already made its big pitch to older people with its ‘Pensions Pledge Card’, while the Conservatives have traditionally polled strongly among this demographic. From the so-called triple-...
Why you should have cash for life emergencies
Thursday 27 Apr 2017Investing is undoubtedly the best way of building up a nest egg, but it’s important not to lock away all your wealth. Although cash has become somewhat of a dirty word in the current era of rising inflation and poor returns, it could be a lifesaver if an emergency strikes. Equities vs cash – what...
How to claw back portfolio losses
Thursday 20 Apr 2017Most investors are comfortable with the fact their portfolio will go up and down, but a big slump in value is extremely stressful and can cause even the most experienced investors to panic. The market has witnessed huge peaks and troughs over the last 20 years and it’s likely the next 20 years will...