When the Sopranos first aired in the late 1990s I was a student in Belfast and watched it every week until I graduated and left Belfast in the middle of the second season. It might have taken me 11 years but I’ve finally arrived at the fourth season. The first episode, “For all debts public […]
View ArticleFinancial Planning, Investments, Market Commentary, News, Pensions, Retirement
A friend’s recent blog post resonated with my own thinking on how we spend our accumulated wealth. Often I meet wealthy clients with a very healthy and easy relationship with their money – it doesn’t have a hold on them. Other clients are afflicted by worry and a desire for more even though they want […]
View ArticleI was interviewed last week by the Independent on Sunday on whether or not clients are best advised to defer taking benefits from their pension. Every case should be considered individually but the following article which includes some of my comments should be useful: Independent on Sunday: Should I take my pension benefits now? By […]
View ArticleRead a great article the other day by Ian Cowie of the Daily Telegraph. It touches on a very real issue for most of us. Many people assume that retirement is so far down the line that they’ll be alright in the end and their state pensions will suffice. Really? Not that easy to maintain […]
View ArticleGreat Article from MarketRiders: “The law of compound returns is a force of nature and understanding this concept is critical to your success as an investor. It is how the rich keep getting richer, but maybe not how you are led to believe. Simply put, the law of compound returns says money left alone creates […]
View ArticleI meet many people approaching retirement and together we have to decide when is best for them to take benefits from their pension plans. There are a number of different options available – buying an annuity is one of them. Annuity rates are at an all time low so it would be easy to think […]
View ArticleI’ve advised a number of teaching professionals over the past 18 months who are approaching their normal retirement date, considering retiring early or accepting a voluntary redundancy. Their main concern tends to be uncertainty about the future and the impact of their decision to leave employment on their financial future. That’s where we come […]
View ArticleYou may be wondering what is happening with the new single-tier state pension. There is no doubt that the UK has a bewilderingly complex state pension that is trying to achieve something very simple. As with all government changes, some will win and some will lose… So what is being proposed? It’s simple – a […]
View ArticleWe have become increasingly aware of companies marketing directly to the public and claiming that they can take money out of their pension before the usual retirement age of 55. Please please please exercise extreme caution – early access to pensions is rarely in anyone’s best interests. The FSA (Financial Services Authority) are paying close […]
View ArticleI have a number of clients who are in the teaching profession and have retired early or taken voluntary redundancies over the past couple of years. If you are in the same position or have friends or family members wondering whether they can afford to take a voluntary redundancy please put them in touch with […]
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