Mortgage options for the over 55s
Following the Mortgage Market Review in 2014, banks and building societies were required to adopt stricter lending criteria and affordability checks, and as a result many lenders restricted both their maximum borrowing and repayment age. FACTORS TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION Whatever their age and circumstances, older borrowers will need to go through the usual checks […]
What does retirement planning mean for you?
Retirement is often seen as the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next. Planning for it isn’t just about getting your money organised, although that’s obviously very important. Depending on your circumstances, you may want to take the opportunity to completely change your lifestyle, move home, start a new business, travel the […]
Your ISA – Lump sum or regular savings
The good news is that since 6th April you can use this year’s ISA savings allowance to put your hard-earned cash to work in a tax-efficient way. The 2018–19 allowance is a generous 20,000, and it makes sense to take advantage of this savings opportunity as soon as possible in the year, rather than risk […]
One in ten Britons admit they are bad with money – how to buck the trend
A recent survey1 has shown that for many, building up their savings is not top of their agenda. Everyone should think about putting some money aside for emergencies, and for the bigger things in life like the deposit on a home, a child’s education or a wedding. So, for most of us having some cash that […]
Over 40% of buyers stressed by the mortgage process, don’t be one of them
Buying a home is, as we all know, high on the list of life events that are exhilarating and stress-inducing in equal measure. A recent industry survey1 showed that 41% of people felt stressed by the mortgage process, so here are some top tips to help you make a success of your property purchase. MAKE SURE […]
More people feel positive about their personal finances
A poll carried out by Opinium in January found that despite concerns over major issues such as Brexit, more Britons report feeling positive about their personal finances than they did last year. The survey found that workers think that their disposable incomes will increase by 3% on average, from £349 a month to £360 a […]
More women are working into their 70s
In yet another sign that retirement is becoming an increasingly fluid concept, figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the number of women working past the age of 70 has doubled in the last four years. The abolition of the compulsory retirement age in 2011 has meant that many more workers, men and […]
Why mortgage protection insurance makes sense
Life can be expensive these days. The list of bills families have to pay is a long one and it soon adds up; there’s the mortgage, council tax, food and energy bills for starters. And then there are often credit card bills, personal loans, transport costs, holidays and perhaps school fees too. So, if your […]
Tax traps the bank of mum and dad should avoid
With the Bank of Mum and Dad regularly helping to finance property transactions for their offspring, it’s important for parents to be aware of the tax consequences of doing so. Research has shown that scammers frequently search for information in social media profiles, emails and texts, that can help them sound genuine and authentic when […]
Pension scams persist – take note
Scammers are out in force again, trying to part us from our pension savings. One in six pension holders in the UK have been contacted by a company – other than their pension provider – to discuss making changes or transferring their pension, according to the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA). They report that […]