Millions relying on just £7k in retirement
According to research1 carried out for the Pensions Policy Institute, many pensioners are relying on their state pension for three-quarters of their income. It can come as a shock to many that their state pension entitlement increased to £164.35 per week from April 2018, but only for those who have a complete record of National […]
Dividend allowance reduction from April 2018
In the Summer Budget 2015, the government announced that dividend taxation would be reformed from April 2016 by replacing the Dividend Tax Credit with a £5,000 dividend allowance, and increasing the rates of tax payable on dividends in excess of the new allowance by 7.5 percentage points in each band, to 7.5% for basic rate, […]
Airbnb – Implications for home insurance
Airbnb is an amazing business success story – there are now more than four million homes listed around the world. But homeowners who list their property on Airbnb or similar sites need to think carefully about their insurance position, as when they have a tenant in their property, they may not be insured under the […]
Time to temper your return expectations?
Over the last eight years, the stock market has been pretty generous, providing many investors with a period of relatively strong rates of return. Some experts are warning that the next few years are likely to be less rewarding and that investor expectations need to be tempered in readiness for a period of lower average […]
More than £400m languishing in old pension pots
With more people changing jobs over their working lifetime, the average saver can have multiple pension pots and have no idea how to track them down. What’s more, people move homes and can lose track of paperwork over the years. As a result, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has estimated there are over […]
First time buyers use stamp duty savings to cut mortgage costs
Low mortgage rates, high levels of employment and government schemes, such as Help to Buy, are all helping first-time buyers enter the housing market. The recent abolition of Stamp Duty for a majority of first-time buyers looks set to provide additional help by reducing the upfront costs associated with making a first home purchase. STAMP […]
Five personal finance habits we should all adopt
While most of us think we’re pretty good with our money, we can all benefit from giving our finances a regular health check. If you’re looking to get to grips with your finances and develop better habits, then setting yourself some financial goals and drawing up a budget is a good way to get motivated. […]
Almost 16 million don’t have contents insurance – don’t be one of them
Are your belongings protected against life’s unwelcome events? Home insurance is an effective shock-absorber that protects millions of families each year and provides them with valuable peace of mind. Having a home contents insurance policy in place means that if the unexpected were to happen, such as a burglary, leaking pipe or a devastating fire, […]
Investing for income in retirement
Today, savers reaching retirement have more choices than ever before about how they use their pension pots to fund their retirement. Instead of simply using their pension money to buy an annuity that provides a guaranteed income for life, many choose to invest throughout their retirement years. The challenge this brings is to deliver a […]
More homeowners climbing the ladder
There’s some better news for those who are looking to make their move up the housing ladder. Second-steppers, as they are often referred to, are mostly couples and young families seeking to move on from their first home to somewhere bigger. Figures from Lloyds Bank1 show that more than 370,000 homeowners were able to step […]