Would you prefer the money you leave behind to go to your loved ones, or the tax man?
Last year, over £5 billion was taken from people’s estates in Inheritance Tax (IHT) and this year, that figure is set to …
Retirement planning: Will you have enough to live comfortably when you give up work?
If you have recently been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension, you should be feeling happy with yourself, staying opted in, making contributions and building your pension fund feels great.
But it might not be enough.
Most employed people are …
Homeowning: The naivety of youth
Buying a house.
It’s one of the biggest commitments your child will have to make when they grow up, but research from Halifax shows that many children and teens aged 11 to 21 are in the dark about how buying …
Speaking of money: How to hold productive discussions about household finances
How often does the topic of money come up around your dinner table?
Less than half (49%) of European couples find household finance meetings exciting, according to ING. That’s okay, not everyone is interested in dissecting their income and …
Hope for savers as Cash ISA interest rates begin to rise
The past decade has been miserable for savers.
Low interest rates, coupled with prolonged periods of relatively high inflation has meant that capital held in savings accounts is guaranteed to lose value.
However, research now shows that there might be …
When interest rates are so low, why are millions of people locked out of buying a home?
In 1995, 65% of 25-34-year olds owned their own home.
With Bank of England (BoE) base rates above 6% at the time (Source: Bank of England (BoE)), today’s low interest rates should be a blessing to young adults.
However, just …
Four things to consider before taking a tax-free lump sum from your pension
The Pension Freedoms reform means that you can access 25% of your pension fund on a tax-free basis from 10 years prior to your State Retirement age (also known as a Pension Commencement Lump Sum). More than half (54%) of …
The gender pay gap: even pensions are not immune
By the age of 50, men’s pension pots are double the size of women’s, according to research from Aegon.
Why?
- The gender pay gap
- Differences in working hours
- Family responsibilities
What is the gender pay gap?
According to the …
Four ways to help you feel more financially secure when you retire
Unsure about your financial stability in retirement? You’re not alone.
Just under half (46%) of people due to retire in 2018 feel that they are financially underprepared for retirement, according to Prudential. That is despite the average income for …
Why lattes cost far more than you think
A new outfit, a cup of coffee, pizza on a Friday night. They’re small, impulsive purchases, but they soon add up.
Research from Scottish Widows shows that each month, we each spend an average of £124 on things we could …