What we think

Our insights and ideas on managing money and understanding the markets.

2023 Budget – Exploring the Changes to Pensions

2023 Budget – Exploring the Changes to Pensions

The 2023 budget brought significant changes to both the annual pension allowance and the lifetime pension allowance (LTA), impacting individuals' retirement savings. These changes arose primarily from the concern that high-income individuals in the medical profession...

Not All Returns Are Created Equal

Not All Returns Are Created Equal

When discussing investment strategies with clients, we often map out what kind of long-term annualised investment return they will need to achieve their objectives. Whether this is 2%, 5% or even 10%, what can easily be overlooked is the fact that investment markets...

Are You Maximising Your State Pension?

Are You Maximising Your State Pension?

The Opportunity There has been a lot of press recently about the opportunity to fill gaps in your National Insurance (NI) record back to 2006. This opportunity is available until 5 April 2023, so if you want to take advantage of it, you will need to act fast. The...

Investing sustainably through the economic cycle

Investing sustainably through the economic cycle

Whilst it has been possible to invest in sustainably-focused funds for a long time, in recent years these types of strategies have become increasingly popular. Not only is it topical in the light of current news headlines regarding sustainable energy and climate...

Registering Trusts with HMRC

Registering Trusts with HMRC

We would like to draw your attention to new legislation which requires most trusts to be registered online with HMRC by 1 September 2022.  If you are a trustee on a trust which was in existence on or after 6 October 2020, even if it has since been wound up, you may...

Investment considerations for FICs

Investment considerations for FICs

Family Investment Companies (FICs) have become a popular alternative to trusts in recent years. They can be an effective and flexible means of using a well-known, tried-and-tested structure of a company to control, grow and distribute wealth on a generational basis....

Are you taking enough risk in your pension?

Are you taking enough risk in your pension?

Here are three reasons why you might be able to take more investment risk than you think when accruing assets for retirement. 1. Time Many people we work with in relation to their retirement planning approach us when they are in their late 30s or early 40s. By this...

Declaration of Trust – How Can You Take Advantage?

Declaration of Trust – How Can You Take Advantage?

A Declaration of Trust is a relatively simple deed that, when deployed correctly, can add value in several wealth planning situations. In its simplest form, a Declaration of Trust allows an individual to declare that they hold an asset, or assets, on trust for the...

Entrepreneur Series: Jessica and Louella Alderson of So Syncd

Entrepreneur Series: Jessica and Louella Alderson of So Syncd

As part of a new series, we are taking the opportunity to put a spotlight on successful businesses and interview the entrepreneurs who founded them. The first business we are highlighting is the personality-type dating app, So Syncd. So Syncd was founded in 2019 by...

Retirement and the Marriage Allowance

Retirement and the Marriage Allowance

The Marriage Allowance is just one of several different tax breaks available to potentially take advantage of. For example, there are various allowances for income, dividends, gains, pensions… the list goes on. Some allowances are means tested while others are not....

Look After The Pennies…

Look After The Pennies…

This time of year is particularly busy in the world of financial advice as we focus on maximising planning opportunities before the end of the tax year. This planning can often involve significant investment especially when you consider that a couple maximising their...

How Company Pension Contributions Can “Pay Dividends”

How Company Pension Contributions Can “Pay Dividends”

This month, Taylor Money Director and Chartered Financial Planner, Philip Feast, offers his advice on company pension contributions. We often encounter successful business owners with growing cash balances in their company. A healthy amount of cash in any business is...

Don’t Fear the Market, Fear Yourself

Don’t Fear the Market, Fear Yourself

Usually when I sit down with a new client one of the first questions they ask me is what I think markets are going to do going forwards. In other words, they are asking what return they can expect on the money they invest. Historically investors have been rewarded for...