If you “open your eyes, look up to the skies and see…”, you can find financial planning lessons in the most unexpected places. You’ve no doubt heard many of Queen’s greatest hits countless times. You might have danced to ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ at weddings, sung along to ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ [...]

After months of volatility, markets were relatively calm in August, though economic data was mixed. Discover what factors may have affected your investment portfolio throughout August 2026. When markets opened on 3 August, it was a good start to the month. Falling oil prices led to the Stoxx Europe 600 [...]

How are you setting your life goals? Are you following a well-trodden path or choosing aspirations that are meaningful to you? Everyone is different and spending some time thinking about what you want to achieve could lead to greater wellbeing and a sense of purpose. Imagine you're preparing for retirement. [...]

In just a few years, AI has transformed how we approach tasks both at work and in our personal lives. While using AI could save you valuable time in some areas, it could pose risks in others, including when you’re writing or updating your will. Your will sets out who [...]

The amount HMRC is forecast to collect through Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is set to more than double between 2024/25 and 2030/31, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR, 9 February 2026). The good news is that there might be steps you could take to reduce a potential bill. [...]

The government will set out its tax, spending and economic plans for the year ahead and beyond on 28 October 2026 in the Autumn Budget. The weeks leading up to an Autumn Budget always feature rumours about what might change and how it could affect personal finances. With this Budget [...]

In last month’s article, you read about why it’s often more difficult than you expect to identify scams. With the amount of money lost to fraud rising, being aware of common types of scams could mean you’re in a better position to spot the warning signs. According to UK Finance [...]

Time passes quickly, and before you know it, your child has gone from taking their first steps or saying their first words to starting school. You’ll want to do all you can to set them up for a successful future, but it can be challenging to know where to begin. [...]

Ongoing conflict in the Middle East and investor concerns that technology companies are overvalued continued to affect market performance. Read on to find out how these factors and others may have impacted your investment portfolio in July 2026. Markets started the month with a sell-off of chip stocks as investors [...]

Every retirement plan looks different because we all have unique circumstances and aspirations in life. You will have to decide what you want your lifestyle to look like, what your priorities are, and when you want to stop working. For a certain group referred to as the FIRE (financial independence, [...]

Gifting assets during your lifetime has become a common strategy for reducing a potential Inheritance Tax (IHT) bill. Indeed, according to Paragon Bank (31 July 2025), 1 in 5 savers aged over 65 are passing on cash for this reason. Yet, gifting doesn’t always mean that assets are excluded from [...]

Selling your business is often a goal you’ve been working towards for years. But viewing it as the finish line, rather than the start of a new journey, could lead you to overlook steps that make the next chapter of your life more enjoyable. Entrepreneurs often find that their personal [...]