Insights
Insights
Investment market update: July 2026
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 [...]
FIRE v financial planning: The importance of balancing tomorrow and today
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, [...]
Explained: When Inheritance Tax could apply to gifts
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 [...]
Business owners: Selling your business isn’t the finish line
6 reasons why planning for your future is easy to delay
Organising your finances and planning your future are important tasks. Yet, it’s something that many people put off. Procrastination isn’t simply a lack of discipline. It’s often linked to stress, fear of failure, and other psychological factors, and working with a financial planner could help overcome these obstacles. Even if [...]
2 upcoming ISA changes you should be aware of
Your guide to the new Inheritance Tax and pension rules
Guide: The pros and cons of investing in buy-to-let
Investing in buy-to-let property can provide a steady rental income, helping supplement your retirement fund or form part of the legacy you leave for loved ones. Statistics published by the government (29 August 2025) confirm that there were around 2.86 million private landlords in the UK in 2023/24. Since then, [...]
Investment market update: June 2026
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a global recession could occur if the conflict in Iran continued into 2027. The organisation warned that delays in agreeing a peace deal would affect global growth and cause energy shortages. Indeed, the OECD said in a scenario where the [...]
5 fantastic reasons to make volunteering part of your retirement plan
The difference between building wealth and building business value
As a business owner, your personal and business financial values are often closely linked, but they’re not the same. Focusing only on the valuation of your business when assessing whether you’re on track for personal long-term goals could be risky. In June, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk made headlines by becoming [...]
The £12.3 billion cost of delaying estate planning
Affluent families who delay estate planning could miss out on chances to reduce a potential Inheritance Tax (IHT) bill and pass more on to their families. Find out if you could benefit from considering IHT and how you might pass on assets tax-efficiently. According to a report covered by Today’s [...]
