The age that savers will be able to access their pensions will rise from 55 to 57 in 2028. The Government wants to delay the age savers can access their private pensions to keep it in line with the state pension age, which is also scheduled to rise to 67 in 2028. The logic behind…
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Stock prices started the month strongly thanks to good early results from COVID-19 vaccine trials, better-than-expected employment reports, and higher-than-anticipated manufacturing activity. In the US, despite multiple States reporting increased COVID infections, stocks continued to climb, especially in large technology. American indices are now back in positive territory for the current year. These behemoth companies,…
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During 2020 the world economy shifted from a position of strong growth to severe global recession. Although this is clearly a significant concern, recessions are a normal part of the economic cycle so it is important to look at this in the right context to understand what is occurring now and what might happen next.…
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The UK has been in lockdown since March 2020 as part of the measures to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 across British society. Countries around the world have adopted a variety of strategies with many across Europe following a similar stance. This strategy was put in place following the alarming figures coming out of China…
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Writing a Will is the only way to ensure your wishes are carried out as you intend on death. Without this your estate will be subject to the intestacy rules, meaning you have no control over its’ administration, creating heartache and uncertainty for those you have left behind. So why should you get a Will?…
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Inheritances can provide a real springboard for future generations. They can give much-needed capital to buy property, start businesses, or just assist in improving day to day living. However, it requires specific strategies to be in place to maximise and maintain these funds through the generations. This article looks at the way parents can ensure…
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This year is definitely like no other – for all the wrong reasons. But this period of isolation is giving us the time and space to organise ourselves. It is also a time for contemplation. As we enter another three weeks of lockdown, people are starting to focus on what we are gaining by being…
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Children are expensive. It’s not a secret and never has been, with the average child costing nearly £250,000 from birth to their 18th birthday. Their wants and needs are satisfied more inexpensively when young. But when they get to their late teens and early twenties those ‘must-haves’ – the first car, the University education and…
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Since the coronavirus outbreak was labelled a pandemic earlier this year, global financial markets have suffered a sharp downturn and dropped into bear market territory within an incredibly short timeframe. To put the speed of the drop into context, it took 188 trading days during 2008 for financial markets to drop into bear territory and…
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Nothing tends to focus the mind like a pandemic. It puts everything in perspective, and suddenly makes you wonder whether your existing estate planning arrangements are as effective as you originally thought they were? All in all, a review is in order. So, what should you be looking out for? These are the main areas…
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