For many people, writing a Will feels like the final step in getting their affairs in order. Once it’s signed, witnessed and safely filed away, there’s a sense of relief that the “estate planning” box has been ticked. In reality, a Will is only one piece of the puzzle, and on its own, it often…
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Holding cash feels reassuring. It doesn’t rise and fall with markets, it’s readily accessible, and in uncertain times it can feel like a safe harbour. For many people, having money in the bank provides peace of mind, and that has real value. However, while cash plays an important role in any financial plan, holding too…
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The question of how much money people need to earn to be happy in the UK is deceptively complex. While income undeniably matters, happiness is shaped just as much by security, lifestyle, relationships, and expectations as by the number on a payslip. Research and real-world experience consistently suggest that beyond a certain point, more money…
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Many people think of financial planning as a fixed route: decide where you want to go, draw up a plan, and follow it until the end. In reality, good financial planning works much more like a sat-nav. When you start a journey, a map can show you the roads, but it can’t react when traffic…
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Digital assets have finally grown up. From 2nd December 2025, the new Property (Digital Assets etc) Act 2025 has confirmed something many people already suspected: assets that exist purely online – such as cryptocurrency and NFTs – can legally be owned as personal property. While the Act itself is short, its impact is big, particularly for…
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A typical household in the UK spends about £2,460 in a month. But, in the run-up to festivals such as Christmas and Hanukkah, our habits change. Households spend on average about £713 more in December, which is 29% more than in a typical month. The cost of Christmas has risen significantly over the years, often…
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There’s good news on the horizon for savers. From 1 December 2025, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) will be increasing the amount of protection available on bank and building society deposits. This update follows confirmation from the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and comes after months of consultation (and a fair bit of speculation). Increasing…
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A growing number of UK adults are relying on future inheritances to remain financially stable, even as probate disputes rise sharply and delays in estate planning put legacies at risk. New research from probate lenders Level Group reveals that one in three UK adults – equivalent to 18.4 million people – are now financially dependent…
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A few years ago, I decided that it was an appropriate time to put my money where my mouth was and to start my own personal budget. The idea did not fill me with joy nor optimism; a feeling shared by most of my clients when I first suggest the idea. Like most people, I feared…
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I was speaking with Martin Cockx, our partner at Life After Law, who we featured in last month’s Wealth Management Update. We were talking about what makes you actually take action in life. Martin’s journey included a great improvement in his fitness, so we got talking about what is most evocative. Which is where the subject of…
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