Happy 21st to the ISA

An Individual Savings Account (ISA) is a tax wrapper for your money. There are two main types available depending on the level of risk you’re prepared to take:

• Cash ISA
• Stocks and shares ISA

If you’re 16 or older you can have a Cash ISA, whereas Stocks and Shares ISAs are aimed at 18s and over. In both cases you’ll need to be a UK resident to be eligible.

The ISA was launched by then-Chancellor, Gordon Brown, on 6 April 1999, as successor to the TESSA (Tax-Exempt Savings Account) and PEP (Personal Equity Plan) ...

‘No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow’

As we entered the new year with further lockdowns and history making world events, the hope of spring hangs in the air, an enticing prospect, this year, more than ever. While we’re waiting for the green shoots of spring to emerge, why not use the time effectively by getting your finances in order before the end of the tax year?

The tax year ends on 5 April 2021, which is Easter Monday this year, so don’t wait until the last minute to double-check you’ve taken advantage of all the ta...

Could you ‘nudge’ your way to a healthy retirement?

Nudge theory was popularized in 2008 by behavioural economist Richard Thaler and legal scholar Cass Sunstein. In simple terms it is about making it easier for people to make a certain decision that is ultimately in their own self-interest.

Day-to-day
In the short term there are some financial nudges you can do to apply nudge theory to your own finances.

Put your decisions into context – During lockdown, local or national (or whatever COVID-19 throws at us next) do you really need to buy ...

Get mortgage fit for 2021

Estimates suggest that well over one million borrowers have lapsed onto their lender’s default standard variable rate (SVR). Has this happened to you? If so, now could be the perfect time to consider a remortgage, to get your finances in good shape for the year ahead.

Do you know your mortgage rate?
If your current tracker, fixed rate, or discount mortgage deal has ended, you are likely to be switched onto your lender’s SVR and could be paying way over the odds, perhaps without even realising. It has been found th...

Keep your pension planning on track

The coronavirus outbreak is having a widespread impact across all aspects of our financial life, with many people finding their income reduced. At times like this it can be challenging to stay focused. No matter what age you are, now is not the time to neglect your pension. Try your very best to keep your pension planning and contributions on track – don’t allow the pandemic to cast a cloud over your long-term plans.

It’s never too early to start saving into a pension…
You should start saving for retirem...

Could you live on the State Pension?

Let’s be honest, on the morning of 21 October few of us were waiting with bated breath as the latest UK inflation stats were revealed. But, for millions of people, that moment was significant.

That’s because the September (Consumer Price Index) CPI inflation figure forms part of the government’s ‘triple lock’ formula used to determine the forthcoming rise in the level of State Pensions.

Triple lock
The triple-lock safeguard was introduced by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in 2010 and aims ...

When Tom and Pete bought their first property together, things couldn’t have been going better. They both had good jobs, were pulling in decent salaries and were excited about spending the rest of their lives together.

They chatted about making a Will a few times, but somehow life always got in the way. Until one day, 10 years later, Pete got a call that would change his life forever. Knocked down by a car while crossing the road, Tom had tragically passed away.

The intestacy trap
Grieving for the loss of his partner, Pete then found out t...

Do you have ‘cash in the attic’?

Wherever you go, you’d be hard pressed to find a house without at least a little bit of clutter.

From the kids’ old teddies (well, they might want Ed the Ted for their own children, you see) to receipts from the 1980s (they might take it back after 40 years), attics and basements across the UK are full of what optimists might call ‘keepsakes’ and what others would probably call ‘junk’.

But is it always? If Flog It or Cash in the Attic are anything to go by, our houses are literal gold mines of undiscovered...

Are your kids worried about money?

Has the pandemic caused you to worry more than usual about your finances? Well, you’re not alone…
With 47% of respondents to a global survey stating they are less well-off now compared to before the pandemic and 24% worried about job security, it’s clear that the virus is continuing to wreak havoc on our financial – and mental health.
The kids are… not alright

And it’s not just adults who are feeling the pressure – our kids are picking up on it too. According to a monthly study of children’s mental health...