According to a study from NatWest1, seven in 10 people have been targeted by scams over the last 12 months. Vulnerabilities brought on by cost-of-living challenges have likely contributed to the high numbers. Sadly, 13% of people have fallen prey to such scams, which are growing in both number and sophistication – targeting young and […]
Category archives: General Financial News
Living the retirement dream
Research1 has revealed that the ultimate retirement dream is actually very simple – financial security for the rest of your life. This is according to a survey1, which questioned 2,000 respondents aged 50 and over on their aspirations for later life. Hopes and dreams Nearly all the respondents to the survey (94%) said that financial […]
Are you due a midlife MOT?
Just to be clear, we’re not talking about your physical health here (that’s the doctor’s remit). We’re talking about a check-up to assess your financial wellbeing. And we’re asking because nearly one in six people aged between 45 and 54 are now making significant financial sacrifices to ensure their pension pots are up to scratch […]
In the news
Pension Tracing Service swamped People who think they could be missing out on thousands of pounds in pension savings have flocked to the phonelines to try and track down their lost money. Through a freedom of information request, it has come to light that The Pension Tracing Service received a total of 251,733 phone calls […]
Sleep easy in 2024
If you’re losing sleep over your finances, you’re not the only one. According to research1, nearly half (45%) of UK adults are lying awake at night because they’re worrying about money. The squeeze on people’s finances caused by the cost-of-living crisis is understandably a large part of this wave of insomnia, with those surveyed saying […]
Powering up your pension
Paying a lump sum into a pension can be a particularly effective way to save for your future. If you have accumulated extra money from a windfall, work bonus or through saving, now could be the ideal time to power up your pension with a single contribution. Above and beyond One-off pension payments are permitted […]
In the news
Who wants to be an (ISA) millionaire? The number of ISA millionaires – i.e. people who have built up a tax-free pot of £1m or more by investing in stocks and shares ISAs – has almost quintupled since 2017, with the figure now standing at 2,7601. With the first ISAs introduced in 1999 aimed at […]
Global dividends – encouraging growth?
A new study1 analysing global dividend trends has highlighted that, in the third quarter of last year, 89% of companies chose to maintain their dividend levels or raise them. Despite this, it was noted that during the quarter, global dividends reduced by 0.9% (on a headline basis) to total $421.9bn. The underlying growth of dividends, […]
Prospects of stronger economic growth
As we enter a new year, the global economy sits in a relatively precarious position, with the long-term consequences of the pandemic, as well as ongoing conflicts and geopolitical tensions all hindering growth prospects. While such times can appear daunting for investors, the key to successful investing actually remains the same: focus on long-term goals […]
Financial advice: much more than the bottom line
The true value of financial advice clearly goes well beyond simply maximising the monetary value of a client’s portfolio. As we progress through life’s journey, the major events that confront us all certainly come with financial costs. However, they also generate an array of emotions and feelings, and the provision of advice has a critical […]