One of the retirement challenges many people face is how to handle wealth decumulation. During your working life, you’re typically working to increase your wealth, and this usually shifts as you enter retirement. So, if you’re retired or are nearing the milestone, read on to find out more about decumulation dilemmas and how you might manage them. Changing your mindset may be the first decumulation dilemma You might expect retirement challenges to focus on your money. Yet, one

The importance of remaining calm is often something that’s talked about when discussing investment market volatility. But there are other factors outside of your control that might lead to emotional decision-making, including uncertainty about the upcoming Autumn Budget. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to deliver an Autumn Budget at the end of October. Despite being weeks away, there’s already speculation about higher taxes and allowances being slashed. With rumours feat

24% of people think all their savings are tax-free, according to a Lloyds Bank survey carried out in February 2025. However, they could be in for an unexpected shock, as the interest earned on savings might be liable for Income Tax. The good news is, there are often ways to reduce a potential tax bill on your savings. Read on to find out when your savings might be taxed and how to avoid an unexpected bill. 3 allowances that may affect whether you’re liable for tax on your sa

If you want to help younger generations, passing on this pearl of wisdom could be key – start saving for your future as soon as possible. Many people think about their legacy when setting out their long-term goals. You may have considered gifting during your lifetime or how you’d like assets to be distributed after you pass away. One area you might have overlooked is the positive effect your financial insights could have. Your knowledge could have a huge effect on the long-te

A decade ago, the introduction of Pension Freedoms shook up retirement planning and gave retirees more options than ever. Before 2015, if you had a defined contribution (DC) pension, the common route was to use the money accumulated to purchase an annuity. The annuity would then provide you with a regular income, usually for the rest of your life. While an annuity can be valuable in some circumstances, it isn’t flexible. To give retirees more choice, Pension Freedoms were int

Creating a financial plan can seem complicated, especially if you need to take into account your partner’s views, assets, and goals. At times, you might have conflicting ideas about what is “right” and it can be a difficult situation to navigate. Working with a financial planner as a couple could help you overcome some of the key challenges you might encounter when building a financial plan with a partner. Challenge 1: Starting money conversations Talking about money is somet

Whether you analysed the text in school or have watched the film, you’ll no doubt be familiar with the tantalising story of Jay Gatsby. Indeed, 100 years after The Great Gatsby was first published, it’s still synonymous with the hedonism of the Jazz Age in New York City in the 1920s, from lavish parties to opulent mansions. And a century later, there is an important money lesson you can learn from its pages. On the surface, the obvious money lesson might seem like it’s how t

2025 has already been eventful for investors. Many factors are influencing market volatility, and one cause you might have overlooked is the emotions of investors. Read on to find out why fear and anxiety might lead to the value of investments falling. US president Donald Trump entered the White House for a second term in January. Since then, his policies have caused global uncertainty, particularly the introduction of tariffs on goods imported into the US. Indeed, Forbes re

We’re only weeks into 2025, and it’s already been one filled with market volatility and uncertainty. At times like this, being part of a crowd might feel comforting, but following the investment decisions of others could lead to choices that aren’t right for you. Political and economic uncertainty means investors may already have experienced the value of their investments falling this year. In fact, towards the end of January, you might have been affected by the value of US t

A cashflow model is a valuable tool that lets you understand how the value of your estate and individual assets might change in the future. But, to get the most out of it, you need to look beyond the numbers. A cashflow model provides a graphical representation of all your assets, such as investments, property and pension, as well as income, expenditures and debt. It forecasts how each of these will change over time. To start, you’ll need to input information into a cashflow