Financial Planning

Financial planning is the process of taking control of your finances and then making your money work for you. If you do not plan, the chances are that you will not make the most of your money. But planning is much easier if you undertake the process with the help of a skilled practitioner who is well used to helping people to define their aims and work out how best to achieve them.

Investments

Do you know how much risk you are prepared to tolerate when you invest? This is the question that lies at the heart of investment planning – and very often the discussions about risk take the longest.

Retirement Planning

The taxation of pensions was drastically changed in 2006, opening up both opportunities and potential pitfalls. HM Revenue and Customs described the process of change as ‘simplification'. In many respects, this description is correct. For most people, the tax rules will simplify the situation very considerably.

Estate Planning

Estate planning involves tax, but it encompasses much more. As with most tax planning, the key is to know what you want to achieve – who should benefit after your death and what they should receive, but also who you might want to make gifts to now and in what form.

Property & Mortgages

Whether you are buying a home to occupy or to let, the mortgage finance will be crucial to the success of your purchase. The UK mortgage market is considered to be one of the most sophisticated and innovative in Europe, with a huge range of choices to suit all kinds of needs and circumstances.

Inheritance Tax

Inheritance tax (IHT) was once seen as a tax on the wealthy, but with the increases in house prices over the years, IHT is now a concern even if you are just a homeowner with modest savings.

Trusts

Trusts are helpful devices that are widely used in estate planning. They allow you to transfer money, property or other assets outside your estate into the legal ownership and control of other people you appoint (called trustees). These trustees are responsible for looking after the trust property for the beneficiaries.

Financial Protection

Premature death and serious illness are fortunately relatively rare, so much so that insuring against these risks is not expensive – especially if you are reasonably young. But they happen frequently enough for life and health protection to be essential financial products.

Business Planning

Owning a business can be a very rewarding experience, but what happens if a business owner dies or falls seriously ill? Much will depend on the type of business – sole trader, partnership or limited company – but unless there has been some advance planning, the chances are that what remains may end up in the wrong hands.

Tax Tips

Tax laws change every year and sometimes more often. This guide was revised shortly after the October 2007 Pre-Budget Report, when the Government announced a number of major changes to capital gains tax and inheritance tax, as well as several other measures.

Tax Planning

A guide to follow when considering tax planning.