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What is Protection Insurance & Why Would I Need It?

Details: Created: Thursday, 29 January 2015 08:58

Protection Insurance and The Reasons Why You Need It

Simply put, Protection Insurance is a safety net. If you take out an income protection insurance scheme, it will pay you a regular income in the event that you find yourself unable to work due to sickness or disability, right up until you return to paid work or retire.

Protection Insurance is one of those things that you may never need but if something goes wrong, it can have a devastating effect on your quality of life. We want to give you the basics so you can make an informed decision as to whether you think you need it.

Re-evaluating Your Financial Plan: New Year Considerations

Details: Created: Monday, 01 December 2014 15:36

Re-evaluating Your Financial Plan: New Year Considerations

A fresh New Year’s start is around the corner. For most UK businesses and individuals this is the time when we assess what we did right and what we will do to make 2015 a better year than 2014. Our impartial analysis of our financial achievements and disappointments is part of moving forward, the pursuit of improving our finances.

There are certainly a number of global and national issues that might lead people to feel a bit uneasy about 2015. Many investors and earners are worried about changes in the market; worldwide debt, a delicate EuroZone, the German, Chinese and US economies, and recent global military and health problems. This seems a good time to be conservative with our spending and prudent with our money management skills.

Set a Budget Within Your Means

This is one of the most important preliminary exercises that every person and business should undertake before starting a new fiscal year. Examine your 2014 successes and struggles and be realistic in drawing up your budget for 2015. Where are you likely to spend more or less money? Is your income projection for 2015 on par, better or worse than 2014?

When Should You Start Planning For Retirement?

Details: Created: Wednesday, 12 November 2014 10:56

Thinking about Retirement

To many of those who have just entered the world of full-time employment, the very notion of ‘retirement’ seems like a daunting prospect. A phrase frequently perceived as relevant only to those aged 65 and over, it conjures up images of daily life spent reading the newspaper or going to various ‘gentle exercise’ classes.

However, with increasing governmental constraints on pension plans and schemes - particularly for public sector workers - the beginning of one’s retirement planning is being increasingly pushed forward. With the UK government set to push the retirement age up to 67 between 2026 and 2028, it is now more important than ever to ensure you have a strategic yet flexible plan in place as early as possible for when you leave employment.

Pensions Information For The Small Business Owner

Details: Created: Wednesday, 12 November 2014 10:52

Pensions

As of October 2012, all UK employers were legally obliged to provide workers with a Workplace Pension Scheme. This “automatic enrolment” started with large businesses and legislates that all businesses - whether large or small - be enrolled sooner rather than later. The automatic enrolment process has the potential to cause several problems for small businesses, because many did not previously offer such a scheme.

The government offers information about the law and procedures at the workplace pensions website; available at https://www.gov.uk/workplace-pensions-employers. Businesses must comply with these laws but it can be an intimidating task when they have little time or understanding.

Aside from managing the automatic enrolment process, many SMEs are recruiting the services of an adviser who has expertise in the enrolment system. Once the systems are set up compliance is relatively easy although regular checks are always a good idea; the penalties for non-compliance can be heavy.

Planning Your Retirement & Making Your Money Last

Details: Created: Wednesday, 12 November 2014 10:40

Retirement Planning

After the events of the global financial crisis and its bleak aftermath, a generation once again learnt the importance of proper planning and budgeting for retirement. Retirement planning is a long-term discipline that most often falls apart when things are going well. When financial matters take a turn for the worse, we quickly realise the weaknesses of our short-term investments.

A study by Northwestern Mutual reveals that women who turn 65 today have a better than 50 percent chance of living until age 90. That is three years longer than men. Women should keep this in mind as they make their retirement plan.