Latest Financial Reading Material Archive

These articles are provided for general information only and should not be taken as giving individual investment advice.

	Passive compared with active fund management - An April Fool’s Day story going round financial markets to the effect that our regulators would be requiring those advisers who do not give “whole of market” advice to wear red - April 2010
	Protect your money - It should not really be necessary to write this article, but there are so many people out there after your money, that it is probably a good idea to pass on a warning from the FSA- April 2010
	New forms of retirement income - For many years, reaching retirement for most people involved swapping their accumulated pension fund for an income provided by an insurance company - April 2010
	Striking a balance in investment - There is a commonly held belief that choosing the right balance of investments is more important than picking the right individual equities or other assets - March 2010
	“Non-working” parents - We apologise to tens of thousands of mums and dads all over the country for this headline. “Non-working” in this context means not economically active; anyone who thinks looking after children (or older generations, for that matter) is not work, has never done it! - March 2010
	Final final salary schemes? - According to research undertaken by the Association of Consulting Actuaries, more than four out of every ten final salary (defined benefit) schemes have been closed to new entrants during the past five years. A further one in twelve have ceased accruing future benefits for existing members, while a similar number have reduced the basis for future accruals - March 2010
	Stuffing money under the mattress - Consumers may have lost faith in banks and are instead hoarding cash, if the increase in high-denomination bank notes in circulation is anything to go by - February 2010
	Impaired life annuities - Although this may sound a rather unpleasant topic it is something that everyone should think about because even if they are in perfect health, some people could enhance their retirement income by shopping around - February 2010
	Planning for later retirement? - The downside of us living longer is that our pension plans have to last longer. For the basic state pension, this has particular importance - January 2010
	Give your investments a New Year review - After all the excitement of Christmas, the New Year can be a time for quiet reflection – not least to ensure that your finances are in good - January 2010
	The real cost of inflation for pensioners - Inflation may be running at about -1.4% a year, measured by the Retail Prices Index (RPI), but for those in retirement, the picture is rather different - December 2009
	Telephone scams - Every so often, you can receive a telephone call from your bank, wanting to discuss something such as a recent large deposit, withdrawal or transaction - December 2009
	What is an ‘unsecured pension’? - Every profession has its own jargon, but we can hold our hands up and say that the term ‘unsecured pension’ is not our fault - November 2009
	A boost for the over 50s - Not quite “Philisan fortifies the over forties” but a recent change in the rules for Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) could give a boost to tax-efficient savings for older people - October 2009
	Internet scams - If you have received an e-mail telling you that your order has not been delivered, or you have won a prize and all you have to do is open a file, or click on a link, the chances are you are being scammed - October 2009
	Sources of finance for small to medium sized enterprises - Despite the fact that we now appear to own most of the banks, they still seem highly reluctant to lend to businesses – and when they do the rate margins are high and the arrangement fees worse - October 2009
	Will you have to work beyond retirement age? - From next year, the state retirement age for women will start rising from 60 to 65; and from 2024, the retirement age for both men and women will gradually be increased towards 68, which will be achieved by 2046 - October 2009
	Get the best out of your pension pot - When you come to retire, it is important to be aware that you almost certainly do not have to take your retirement income from the same company that built up the fund in the first place - September 2009
	Investing for the very long term - Thinking about how you will cope late in life is not something that particularly appeals to most of us. But stories about how the elderly are treated can act as something of a wake-up call - September 2009
	Shifting the balance of protection - In a recent paper, a committee considers whether some of the “risk management” market could be transferred to the insurance industry - September 2009
	Guaranteed products - During times of economic uncertainty, investors may seek a ‘safe home’ for their money. While this is a perfectly natural reaction, there are a number of reasons why it requires careful consideration - August 2009
	Turn losses into a pension advantage - News that those earning in excess of £150,000 a year will soon face a tax rate of 42.5% on dividend income highlights the beneficial tax treatment of pensions. It also reminds us that there are times to crystallise investment losses - August 2009
	Auto enrolment for the SME - From April 2012, employers who do not provide their employees with a ‘suitable’ pension workplace scheme will be required to auto-enrol them into personal accounts - August 2009
	BUDGET SUMMARY - April 2009

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