Q: I have a fair bit in savings but I’m getting no interest on my money. I am nervous about the volatile stock market. How do I get a return on my money without the risk of losing it all? A: With interest rates at historic lows, things are great for borrowers but terrible for Read more ›

“Furlough” is a word I had never come across until the Corona Virus crisis. Being on your company’s payroll, but – until the rules change on 1 July, not actually working for them must be very strange. In many cases, being furloughed could lead to an even worse state of affairs – a permanent reduction Read more ›

t’s been a miserable few months for some and for others, it’s been downright ugly. Lockdown, working from home, physical distancing, new words like “furlough”, redundancies, loneliness, and worldwide losses on the stockmarket. Most businesses have suffered and some may never recover. But worst of all, there has been death, all around us, with over Read more ›

Some good questions: Is it a good time to invest? Now the markets seem to have stabilised a little, should I cash everything in, or sell to cash? Should I continue to sit tight and ride out the storm? Rather than answer these questions individually, the following points will make reference to each in the context Read more ›

With so many people dying every day, the biggest priority for anyone living in the UK should be keeping themselves and their families safe. As I write, we still haven’t reached the peak and the daily deaths being reported is sad, alarming and depressing. Britons are also looking for help with their finances in record Read more ›

With worldwide stock markets rising and falling dramatically on a daily basis, empty shelves at the shops, European countries shutting down and a seemingly dithering UK government afraid to make the wrong decision, all but the bravest are worried, and rightly so. This current health crisis feels different, mainly because nothing quite on this scale Read more ›

You might think I’ll say that the best way to save is by not spending. Not necessarily. We all have to live and life can be expensive. But saving on a regular basis is the best way to build up a solid chunk of money. Doing it through an automated system like direct debit or Read more ›

Have you ever looked under the bonnet of your personal or company pension or stocks and shares ISA to see how your money is invested? I’m not talking about how much you have in the UK, Europe, Asia or Emerging Markets. I am talking about delving deeper and getting an understanding of the individual companies Read more ›

It’s astonishing how much financial misinformation there is out there. I see it on social media, on the news and often hear it when I see clients. Some of these myths are so embedded in our psyche that one could spend hours having heated arguments about them. Lets separate fact and fiction. Here are 6 Read more ›

Some retired people might find themselves house rich, but cash poor. Equity release can be a way of redressing the balance. The language used by equity release firms in the numerous television and newspaper adverts is enticing; “Access the value of your home, tax-free.” How much tax-free cash could you release from your home? Try Read more ›