How much would you need to put aside in order to receive the full state pension? The figures are in and they make a compelling argument to keep your contributions topped up. Many, but not all of us, will be heading into retirement with the prospect of a full state pension to look forward to. […]

Sales of annuities, which provide a guaranteed income for life, surged 22% during the first three months of 2023 according to the latest data from the Association of British Insurers – and high inflation and rising interest rates look set to continue the trend. Annuity rates are strongly linked to interest rates, and the sharp […]

In 2028, the minimum age at which workers can access their pension savings will rise from 55 to 57. And, if this is worrying you, you are not alone. More than six in ten 50-year-old workers (63%) are concerned about this increase, according to new research from TPT Retirement Solutions. The research also found that: a […]

It’s commonly assumed that, as we move towards and into retirement, we need less space in our home. The children (theoretically!) have left. At the same time, it may well be that we can move to a different (read “cheaper”) location since we do not need to be close to our place of work. Or […]

New research by Standard Life has revealed that a worrying three in every four people (75 per cent) are ignorant of how much they have saved in their pensions. Perhaps even more alarmingly, the study found that as many as 79 per cent – four in every five – of those aged between 55 and 64 could […]

An estimated 41,000 taxpayers incurred an inheritance tax liability on death in 2022/23, according to new HMRC data – a 24% increase on the previous year (33,000), leading experts to advise homeowners, or those with large savings and investments, to act now to avoid their families losing out in the future. The freeze in the […]

One of the least unexpected parts of a Budget, most of which had been flagged up in advance, was tackling the LTA. But has the Chancellor blown up a good idea by going too far?  By Tony Watts OBE One of the major headline announcements of the recent Budget was the scrapping of the lifetime […]

If you’ve found yourself doing a Blondie impression recently, and hanging on the telephone for hours trying to boost your future State Pension, you can relax (for now, anyway). An under-siege (and under-resourced) DWP has bowed to public and media pressure and extended its deadline for workers to significantly boost their state pensions by catching […]

When it comes to financial decision making, it looks as though two heads really are better than one, according to analysis of the latest “HL Savings and Resilience Barometer”. Once the numbers are crunched, it appears that over half of households (51%) where partners take big financial decisions together are on track for a “moderate […]

Have you been contemplating helping out a younger member of your family? Then you’re not alone. New research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) shows that £17 billion is gifted or loaned informally each year, almost all from parents to their adult children – mostly to help with buying a house or at the […]