In the spring Budget it was announced the ‘lifetime allowance’ was being abolished. The date was set, 6th April 2024, and before this, the lifetime allowance tax charge would be set to 0%. The measure was
Your home is your castle. It may not be a mediaeval castle under attack from the Normans, the Dutch, or the French, but today it’s potentially under attack from interest rates and recession. Interest rates
“Somehow, in the UK, someone needs to accept that they are worse off”. Huw Pill That’s right, according to the Bank of England’s chief economist, Huw Pill, we are all poorer than we were this time
There is not a week that goes by here at Capital without a client contacting us, wanting to help family or friends with a cash gift. It’s great to assist our clients to do this
For some, the word trusts conjure up thoughts of super-rich families trying to protect their money, but in fact, many of us use trusts in our routine financial planning. The most used trusts are will
I often get asked by clients, friends, and family, how much cash the right amount is to hold on deposit. Too little and you run the risk of not being able to meet short term or
Three prime ministers and three chancellors in as many months, certainly feels chaotic, possibly a bit embarrassing, as well as a little depressing. There is no doubt that the UK could do with some stability, fiscal
What’s in the news? It’s a fact, UK inflation levels reached its highest level in 40 years. Even though many analysts described Inflation as transitory, we’ve been witnessing quite the opposite during the past 12
The single most common question we have been asked by clients recently has been “How will the situation in Ukraine impact inflation and overall living standards for us in the UK?” To consider this, we should
There is something of a paradox built into the delivery of wealth management services today. On the one hand, the main reason why you seek advice from a financial planner in the first place is
The cost of living is on everyone’s lips. No matter where you turn; the radio, television, social media, or newspapers, the message is clear. Costs are going up and budgets are being squeezed. For the
A sporting world record was created in London on February 27th 2022. As the Carabao Cup Final between Liverpool and Chelsea remained goalless towards the end of extra time, it seemed like the game was
Here’s one of the most common things I hear from people curious about working with us: “Well, financial Advisor John Smith manages a few of my accounts…but…I’m reaching out because I feel like his team
Today, it certainly feels like the world is in a very uncertain place. Authoritarian states are flexing their muscles, with Russia violating Ukraine’s sovereignty and China’s ongoing subjugation of Hong Kong with the new National Security
Markets have been incredibly volatile to start 2022. Each day continues to bring unique bounces up and down to a near-historic level intraday for those of you watching. (Tip one – don’t) Scary right? Not
Inflation measures the general increase in the price of goods and services. Left unchecked, it can be a dangerous foe to the long-term investor, eroding the purchasing power of one’s hard-earned cash over time. Since
Money is the number 1 thing couples argue about. A poll of over 2,000 British adults by legal firm Slater and Gordon found that money worries top the list of reasons why married couples split
Richard Farleigh is an ex-hedge fund manager, chess champion and wildly successful businessman. He appeared as a “Dragon” in the popular TV show Dragon’s Den (the UK version of Shark Tank) and has been listed
Anyone relatively new to investing could be forgiven for thinking that it is a simple game and easy to make money i.e. punt on what is going up most and buy the dips. Perhaps even those
My Mother-in-law, Angela is retired and lives in a comfortable apartment in the Home Counties. Her total income is around £26,000 a year, made up of various pensions and modest drawings from a small investment
This is one of our most frequent questions from clients, no matter what their level of family wealth. With the average UK home now hitting £256,000, up 8% over 2020 even in the times of
Many busy professionals have some degree of flexibility with working hours and the work-home balance. This is a great lockdown innovation, but it hasn’t reduced the time pressures to commit to a profession or career.
Let me begin with the motivation for retiring early, which neatly fall into two main camps: What are you running away from? – a bad boss, a boring and repetitive job, the too-long commute, low pay, or
David Reid worked hard, very hard. But he played hard too – he enjoyed the lifestyle which he had created with his wife Sue and their daughters, Sarah and Emma. David was 50 and he
“21st-century kids are being taught by 20th-century adults, using the 19th-century curriculum on an 18th-century calendar.’ Tom Hierck, Education Consultant Having their kids home-schooled for several months during lockdown gave many parents a rare close-up
Investing in markets is an excellent plan for meeting long-term goals, like maximising your retirement income. And yet, even though the most successful investment principles are simple, they aren’t always easy to understand and accept.
One of the largest financial fears people face is running out of money before running out of breath. Nobody, by choice, wants to end their days living in extreme poverty. The problem is, nobody knows what
“There is no greater happiness than freedom from worry, and there is no greater wealth than contentment”. Even now almost 2,500 years later everyone still worries about money, what the future may hold, and the
Considering the rules and regulations that govern them, dealing with your pension can throw up many questions. Understanding your pensions can help you to live the life you want when you retire. So, to help,
Everybody makes plans. You do it all the time. What to wear to the party. Where to go for the long weekend. Which route to take to the theatre. Life is full of plans, many
As we all age and move upwards along our own earnings curve, many of us fall into ‘lifestyle creep’ whereby our costs increase in line with our new higher income. That’s pretty normal for this
Explore the four important steps for you to take to retire early. This is important because if you get it wrong or change your mind, it may be difficult to re-enter the workplace at a
My first contact with Stephen was when he called Capital in the Spring of 2016. He explained that he and his wife Carol were previously advised by a firm of financial planners, but due to
There are various benefits to having a pension, not least to provide a regular and dependable income in later life. Many people reject pensions as a way of saving, and for the most part for
Are you an equal in your marriage or partnership? This seems like an obvious question to ask, but it isn’t always as clear as we think. What about when it comes to your future? When
Learn about the dangers of inflation and how it can deflate the money in your pocket The long-term effects of inflation can cause crippling financial pain in the course of your lifetime, but particularly at
What would you do if you got a windfall of over £1 million? You may have thought about it a few times whilst daydreaming, of course—but what happens when it becomes a reality? After all,
Dealing with life after losing a husband can be confusing and painful. Emotions run high and low. Following soon afterwards comes a tsunami of financial problems to knock you even further backwards. Few widows are
Freedom, the wind in your hair, the excitement of exploring new places, the anticipation of coming home. Or bumper to bumper commuting, congested traffic, unexpected expenses, and potholes. Your feelings about cars might be accurately
Do you like paying tax? That’s a tough question. Some people see the value in paying their fair share of tax and some people despise having to do so. But what is the difference between
For many years, it’s been traditional for parents to pass down wealth to their children after they die. Clients often set financial goals around leaving a financial legacy or supporting their children when they are
“I have retired now, my life is less complicated, so do I need a financial planner in retirement?” The simple answer is… yes, you do. This is a question that we hear regularly at Capital.
Once you discover how you could benefit from financial planning, the challenge is deciding which financial planner to work with. This could be the difference between a great experience that positively impacts your future, or
Inheritance tax is the UK’s most hated tax according to a recent article in The Independent. Over £5bn was paid to the Treasury in the last tax year and the number of estates paying inheritance
There are some things in life that no amount of planning can prepare you for. The death of a spouse is one of them. The circumstances of such a personal tragedy are worse if the
The abundance of online investment information and robo-advisers has many of us questioning if we really need a financial planner. This guide will show you the lifelong value of engaging with a financial planner, and
At one time when you hit your 60s you would hang up your work suit, slide tired feet into some slippers and snuggle up on the sofa watching daytime TV or potter in the garden.
At Capital, our clients’ financial security is at the heart of everything we do. We constantly innovate to enhance the way we communicate and share important and confidential documents with our clients. So, we are proud
According to the 2015 Investment Association (IA) survey1, assets under management by their members came to £5.5 trillion – that number is over 47 times the annual cost of running the NHS2. The vast majority