Should you invest your money gradually or all at once? That is the core question at the heart of the debate about “pound cost averaging” and “lump sum investing”. It might sound like a simple matter of choosing whichever suits your preferences, but the decision can have a huge impact on your returns and the long-term growth of your portfolio…
Many people are aware that it is a good idea to invest in a range of assets (e.g. cash, equities and bonds). Yet what, exactly, should the balance be not only between them – but within them. After all, there are many currencies, companies and governments which one could invest in. All of them hold different risks and potential for returns depending on the time and circumstances. In this guide…
You may have already spent years putting money aside into a pension. Yet how, exactly, do you eventually use it to generate an income in retirement? It isn’t the same as living off cash savings since pension pots are typically invested in assets such as stocks and bonds, which carry higher investment risk but also more growth potential. In 2020-21, moreover, you cannot start taking money out of your pension…
COVID-19 is now recognised by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) as the seventh leading cause of death in the UK. Thankfully, so far NHS hospitals have not been flooded in the manner widely feared at times earlier in 2020. Yet the pandemic is causing problems in other areas such as funeral services and – for the purposes of this article – probate, where families are waiting months for inheritance tax cases…
If you’re wondering how to start investing or develop your portfolio, then at some point you will hear about diversification. In simple terms, this refers to the practice of spreading out your investments across many different markets and asset types. Rather than putting all of your eggs in one basket (e.g. by investing all your capital in one stock), this approach helps you to mitigate unnecessary risks.
It is estimated that as many as 15m people (i.e. 1 in every 3 retirees) in the UK have no pension savings at all. Those over the age of 50 are especially at risk of pension poverty, since there is less time to build up a viable strong retirement fund (although it is certainly not too late). Many people seem to believe that the government will look after them when they stop working, much like the National Health Service…
It’s easy to assume that financial planning is all about ourselves. Yet there is a place for giving and charity too. Moreover, engaging in generosity can also make sense from a tax perspective – both for the giver and also the recipient. In this short guide, our financial planning team here at Elmfield offer these thoughts on charitable financial planning and its tax benefits.
The UK pension system can easily leave people confused. Not only does it deal with finances which seem to be in the far future, but the tax regime and “compounding dynamic” which take place on pension investments can also be quite complicated. There are also a range of pension allowances available which are intended to incentivise people to save towards their…
For many people in 2020 life has felt very out of control. Bringing clarity and a sense of order to your wealth and finances, therefore, is a great way to bring stability and peace of mind to your situation. Here at Elmfield, our financial advisers in Padiham, Burnley, Lancashire offer some thoughts on how to set strong financial goals which move you in a positive direction.
Some people are fortunate enough to happen upon wealth. For many of us, however, they have carefully built up their savings, investments and assets over many years and want to make good decisions about how to look after them. Especially as you look ahead into retirement where they will play an important role in sustaining your lifestyle; and then even…
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