With markets seemingly in freefall – the FTSE All-Share is actually slightly up (+0.63%) compared to the same time (April 4th) last year, but let’s not let that get in the way of a good headline – I have had one or two emails from concerned clients, particularly those in decumulation and that is understandable with all the media “noise”.

As the 5 April deadline approaches, many people are wondering whether they should take action to boost their state pension. With the clock ticking, it's essential to understand the benefits and steps involved in making the most of your pension contributions. Here's a last-minute checklist to help you navigate this crucial decision.

When market returns are kind, as they have been in recent times, it can be too easy to forget that bad times in investing will come along at some stage, leading to large and/or protracted falls in value. We hope markets are kind, but without a crystal ball no investor possesses any ability to accurately forecast the ‘whats, whens and hows’ of such downturns.

Periods of volatile markets can feel unsettling, especially when the news headlines are shouting loud. To own a share in a company means to stake a claim in the future cash flows associated with ownership. Profits can be distributed to stockholders through dividends or share price appreciation. These expected future cash flows carry a high degree of uncertainty in their magnitude and timing. Markets are never a smooth ride.

In life we make probability-driven choices all the time (can I cross the road safely, despite that approaching car? etc.). By-and-large, we weigh up the uncertainty involved, the upside on offer and then dive right in.  Not all our decisions are optimal.  Did we understand the risks fully? Did we know what the up and downside consequences were and, importantly, the likelihood of them happening?

On March 27, 2025, Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her Spring Statement, aiming to provide stability for the economy and security for working people. This statement continues the theme from Labour’s first Budget in the Autumn.

This shiny metal always glistens most brightly when it has just risen in value. In the past 12 months, the price of gold has nearly doubled. Recency bias and the fear of missing out (FOMO) always results in ‘should it be in my portfolio?’ type questions.  Somewhat bizarrely, investors tend to get excited about assets that have already risen in value.  If one is going to play a market timing game – generally not advisable as even the pros do not have any real track record in being able to do so consistently – a long-term investor should surely be more excited about an asset that has fallen substantially in value, not risen.

In a recent decision, the Bank of England (BoE) has opted to maintain interest rates at 4.5%, a move that comes amid mounting global uncertainty and growing trade tensions sparked by Donald Trump's tariffs. This decision was reached with an 8-1 vote by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), with one member advocating for a 0.25 percentage point cut.

With the 5th anniversary of the UK's first COVID lockdown on March 23rd, it's a poignant moment to reflect on how the investment markets reacted during this unprecedented time. The S&P 500 and the FTSE All Share serve as prime examples of the market's volatility and resilience during the pandemic.

On January 20, 2025, the United States welcomed back a very familiar face to the Oval Office, Donald Trump. And with him came Elon Musk, making his political debut in a way only he could. Love it or loathe it, the spectacle has been impossible to ignore. But let’s set aside politics and focus on what really moves the needle for investors: the markets.

As the UK tax year draws to a close, it's crucial to ensure that your financial affairs are in order. Here are the top 7 things you need to complete before April 5th, 2025, to maximise your tax benefits and avoid any last-minute stress:

Inheritance Tax (IHT) can often be a complex financial issue for many families to navigate, especially with the upcoming changes set to take effect from next month. To help demystify these updates and their potential impact on your family, here are the four significant upcoming changes to IHT expected to take effect in the next few years:

Managing family finances can be challenging, but with careful planning and smart strategies, you can ensure a secure financial future for your loved ones. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help families plan their finances, including saving for education, managing household expenses, and planning for emergencies.

The concept of Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in the UK was established under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and came into effect on 1 October 2007. LPAs replaced the former Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA), which were narrower in scope. The primary purpose of LPAs is to meet the needs of individuals who foresee a time when they may lack the capacity to manage their own affairs.

In a bold move to address low growth and increased pressure to spend more on defense, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to launch a £24bn tax raid this year. This decision has sparked significant debate and concern among economists, policymakers, and the general public.

In a move that could impact millions of state pensioners, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly planning an extended income raid in her upcoming Spring Statement on March 26. This decision comes as Reeves struggles to balance the books following her controversial autumn Budget.

Having retired many people over the years, in the strictly “non-mafia” sense of course, I typically find it takes clients 24 months to adjust to a regular pattern of spending as they acclimatize to this next, hopefully long and fulfilling phase of their lives. Determining how much people should realistically expect their spending to be in retirement has always been a challenge.

In the 2010 US drama Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps directed by Oliver Stone, Shia LaBeouf turns to Josh Brolin and asks him “what’s your number?” to which Brolin’s character, Bretton James, famously responds with “more”!

Meanwhile back in the real world of financial planning, we can be a little more scientific, particularly with the use of planning tools such as cashflow modelers. In this world, your “number” really is the age at which financial independence is attained, meaning the point beyond which you continue working is through choice rather than necessity.

In this blog, we’ll explore a typical approach to determining your “number.”

Risk profiling has become a cornerstone of modern investing, if not an industry in its own right but is it really serving investors' best interests? I argue that risk profilers should be banned.

In Indian folklore, a minister and wiseman called Sessa, apparently invented chess for his King, and in return asked for payment in grains of wheat: one grain on the first square, two on the second and doubling each square thereafter. The King laughed at him, for asking for such a small prize, obviously not realising that on the 64th square it would be 263 (i.e. two to the power of 63, or 9,223,372,036,854,780,000) grains of wheat! It was Sessa who got the last laugh.