With people saving more than ever investors need to ensure they’re not missing out They say ‘Cash is king’. But do we make the most of it? You probably have much better things to do than chase slightly better cash savings rates. The good news is, recent advances in technology have made it remarkably simple…
Coronavirus – An Important Update We will keep working throughout this difficult period with staff working from home. To comply with Government guidance we are “locked down” and our offices are closed but you can call or email our advisers and customer service team using the usual contact details and they will be ready to take your call. Face…
How To Select A Financial Adviser Finding the right financial adviser is crucial and is not always as simple as it may seem. In this article, we look at the key issues to consider. Financial advisers tend to offer a range of services from general financial planning to investment advice, Inheritance Tax and estate planning…
Pension Drawdown Testing Against The Lifetime Allowance If you are lucky enough to have a relatively large pension fund it is important to understand the Lifetime Allowance (LTA) and the tax implications. This can be a complex subject and the rules depend in part on which pension option you select (drawdown or annuity). To simplify things…
Budgeting For Retirement Budgeting for retirement tends to be a one off exercise as individuals approach the date they would like to retire. That could be a mistake. Even if it is a rough first stab the earlier a budget can be prepared the better. Then if there is a shortfall between what is needed…
After many months of hard work and dedication, we’re finally ready to introduce ourselves. Well, re-introduce ourselves. We’re Fathom – a team of straight-talking financial advisors who specialise in pension advice and retirement planning. We’ve been around for a while (between us, we’ve got 45 years of financial planning experience), but we’ve had a bit…
The Pensions Dashboard – An Overview The original concept of the pensions dashboard was to deliver a simple online interface to allow a user to view all their pension information in one place. This, it was believed, would increase individuals engagement with their pensions and stimulate decisions about their retirement. A Troubled History The pension…
The Pension Drawdown Process Flexi access Pension Drawdown is an increasingly popular retirement option. In this post, we discuss the pension drawdown process. What is involved and what timescales can you expect? It is important to note Pension Drawdown only applies to defined contribution schemes (also known as money purchase schemes). Those with defined benefit or final…
The Importance Of Reinvestment Of Income From Shares And Gilts The Barclays Equity Gilt Study* (April 2019) provides some powerful insight into the importance of reinvestment of income from shares and Gilts. Income from Shares (Equities) and/or Gilts (UK Government Bonds) may be withdrawn or reinvested. According to the Barclays Equity Study, £100 invested in…
The Impact of Divorce on Retirement A Prudential report in 2015 showed that people approaching retirement who have been divorced are more likely to delay retirement than those who have never divorced. A pension fund is likely to be one of the largest and most complicated assets a couple will have to split in the…