30 July 2025
Do you need more in your portfolio than shares and bonds?There is a growing debate as to whether the traditional 60% shares and 40% bonds strategy is outdated. There is a suggestion that gold, property and private equity also deserve a place in an investors’ portfolio, to provide more balance.
A key reason why investment experts are reappraising portfolio construction is the failure for bonds to behave...
30 July 2025
Five holiday money pitfalls to avoidThe summer holidays are fast approaching, and for millions of people that will mean buying some euros, krona or lira and jetting off for a couple of weeks of sunshine. In the flurry of pre-departure activity, it’s easy to lose sight of getting hold of some travel money, and that can often leave you rushing to convert your pounds at the last minute...
24 July 2025
Three bits of news that might affect your wealthThere has been a flurry of information this week about spending, saving and managing your money.
In a double whammy, one government review highlighted that many Brits are not saving enough into their private pensions, and a second review revealed the rising cost of the state pension.
We had the news that certain people might have to wait until...
17 July 2025
Brits believe they need £3 million to be wealthy and Gen Z are the most optimistic they’ll get thereThe average Brit reckons they’d need just over £3 million to their name to feel wealthy, and young people are incredibly confident they’ll ‘make it’.
Over half of Gen Z (aged 18-27) think they’ll be wealthy one day, while 38% of millennials think the same.
Overall, 25% of the population believe they’ll be wealthy one day, indicating the economic...
17 July 2025
Want to improve your investing skills? Don’t make these three common mistakesGetting ahead with investing isn’t simply down to picking the best stocks, funds or bonds. It’s also about not falling into various traps that catch out individuals time and time again.
Here are three mistakes that all kinds of investors make. If you’re aware of them, and understand why they should be avoided, it can help to keep you on the right...
17 July 2025
Fancy cutting £500 off your council tax bill and investing it instead?If you feel that your council tax is too high for where you live, you might be right.
Council tax is projected to cost households an average of £1,740 for the 2025-2026, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility, an increase of 6.1% from last year.
But you may be able to reduce your council tax bill by proving that your residence is in the...
16 July 2025
Money, money, money: why everyone will soon be talking about investingIt’s been a big week for important announcements that could have an impact on many people’s personal finances.
The government has laid out plans to get more people investing, the financial regulator has proposed initiatives to reform the UK stock market, and a review of lending rules could lead to more people getting on the housing ladder.
We’ll...
15 July 2025
Why companies cut dividends - and what it means for investorsDividends are one of the biggest attractions with investing. Receiving cash on a regular basis is a fantastic reward for taking the risk of buying shares or funds. Unfortunately, there are sometimes occasions when companies turn down the dividend taps for a short while.
Companies have no obligation to pay dividends to shareholders. Even when they...
10 July 2025
What could Mansion House speech mean for the future of pensions and ISAs?After a bruising few weeks, the chancellor will be hoping to reset the agenda at next week’s Mansion House speech, likely turning her attention to pensions again and trying to persuade voters this government can plot a path toward a more prosperous retirement for millions of Brits.
Phase two of the government’s Pensions Review will look at adequacy...
10 July 2025
The next phase of tariffs is here: what investors can learn from past market turbulenceThe Trump administration has moved to the next phase of its tariff regime, sending letters to various countries detailing the rates that will apply to products supplied to the US.
US president Donald Trump might be treating it in the same way as a final notice letter if bills are unpaid. In essence, he is telling foreign trade officials to get...
3 July 2025
What has beaten out private equity in UK takeovers this year?Private equity companies haven’t been as prolific or successful with UK takeovers this year as their reputation implies. It’s easy to suggest they are behind most bids, yet data tells a different story.
There were more trade buyers than private equity bidders on UK-listed takeovers in the first half of 2025, according to analysis by AJ Bell...
3 July 2025
Can you afford to take time off work?Taking an extended break from work has become increasingly popular in the past few years, whether as a solution for burnout, the chance to make a career shift, or simply to take some time to explore.
But if you’re taking leave from work, it usually means giving up, at least temporarily, the salary that comes with it. This can mean a big hit to your...
30 June 2025
How to tell if gold is getting expensive (or not)Gold bugs will be beside themselves after the precious metal’s 44% gain in dollar terms over the past year, but the more investors who buy in, the more of a consensus position it becomes, and the more of a consensus position it becomes, the fewer incremental buyers there are to drive up the price.
True believers will continue to warn of the dangers...
30 June 2025
Five hacks to generate a £16,000 tax-free incomeFamilies could boost their income by more than £16,000 without handing a penny of it to the taxman, using five simple tax hacks.
Couples with one partner earning less than the personal allowance can benefit from the marriage allowance, while those earning less than £17,570 can benefit from up to £5,000 in tax-free savings income, thanks to the...
26 June 2025
Companies buying bitcoin see big share price gains: what could go wrong?There is a growing number of companies investing in cryptocurrencies, even though it might have no relevance to their day-to-day business. This emerging trend has caught the attention of certain investors, who have bid up shares in many companies to excessive valuations.
One example – a web design agency called The Smarter Web Company – saw its...
20 June 2025
This is when more interest rate cuts might happenThe Bank of England may have kept rates unchanged in June, but this is unlikely to remain the case once we reach Autumn.
Against a backdrop of armed conflict, tariffs and inflationary pressures, it’s little wonder the Bank of England is holding fire on interest rate cuts and kept the cost of borrowing at 4.25% at its latest meeting.
The spike in...
19 June 2025
How to keep your money safe from WhatsApp scams and DeepfakesAll investors know that putting money in the stock market comes with risk attached. Over the long term your investments will tend to rise, but along the way they’ll go up or down. However, there is a risk many of us don’t consider very often, and that’s the possibility of falling prey to an investment scam.
Unfortunately, scamming has become a...
18 June 2025
How much cash do I need for emergencies?Having money saved for a rainy day can be key to making you feel financially secure. But how much savings you should hold, versus when you should start investing, can be difficult to balance.
Generally, advisers recommend holding between three and six months of expenses in cash savings. Many people refer to this pot as an emergency fund. This is...
18 June 2025
Watch out: inheritance tax benefits on AIM stocks to change in AprilInvesting in shares on London’s AIM market is a way to pass down wealth at death without losing money to the taxman. Certain AIM stocks qualify for 100% inheritance tax relief, yet the rules will change from April 2026. Now is an ideal time to understand how the system currently works and what will change in the future.
How the AIM system currently...
13 June 2025
Get ready for a ‘cruel summer of speculation’ ahead of the BudgetThe Spending Review was chancellor Rachel Reeves’ last scheduled foray into the national limelight before the Budget in the autumn, and attention will now turn to what tax rises might be in the post.
It’s not the Spending Review itself which will fan the flames of speculation, but the expansion of the Winter Fuel Allowance, which the government...
11 June 2025
Five ways to reduce your tax billTaxes are one of the certainties of life, but it doesn’t make it feel any better when you see them come out of your income. However, if you’re smart with your money, there are ways to protect your savings and investments from unnecessary taxes, leaving more for you to enjoy down the line.
Often, the key to these savings is to act sooner rather than...
6 June 2025
Does your pension meet the new retirement savings estimates?The amount of money you will need for retirement has ticked up for those aiming for comfortable or moderate lifestyles in later years, according to research by the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA).
A single retiree is now expected to need an income of £31,900 each year for a moderate lifestyle (a £400 increase on the previous...
4 June 2025
Four ways we hold ourselves back from investingIf you read, listen or watch anything about finance, the mantra that ‘markets historically outperform cash’ has likely been engrained into your mind. While you might agree with this statement logically, you also could still be sitting on a pile of cash savings and have little to no investments in the market.
In case you haven’t heard the spiel...
4 June 2025
Should my investments be chosen by a computer or a human?When you choose to invest, one of the first decisions you make is if your money will be invested actively or passively.
But what is the difference between the two? In short:
An active fund means that the investments are hand-selected by a fund manager. A passive fund means that your money will be invested in a fund that follows a specific index...
30 May 2025
Ways to pay your investment fees (and not think about it)Paying fees on your accounts is admittedly not a fun task, but keeping on top of your investment charges is important to ensure your portfolio continues to run smoothly.
If not, there is a chance those fees could be taken out of your investments themselves, which could cost you in the future by having less money in the market. Instead, make sure...
