Charlene Young is AJ Bell’s Senior Pensions and Savings Expert. She joined AJ Bell in 2014 from a wealth management firm where she worked with private clients and small businesses as a financial planner.
Charlene has over 15 years’ experience in financial services, holding Chartered Financial Planner status and Chartered membership of the Personal Finance Society (PFS). She's also an associate member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and has a degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Bristol.
She's a core member of our team who create content and information to help you invest - from how to map out your financial goals and which accounts can help you on your investing journey, to making sense of the more intricate parts of the tax and pension rules.
Pensions are Charlene's thing, and her goal is to make them less daunting and complicated for everyone. She does this by writing articles for our website and investor newsletters, as well as recording podcasts, videos and webinars for our website, apps and social media channels. She’s been instrumental in the delivery of AJ Bell’s 'Learn' area – a hub of educational content for those newer to investing.
You’ll also see Charlene representing AJ Bell at our investor events and providing comments for national press and adviser publications. She’s a director of AJ Bell’s pension trustee companies.
12 March 2025
How to create the blueprint for your child's future investing strategyJunior ISAs are one option if you’re looking to invest for your child’s future – plus, they can’t access their money until they turn 18. Along with kickstarting their future nest egg for them to take over when the times comes, it could also be a springboard to get them involved with investments and shape their own future strategy too.
Why help your...
27 February 2025
The loophole that can give your child a £36,000 tax-free allowance this yearThe UK tax system is full of traps and distortions, but every so often, it also throws up quirks and loopholes that can help people shelter more money than usual.
This loophole is only available for children with Child Trust Funds (CTFs), which were available for children born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011. They have since been...
7 February 2025
Contributing to your pensionOne of the biggest perks of pensions is earning tax relief on what you pay in. How much tax relief you get is based on your earnings and how much tax you pay. So how much can you contribute to your pension?
30 January 2025
Return on investmentReturn on investment (ROI) measures how profitable an investment is. Learn more about ROI and discover how to get the most out of your investments.
24 January 2025
Transitional certificate for tax-free cashIf you accessed a pension before 6 April 2024, a standard calculation will tell you how much of the new lump sum allowances you have left.
8 January 2025
Four personal finance resolutions for 2025The new year is here, and it’s a good time to look at some financial resolutions to get on top of your personal finances. Here are four personal finance tips to help make a dent in the admin, and maybe even provide a boost to your savings and investment pots.
1. Sort old pension potsPensions aren’t always at the top of our list of priorities...
8 January 2025
Nine personal finance changes coming in 2025This year will bring a number of changes that may impact your wallet, from a freeze to tax rates, to hikes in rail fares and stamp duty changes making homebuying more expensive. We look at the main changes that will impact your money in 2025.
1. Another year of frozen thresholdsApril sees the start of a new tax year but, once again, taxpayers will...
2 January 2025
Over 40,000 file tax return over Christmas breakA staggering 4,409 people turned their backs on the turkey dinner and spent Christmas Day 2024 filing their tax returns. Although this is a drop on Christmas Day itself compared with the previous year, over the three days between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day more than 40,000 people put the festivities on hold to file their tax return – an increase...
31 December 2024
One in four investors use portfolio to help family and friendsOne in four investors have used money withdrawn from their investment portfolio to help friends and family financially, a survey of AJ Bell DIY investors shows.
The data, collected in December 2024, shows that 15% of investors have already used some of their investment assets to support loved ones, while a further 10% said it was something they...
19 December 2024
Defined benefit pensionsRead all about defined benefit pensions (DBP) including what they are, how they work, and how they differ to defined contribution pensions.
