Hannah joined AJ Bell in 2025 as an investment writer. She was previously a journalist at Portfolio Adviser Magazine, reporting on multi-asset, fixed income and equity funds, as well as macroeconomic impacts and regulatory changes within the industry.
Hannah earned a degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin before beginning her career in London. Before joining the finance industry, she covered state politics in Texas and worked as a sports reporter.
30 July 2026
China’s back in the AI game: should investors be paying attention?China got some good news last week, and they needed it. Once a favourite market for investors' portfolios, the Hang Seng Index dropped over 5% in the first six months of 2026, and by over 20% in the last five years to the end of June. But in the past month, investors seem to be singing a different tune.
A June export report showed a 27% increase in...
29 July 2026
Approaching pension drawdown? Top questions you might need answeredWhen you reach the point you begin to think about dipping into your pension pot, it can often feel like an endless string of financial decisions that you must ‘get right’.
In July, the Department for Work and Pensions released its findings following in-depth interviews with people aged 53 to 67 living a variety of lifestyles across the UK. They...
22 July 2026
Should first-time home buyers wait and invest instead?Buying a home, even for those who’ve already been through several purchases, tends to mean quite a few sleepless nights and scrutiny of finances.
For most of us, it’s by far the most expensive item we will ever purchase. But it’s also been seen for a long time as one of the most important assets to hold in terms of financial growth, with homes...
22 July 2026
Are savings bonds and Premium Bonds different than bonds you invest in?‘Bond’ is a term that’s used all over the financial world, but confusingly, it can refer to products that are completely different from each other.
In the investment world, bonds are an investment product that work as an I.O.U. Governments or companies issue bonds to investors as a way of borrowing money. They make regular interest payments to the...
20 July 2026
How a gilt ladder could be your next income strategy Gilts are exempt from capital gains tax, creating a potential benefit for investors who buy gilts at a discounted price and hold until maturity Gilt ladders are helpful for planning a specific stream of returns to match specific outgoings Investors can build their own gilt ladder through choosing bonds with different maturity dates This strategy...
17 July 2026
Are you paying more than your fair share of income tax?Most people accept that paying some amount of tax is important as a contribution to wider society, but it doesn’t mean we are jumping for joy when our tax bill is looking larger than last year.
It doesn’t help that the tax system is full of convoluted language and scenarios, which can mean that if you aren’t careful, you could end up with a much...
10 July 2026
Keeping your childcare benefits could save tens of thousands. How does it work?Childcare is often a hefty part of household expenses, particularly when parents are paying for additional care during the day or after school. For many families, government subsidies such as the funded hours or tax-free childcare can provide significant relief for the expenses.
However, data from the Department for Education shows that number of...
3 July 2026
What is the k-shaped economy?Every few weeks, the financial news likes to throw a new catchy phrase into the mix, leaving the rest of us to figure out what it means. The ‘k-shaped economy’ seems to be the latest one that’s stuck.
But what is it, and is there anything to it?
The k-shaped economy is the theory that as a nation recovers from economic hardship, its wealth splits...
3 July 2026
Are you taking advantage of these tax-efficient investing methods?Tax-free wrappers are a big advantage for UK investors, with both ISAs and pensions providing ways for Brits to invest their money without needing to deal with the complications of UK capital gains and dividend tax. These wrappers are well known. But understanding how to use them, where to put your money, and what to do when you’ve used your tax...
24 June 2026
New rules for holding cash in ISAs: Three things investors need to knowThe government will cut the Cash ISA allowance in April 2027 to £12,000 from its current £20,000 for investors under age 65. While this was revealed months ago during the 2025 Budget, the nuances of what this will look like in practice for investors are now coming to light.
When the new Cash ISA rules come into practice, Brits will need to invest...
