About the expert

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.

Latest articles from Hannah Williford

  • 21 November 2025

    How high-income earners can cut their tax bill

    Due to tax threshold freezes since 2021, HMRC predicts there will be over 1,230,000 people in the highest income tax bracket this year, over double the amount in the 2022/2023 tax year.

    The additional rate of income tax begins at £125,140, with earnings and saving interest above this band taxed at a rate of 45%. These taxpayers will also no longer...

    5 min read
    person using laptop and calculator by a window
  • 7 November 2025

    The most popular passive investments this year

    Passive investing has grown in popularity in recent years due to its strong performance, ease in diversification and (typically) lower fees than active options.

    These funds track a specific stock index, such as the FTSE 100 or S&P 500. You can usually choose to invest in passive funds either through an exchange-traded fund (ETF) or a more...

    5 min read
    Standard & Poor's headquarters
  • 6 November 2025

    These investments could help pay your energy bills

    I am a miser when it comes to putting on the heating. My family has a long-standing tradition of telling each other to ‘layer up’ and leaving the oven open after cooking to make the most of the electricity spent.

    But last winter, when my flat became known in my social circles as ‘the igloo’, I realised I may have gone too far. I kicked on my unit...

    6 min read
    person leaning on a radiator for heat
  • 3 November 2025

    You might be investing in a company you hate - what can you do?

    Passive investing has surged in popularity over the past decade, as investors are attracted by the lower costs and, often, better performance.

    The method makes sense for many people. It facilitates exposure to a large number of holdings and is a hands-off way to make your money work for you. However, because there are so many investments in a fund...

    5 min read
    man using laptop and thinking
  • 30 October 2025

    Will Gen Z pensions need millions to fund retirement?

    How much money you need to save in your pension is an age-old question, and notoriously hard to answer.

    Even those that are at retirement age aren’t able to perfectly estimate what they’ll need. There could be unexpected health issues, home expenses, or market volatility that you weren’t able to anticipate.

    These numbers get even more vague when we...

    5 min read
    couple using laptop and ipad outside
  • 23 October 2025

    Can you prepare your finances for the Budget?

    The upcoming Budget has left many people feeling antsy about their finances, and fearful of impending taxes. As the day draws closer, investors are making decisions based on rumours in a process rivalling the Traitor's roundtable.

    It’s an understandable phenomenon, even if we don’t have Alan Carr pulling the strings. No one wants to be blindsided...

    7 min read
    person using laptop and taking notes
  • 17 October 2025

    Is it time to market-proof your portfolio?

    Investing can be an exciting process, and just as easily, a nerve-racking one.

    Lately, the news has been rife with concerns about markets, causing some investors to feel antsy about their holdings. Unfortunately, volatility is just part of having money in the market. If you were guaranteed to make profits all the time, everyone would be doing it!

    S...

    5 min read
    Plant pots in bubble wrap
  • 16 October 2025

    How AI can (and can’t) help you invest

    AI is becoming a staple in many of our routines, whether it's creating an itinerary for a weekend away or concocting a recipe from leftovers in the fridge. And now, according to a survey run by AJ Bell through Opinium, about a third of people have used AI to help make financial decisions or get financial information.

    The stakes are a lot higher...

    5 min read
    Apples and oranges