Insights
Field notes for every chapter.
Commentary and practical tips from our advisers — written for real people, not economists.
On our desk
The questions clients are asking us now.
Plain-English notes on the questions clients are asking us most. If something here is on your mind, just ask us.
Pensions and inheritance tax from April 2027
Most unused pension funds and pension death benefits count towards your estate from April 2027. What it means, and why rushing to withdraw is rarely the answer.
Read article →What a financial plan actually looks like
Cashflow modelling turns “will I be alright?” into a picture you can test against real scenarios.
Read article →Finding the pensions you have forgotten
Around £31bn sits in lost UK pension pots. How to trace yours — and what to check before combining them.
Read article →How much income will you actually need?
A moderate retirement costs about £32,700 a year for one person. What that includes, and why your number will differ.
Read article →The State Pension: what you will get, and the £22 problem
£241.30 a week, and a frozen personal allowance just £22 above it. Forecasts, filling gaps and whether deferring pays.
Read article →Will my money last? The withdrawal rate question
How much can you safely draw each year? Why the old 4% rule is a starting point, not your answer.
Read article →How much risk should you be taking?
Capacity, tolerance and need for return are three different questions — and they often disagree.
Read article →Think twice before taking your tax-free cash
Taking 25% tax free is well known — and frequently rushed. What to weigh up first.
Read article →The cover people skip — and later wish they hadn't
Most people insure their car and their phone. Rather fewer insure the thing that pays for both.
Read article →The £100k tax trap — and how to plan around it
Income between £100,000 and £125,140 can face an effective 60% marginal rate. The legitimate options.
Read article →Gifting to family: how much, and when?
Annual allowances, the seven-year rule, and the documentation that makes exemptions provable.
Read article →Passing wealth down without losing control
Helping the next generation without handing a large sum, unconditionally, to a twenty-year-old.
Read article →When can I afford to stop working?
The arithmetic behind a retirement date — your target income, the gap your savings must fill, and the bridge years.
Read article →Taking money out of your business, tax-efficiently
Salary, dividends or pension contributions — and why “the business is my pension” is a risk.
Read article →What inflation really does to a retirement plan
The quietest risk in planning: why a comfortable income today may buy half as much in twenty years.
Read article →Articles are general information, not personal advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance, and tax treatment depends on individual circumstances.
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