Services

“It’s never too early to start planning your retirement”

Pension savings can be a very effective form of tax planning, based on current rules, achieving tax free growth and the option to receive tax free lump sums during retirement up to a prescribed limit.

If you have a number of old or dormant pension “pots” it is essential that these are reviewed on a semi regular basis to ensure they continue to match your financial needs and objectives. Our advisers will be happy to review your existing pensions and provide a wholly unbiased appraisal of your current pensions.

A pension is a long-term investment. The fund value may fluctuate and can go down. Your eventual income may depend upon the size of the fund at retirement, future interest rates and tax legislation.

After having worked hard to build up your estate, it is important that you have a solid plan in place. This means you can pass on that wealth to the people you care about and minimise the amount of tax you pay.

Estate Planning
As a consequence of increasing property prices more people than before have found themselves becoming liable for Inheritance Tax.

There is a wide range of investment products which are acceptable to HM Revenue and Customs and which enable investors to reduce their potential liability to either income tax or IHT or both.

Ultimately, financial planning will focus on what happens to the estate when you are no longer around, we can help by talking to you about the importance of making a will and the basics of IHT.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate Estate Planning.

Having agreed your needs, objectives and attitude to risk at the outset we must consider the intended timescale and any ethical concerns you may have before agreeing a strategy and asset allocation appropriate for you. These factors and your tax position will then determine the use of various tax wrappers such as ISAs, pensions and bonds within the overall strategy.

Where appropriate we advocate the use of online investment platforms for creating and managing portfolios. These give us access to a vast range of investment funds from many different providers from which we have developed a suite of blended investment portfolios designed to align with an investors attitude to investment risk.

This service can also be used to consolidate existing investments into one combined account, with sections for pensions, ISAs and bonds which can each hold cash, shares, unit trusts etc. This service enables us to develop the agreed strategy across the whole account, rebalancing assets where necessary at our regular reviews and reducing your paperwork, all paid from agreed fees taken from the portfolio itself.

The value of investments and income from them may go down. You may not get back the original amount invested.

Tax Planning

Tax is often the last thing that is considered by families when a relative dies. However, you should be prepared and plan ahead.

We can talk you through the simple steps you can take now to plan for what is to come. We will help you to structure your estate and financial arrangements so that your assets can pass yo your beneficiaries tax efficiently.

Tax Planning is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The benefits to the treatment of tax will depend on your individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future.

Trust Planning

Trust planning can help protect your assets for generations to come. A trust is a useful tool when gifting.

The main reason we use trusts is to make assets more protected from third part threats such as a beneficiary’s divorce.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate advice on Trusts.

We can look at your lifestyle to tailor a protection package, ensuring your family will be financially secure whatever life throws at you. In our experience – helping you to protect the things that are important; your family, your health and your lifestyle – will give you peace of mind.

Business Protection

If you own your business, you will have additional things to consider. What might happen if you or a key employee became ill and were unable to work? Or if you or a key employee died? Business and Relevant Life Protection can ensure your company can continue to operate no matter what eventualities occur.

The plan will have no cash value at any time and will cease at the end of the term. If premiums are not maintained, then cover will lapse.

The policy may not cover all definitions of critical illness. for definitions, please refer to the key features and policy documents.

Directors’ Pensions

Pensions remain one of the most tax-efficient ways for business owners and company directors to save for their retirement.

Any company contributions will normally receive Corporation Tax relief whilst you will receive tax relief at your highest marginal rate on any personal contributions (subject to certain limits).

A pension can be a way of extracting business profits tax-efficiently for the benefit of a director or business owner.

This will grow free from most taxation, provide a tax-free lump sum and an income afterwards when you decide to retire or take the benefits. Being outside one’s estate for inheritance tax, pensions can also serve as useful estate planning solutions.

A pension is a long-term investment. The fund value may fluctuate and can go down. Your eventual income may depend upon the size of the fund at retirement, future interest rates and tax legislation.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate tax planning and some types of employee benefits (i.e. Auto-enrolment in a workplace pension). 

The pensions regulator is the statutory regulator for workplace pensions. Auto Enrolment is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority;

Corporate Investment

A good corporate investment strategy can assist you in protection your interests – commercial and personal – for the long term; maximising investment opportunities and capitalising on optimised management of your revenue streams.

We can help you with making investments to achieve either personal or business objectives and can offer corporate investment advice on a range of subjects; from pensions to long-term pension planning. Come and talk to us about how we can provide advice tailored to your business circumstances.

The value of investments and income from them may go down. You may not get back the original amount invested.

Environmental criteria consider how a company safeguards the environment. Social criteria examines how a company manages its relationships with customers, employees and suppliers. Governance focuses on the leadership of a company, how it manages audits and what controls are employed when dealing with executive remuneration.

Our own EDG focused portfolio has been carefully curated for almost 20 years. Please do get in touch if you would like to discuss our ESG focused portfolio.