Category Archivenews
Independent Financial Advisers
Investment market update: September 2025
There were ups and downs for investors during September 2025, with disappointing economic data dampening the market at times. However, some positive outcomes also emerged. Read on to find out what might have influenced your investment portfolio’s recent performance. Investors turn to gold as market uncertainty continues in September 2025 The price of gold reached […]
How the Labour government could change Stamp Duty in the Autumn Budget
On 26 November, the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will deliver the government’s Autumn Budget, setting out fiscal plans for the year ahead and beyond. There’s speculation that some of the announcements could affect homeowners, including changes to Stamp Duty. According to a September 2025 article from the BBC, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research […]
£48,000 was lost to pension fraud every day in 2024
In September 2025, Action Fraud warned pension savers must remain vigilant as more than £17.5 million was lost to pension fraud in 2024 – roughly £48,000 every single day. Read on to find out how scammers could try to get their hands on your retirement savings, and the warning signs to watch out for. While […]
3 reasons why pension consolidation could boost your retirement income
Increasingly, UK savers are losing track of their pensions. In October 2024, research by Pensions UK found that the total value of lost pension pots had risen by 60% since 2018. Losing track of your pensions can be costly. Across the 3.3 million pension pots considered lost, the average fund value is £9,470 – rising […]
Why stock market volatility can trigger financial bias
When markets experience volatility, even the most level-headed investor can let their emotions or other influences affect their decisions. Read on to find out why volatility can trigger financial biases and how these might affect you. For the average investor, it’s important to take a long-term approach. While returns cannot be guaranteed, investing over a […]
Phasing into retirement: The flexible options you might consider
Traditionally, you’d go from full-time employment to retirement on a set date. Now, more workers are embracing retirement flexibility and choosing to phase gradually into the next stage of their lives. Indeed, a survey published in September 2024 by WTW found that 49% of UK workers aged over 50 are already phasing into retirement or […]
Investment market update: August 2025
While global government policy – particularly US trade tariffs – continued to influence the value of investments in August 2025, many markets experienced less volatility compared to the start of the year. Read on to discover what factors may have affected the performance of your investments in August 2025. Hopes of a peace deal between […]
Planning for care: How to set out your wishes
Planning for the possibility of needing care can be daunting, but it also provides you with a sense of control and a chance to set out what your wishes would be. Over the last few months, you’ve read about why preparing a care plan is important and the potential costs of funding care later in […]
“Unrealistic” expectations could lead to long-term disappointment for investors
Investment returns significantly affect what you can achieve in your long-term plans. Naturally, you want the highest possible returns, but research shows many investors have “unrealistic” expectations. According to a July 2025 article in Financial Planning Today, the average UK investor expects annual investment returns of 9.2%. With 91% of investors stating they have a […]
Why the Labour government could reform the State Pension and what it means for you
Almost half of Brits doubt the State Pension will exist by the time they retire, according to a PensionsAge report published in July 2025. While scrapping the State Pension may not be on the cards yet, there are suggestions that significant changes, which may affect your retirement, could be introduced. In 2025/26, the full new […]