Category: Articles

In order to resist the commoditisation of wealth management and counteract fee compression, many advisers are turning to providing holistic financial advice. Here, wealth managers are devising strategies to not only build wealth, but also to manage expenses, protect a client’s family, lifestyle and assets, plan income for now and in retirement, and determine how to pass wealth onto the next generation – all in a tax-effective manner.

It has been a turbulent year for the economy as a result of Covid-19, so it is no surprise that interest in gold has risen sharply within the investment world. The financial shock caused by the pandemic has left currencies and markets across the globe in vulnerable and unpredictable positions. With that in mind, more investors are turning to gold as an alternative way of strengthening their investment portfolio.

Wealth managers are only able to best serve their clients when they truly know them. But it can be hard to ensure they have all the right information, or the right resources in place to gather the data they need.

After a decade encompassing Brexit and the euro crisis, and amid disappointing returns relative to other markets, many investors have written off European equities, but River and Mercantile’s James Sym believes that stance now needs to change.

Do you have plans to remodel your home? There are many steps involved when you take on a renovation. That said, you should always start with your budget. This way, you can make changes you love while you make smart financial decisions. That’s a must for any project. Take a look at how to create a home renovation budget.

If you’re planning to obtain financing for your next, or first, car purchase, it’s important to ensure you’re ready to undertake this responsibility. So, here are a few signs you’re ready for a car loan.

On average Brits saved £1,974 each in lockdown, equating to £75.5bn across the UK, yet at least half of this is reported to be sitting in a savings account, likely offering minimal returns. Millennials saved the most out of all reported age groups – averaging at £2,200 each.

To the perfect layman, stocks can seem intimidating. The market is so diverse, and financial news can seem like they’re in a completely different language. This also leads to people making their own misinformed opinions about the market.

With our public sector workers going above and beyond the call of duty over the last six months, property and mortgage experts at OnlineMortgageAdvisor.co.uk wanted to find out if people working in public sector roles could afford a mortgage and where in the UK would be most feasible.

What’s the age-old adage? Take care of the pennies and the pounds look after themselves. Well, this is just as important at university as it is anywhere else. When at university, you will be operating on a smaller budget than if you're out of education. A student loan will only last you so long, so see how you can manage your student budget at university.

British women have £8k less saved on average than men.

Property investment can be a great way to provide a nest egg for you and your family or a method by which you can turn a quick profit with some relatively simple steps.

If you've ordered your groceries or takeout online this year, you've contributed to the massive wealth of the online food industry. Currently, the global online market is worth $111.32 billion, and the industry is only growing. Food delivery services are expanding, and more grocery stores offer online ordering now than ever before.

It’s an age-old question, does money really bring happiness? While many joys can’t purchased, money can give access to things that can lead to happiness.

New research has revealed the nation’s hardest decisions, with financial quandaries and how to invest your money topping the list of the most difficult decisions that Brits struggle to make.

Life with a newborn is a world away from a child-free life. The first month alone can put a strain on your finances; from nappies and clothing to feeding equipment, toys and furniture.

COVID restrictions have had a significant impact on people’s ability to work and earn a living, with millions of workers having been furloughed or, even worse, losing their jobs. Many people have had to adapt their way of living now that finances are under considerable strain. We all need to do more to tighten our belts by introducing what might seem small, cost-saving measures on their own, but as a collective, they go a long way and make a significant impact.

But there is a constant and loud demand for policy clarity.

Under-25s are increasingly likely to seek help for debt, according to debt charity StepChange with Buy Now Pay Later schemes such as Klarna cited as problematic for young shoppers.

The research looked at how the wealthy had amassed wealth and what they want to do with the money they have, with some surprising results. Perhaps of most interest in the times of uncertainty with COVID-19, one in five (19%) of those with more than £250,000 in assets said they intended to buy a small business in the future to keep themselves busy, and a further 35% said they are planning on investing in a new business to help kickstart the economy post COVID-19.

Customer sentiment towards 10 of the UK’s biggest high-street and digital-only banks including Starling and Monzo, fell by 7 percentage points during lockdown. While this is a blow for digital-only banks, it should be noted that high-street banks had, and continue to have, a much lower overall sentiment.

New research suggests the stamp duty payment holiday isn’t the only reason Brits can make a saving on a property this month. Watch and sunglasses specialist, Tic Watches, has conducted research and worked with experts to reveal the best time of year to find a bargain for high value products including homes, cars and holidays.

Q2 payouts fell by a third, even after allowing for one-off dividends, takeovers and companies being promoted to the main market. Two fifths of Q2 payers cancelled dividends outright and another tenth cut them, though some of the causes pre-dated Covid-19.

Retirement planning is one of the most important financial goals, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. For a successful and secure retirement, Granville Turner, Director at Company Formation Specialists, Turner Little, shares his five retirement planning mistakes to avoid.

The UK business sector as a whole needs both more financial support for the alternative lending sector which is working together with traditional banks but also more sustainable initiatives to support SMEs in more resilient sectors from the Bank of England as we come to terms with an increasingly capital hungry economy.

Gold prices continue to rally this month as the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 continues. The precious metal closed at a little above $2,000 (£1523.05) on August 5th - a record high in the history of gold. Its earlier record peak was in 2011, a few years into the global financial crisis, when investors pushed the price of gold past the $1,900 (£1446.90) threshold.

With growing levels of unpredictability around how the pandemic will unfold, there is a societal expectation that access to comprehensive digital services will continue and improve. This expectation is particularly prominent in the banking industry, which rolled out an expanded range of digital services during the early stages of the pandemic to enable customers to manage their finances safely from home.

Throughout history, whisky has proven a reliable investment even in time’s of economic decline. Whisky proved a popular choice during the Great Depression, and recent market behaviour would suggest that ‘liquid gold’ will continue to have significant financial gain despite the current climate.

Tax is a subject close to the hearts of most individuals, and business owners. 3 terms frequently used in conversations around tax savings are tax avoidance, tax evasion and tax efficiency.

The most common uses of fintech have been checking one’s accounts (88%), transferring money (80%), closing or withdrawing funds out of an investment (35%) and shopping around for new financial products (27%).

We've all dreamed about a blissful retirement, spending more time with the people we love, in places we love and doing things we love. But is it just a pipe dream, or are you financially prepared for the life you wish to lead?

Marc SYZ, managing partner of SYZ Capital, highlights ten warning signals that encapsulate the deteriorating fundamentals and illustrate the potential long-term alpha opportunities for alternative investors.

The first ever financial education textbook to hit Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales will be rolled out over the next 15 months.

Millennials tend to be good savers, at least compared to other generations. However, millennials still struggle with investing, often because they feel they don’t know enough about the market. However, it’s never too late to invest in your understanding.

The south is home to eight of the top ten areas with the highest credit scores in the country according to new analysis by Share to Buy.

While fears of a second wave of coronavirus bring renewed volatility to Europe and the US, investors are looking East for reassurance. China, which entered the pandemic three months ahead of the rest of the world – and now boasts positive economic growth – offers a useful template for the trajectory of the rest of the world.