Interest rate rise: How does it affect you?
The Bank of England has recently raised the base rate from 0.5% to 0.75%, just the second rise in a decade! At present, interest rates stand at their highest since 2009 and reflect what the Bank of England perceive as a general upturn in the economy. The Bank said that…
5 steps to becoming a millionaire!
These days you can’t browse the internet for more than 5 minutes without coming across the new ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme or latest guru guaranteeing you fast, easy results. In reality, the route to successful entrepreneurship for most takes planning, the right mind-set and time! Not long ago Inc. gave a terrific…
Can we make inheritance tax simpler?
Inheritance tax (IHT) has existed in the UK for more than 300 years. In its present form, it was brought in to replace the old Capital Transfer Tax; a measure that was brought in itself as a form of wealth distribution in order to control disparity between rich and poor. While…
Why it pays to give up work early!
Sound financial planning is not only great for your bank balance—it could actually enhance your life expectancy. If you’re reading this then you most likely don’t need to be convinced of the benefits of looking after your wealth, but here’s an additional motive to add to the list. The notion…
Record numbers make the most of pension freedoms
The people have spoken and they absolutely love freedom! Up to date figures show withdrawals in the 2017/2018 tax year were worth £6.7bn, the highest amount since the pension freedoms legislation was introduced in 2015. Before the reforms, the majority of retirees would buy an annuity with their pension fund,…
Video: pension drawdown explained
Income drawdown is a method of using your pension fund to provide you with a regular retirement income, which has become more popular since the pension freedoms came into effect. Here at Charters Private Wealth, we believe it’s more important than ever in 2018 for you to research your retirement…
Cutting through the noise—how does a financial planner help?
‘Warnings of market correction ahead’; ‘The bubble’s burst’; ‘The stock market is crashing’; ‘Not seen such market volatility since the 1987 crash’; ‘Stock market closing at an all-time high’. Don’t be concerned, these are just samples taken at any point in time. But you know what it’s like—you open a…
The pros and cons of downsizing
If your kids have grown up and flown the nest and you’re moving closer to retiring, it’s likely that you’ve at least thought about downsizing your home. For some it can be for practical reasons, for others it might be a wish to be closer to their children if they’ve…
Highlights from the Lonely Planet ‘Best in Travel 2018’—ready to rewrite your bucket list?
We all have bucket lists of one form or another and high up on a great deal of people’s lists are a variety of travel experiences. Travel allows us to experience other climates, other cultures, to meet new people and broaden our horizons overall. Particularly now that you’re in or…
Taxes set to increase for baby boomers?
New research has suggested that those in the baby-boomer generation should be ready to pay higher wealth taxes in order to pay for healthcare expenses likely to rise sharply in the near future. According to think tank the Resolution Foundation, this could indicate the end of the tax cuts in…