What will Liz Truss do for us?
WHAT might this mean to your pockets? Before I start, please don’t read what you think my politics are, you’ll be wrong. I focus on the values of fairness, kindness, fierce independence and honesty. If a government or financial institution is on the wrong side of that, I exercise my total Independence to comment and guide, […]
Mortgage costs 185% higher than last year
SO what did the Romans ever do for us? Banning lending rates over 12 per cent was one not mentioned by Monty Python, but they did do it. Much has been said about what the current rates for mortgages are compared to the past. When mortgage rates hit 14.9 per cent, house prices in South […]
Making money from risk
FOLLOWING on from last week’s column on understanding risk in your investments, we had several questions which I’ll cover. Many readers believe their investments are automatically protected and managed to avoid risk, but this isn’t always true. Let’s take a simple example of diversification of risk in your investments such as your ISA or pension. […]
How to understand the risk in your investments
HOW do you ascertain what your attitude to risk is when you are investing money, so you aren’t surprised when markets take a downturn? If you have a pension or investments, strap yourself in, and read on. Firstly, returns and risk go hand in hand. If you sit in your garden, the view is consistent, […]
Foreign currency exchange and its €14K fees
HAVING spent the last two years couped up like chickens, holiday makers around the world have been taking the opportunity to make for the hills and experience different cultures/food, but not the weather as its been perfect here indeed. As is often the case, they run the gauntlet of the greedy, pickpocketing them financially before […]
Will sterling strengthen against the euro?
I’VE been asked to look at where we believe Sterling will move in relation to the Euro. Many are paid in euros and repatriating the money back and vice versa, while others are buying homes in the EU transferring cash. The property investment is focusing on the coming potential onslaught of inflation and hedging against […]
Reducing your tax bill – not like the ‘stars’
Following last week’s column on the fall of the stars with tax planning, I thought I would just expand on marketed tax avoidance schemes, as several readers were worried whether they were the wrong side of the law or not. In 34 years of giving advice, we have seen many ‘fancy’ schemes put in front […]
The stars that unnecessarily fell through tax planning advice
THERE have been several well documented situations where a high-profile individual’s tax planning advice has come under scrutiny, and the results have been unfavourable. A few readers have asked about whether their income and Inheritance Tax planning trusts are the right or wrong side of the Revenue. Much stems from the publicity regarding high profile […]
Housing market – predict or protect?
LAST week we covered some aspects of house price movements and what that may mean to homeowners. I’ll cover some more. Remember, as per many columns regarding stock markets, the housing market and investments, the cool head is better than the emotional reaction which can paralyse you, or expediate poor decisions. Sentiment, as I said […]
What is going to happen to house prices?
IT’S that big question again. What is going to happen to house prices in the UK? I’ve been asked that countless times over the last 34 years and it’s like déjà vu all over again. Firstly, let’s look at what drives house prices. The obvious logical answers are supply and demand, interest rates, and the general state […]
Energy prices, inflation – these are not good things
ENERGY prices, inflation, and all things annoying. Families not being able to feed their children isn’t a good thing. It isn’t a good thing. I’ve covered the wealthy becoming obscenely wealthy off the back of society’s pains, but I’ve been asked a few times since about fuel prices. Put your seatbelt on for this ride. […]
Bitcoin noise!
BACK in 2017, I was asked about Bitcoin and covered the benefits and risks at length. For the record, when it was at £4,000 as a price and everyone was asking if it would go higher, I said ‘why not’. If something that is valueless in real terms can hit that price, it can go […]