Computer Age
It is not up there with Einstein’s “Theory of Relativity”, but there is a property equation that is becoming increasingly puzzling and baffling! We are all living longer, yet the “House Years” – the window in which we can obtain a run-of-the mill average mortgage – seem to be diminishing! The average age for first-time […]
Finding That Little Extra
DEBT seems to have become a way of life. It’s hard to imagine how you would make your way in the modern world without it. The generation that saved first and then bought is long gone. We exist, normally and easily, with levels of debts that would probably have sent our grandparents, if not our […]
Stress Testing!
Finally – and fortunately – we have confirmation that our obsession with property ownership has gone too far. Forget the madness of £140m price tags on London flats, 30% annual increases, sealed bids way over the asking price or the successful buyer paying estates agents “finders’ fees” as well as the seller. None of the […]
Pension Power
No-one predicted the pensioners’ windfall that emerged from George Osborne’s Budget speech this week. In a stroke, the Chancellor has changed the aspirations of those approaching retirement by eliminating the annuity trap. The removal of the need to buy an annuity with your pension pot, plus the raising of the ISA annual limit to £15,000, […]
No Quick Fix
Could you cope with losing your life savings overnight to a mystery voice at the end of a telephone? One of the UK’s top policemen has revealed the devastation and embarrassment of “boiler-room” fraud. How normally careful and sensible investors of a certain age, after a lifetime of frugal behavior, are lured into scam investments […]
Don’t Bank On It!
The images of a waterlogged United Kingdom will impact on thinking, planning and development for years and generations to come. Such disasters bring out the best and worst in the British character – along with, eventually, the politicians. “Wallies in Wellies” was one headline. No-one in Cornwall and the South West was surprised that it […]
Triple Whammy
Jargon, abbreviations and catch-phrases are designed for young ears. Those of a certain age have struggled in recent times with a succession of modern technical problems – being “on-line”, connecting to “wifi” and texting. Then came social media. With help from the younger generation, Facebook is just about manageable and “Skype” is a great way […]
The Perfect Storm
Fancy A Cambridge first-class honours degree? Cut down on the partying, work hard and it’s within your grasp. Anything over 70% gets the job done. What about the most nerve-wracking moment of adolescence? Not that. The driving test on which hangs the freedom of the road. You can make up to 15 driving faults – […]
Hypochondriacs take note – you may qualify for greater income on your annuity.
Okay, so we’re not saying that you should make yourself ill, or even fake it, in order to receive a bigger payout, but if you’ve had any medical conditions and you’re about to retire then it’s probably worth mentioning them when you meet your independent financial adviser. Let me explain. As many people who are […]
What would happen to your pension if you die?
If you have a pension it may not be immediately clear what will happen to the funds on your death. It may not be something that you may want to address but families are increasingly challenging decisions made by pension scheme trustees following the death of a member. Pension savers are being warned to regularly […]
Lost in Space? Act now to track down all your pensions!
One marked change in modern life is the huge shift in work patterns. Many people will do a large number of jobs and possibly multiple careers throughout their life time. The days of school, one work place and then retirement are largely gone. Many of these jobs will come with a workplace pension and due […]
Abolition of Protected Rights
RIP Protected Rights 6th April 2012… and yet another tax rise! We’re afraid the politicians are at it again with yet more changes to pension rules. This time it’s the abolition of protected rights. For pensions geeks (like those at Worldwide) these constant changes provide interesting challenges to be overcome when helping clients plan their […]