Have you thought about how you’ll pass wealth on to those who are important to you? Traditionally, this has been done through inheritance, but it’s becoming more common to gift during your lifetime.

Our latest guide explains why more families are choosing to gift during their lifetime and the pros and cons of each option. Whichever option you decide is right for you, our guide will enable you to fully understand your situation and make sure your wishes are carried out, and will explain everything from writing a will to calculating the lon...

When you think about your future, how far ahead do you plan? Perhaps you’ve thought about what your life will look like in 10 years, but have you considered your later years?

While retirement planning is common, it’s often the early years of retirement that people focus on. However, your needs and lifestyle wishes can change drastically over a retirement that could last decades. It’s just as important to think about how you’ll spend your later years as those first years when you are still celebrating retirement.

You can download The guid...

After the global economy suffered due to the pandemic and related restrictions, the World Bank now predicts that it will grow at the fastest rate recorded in 80 years. The organisation expects the global economy to grow by 5.6% in 2021. However, it also warned that poor nations are at risk of falling further behind wealthy countries amid slower vaccine progress.

UK

The date when all Covid-19 restrictions would lift in the UK, dubbed “freedom day”, was pushed back amid rising cases. However, things are slowly beginning to return to normal...

It’s that time of the year when thousands of teenagers across the country are waiting to find out if they’ve been accepted to university. As your child or grandchild starts the next chapter of their life, it’s natural to feel some concern as well as pride in their achievements. Understanding what university means financially can help put some of your worries to rest.

According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, there are over 2.5 million students, with about 1.7 million studying for their first degree. It’s a figure that’s risen o...

Most people in the UK do not have any type of financial protection. While there may be a good reason for some, in others it’s a decision that’s sparked by myths. It could mean you’re missing out on financial protection that could provide financial security when you need it most.

According to the Financial Conduct Authority, less than half (47%) of UK adults have taken out any kind of financial protection. The most popular type of financial protection is life insurance, used by 31% of people. However, uptake of other types of financial pro...

Do you rely on your investments to deliver an income? If you do, the last year could have severely affected your income and may mean you’ve been forced to rely on other assets. As 2021 continues to present challenges for businesses around the world, can you still rely on your investments?

Traditionally, dividend-paying stocks have played an essential role in investment portfolios designed to deliver an income. A dividend is when a company distributes some of its earnings to shareholders, usually in cash. Dividends are usually paid by larg...

Interest rates have been below 1% for 12 years. If you’re a saver, that means you’ve likely been receiving very little interest from your savings. One alternative option you may be considering is an account with a prize draw, but are they worth it and do they make sense for you?

Premium Bonds have been around since 1956 and have become a popular way to save. Since then, many other banks and providers have started offering prize draw savings accounts to entice savers amid the low-interest-rate environment. Rather than paying interest on yo...

How much do you need to live the retirement lifestyle you want? It’s a question that’s on the mind of many people as they near their retirement date. Now research suggests that couples need an income of £26,000 to live comfortably, but if you want some luxurious extras, that needs to rise to £41,000.

Which? surveyed nearly 7,000 retirees to understand what they spend their money on and how it impacts the lifestyle they lead. The responses were split into three lifestyle categories – essential, comfortable, and luxury. The table below high...

Investing has been around for centuries and the basics haven’t changed as much as you might think. Technology has changed how we invest, but some of the investment lessons from the past are just as relevant today as they were in the 1600s.

Our latest guide looks at the foundations of modern investing, and what you can learn from the past, including:

• How the first stock markets came to be
• Why you should focus on the long term
• Why it’s important to diversify
• Why it’s impossible to consistently predict market movements
• How following t...