5 frightful tax mistakes you should be mindful of this Halloween
Halloween: the season of ghouls, goblins, and gremlins; warlocks, witches, and wizards. Children everywhere are preparing to dress up in their most frightening finery and fill their pumpkin-shaped buckets with sweets and chocolates. While you may have outgrown Halloween treats, that doesn’t mean you’re safe from tricks, particularly when it comes to your personal finances. […]
The hidden emotional challenges of gifting assets during your lifetime
Passing assets to your loved ones during your lifetime could have many benefits. Yet, that doesn’t mean it’s simple, and you might experience emotional challenges even if you’re sure it’s the right thing to do in your circumstances. According to an FTAdviser article (29 July 2026), 7 in 10 people believe financial support should be […]
Why financial freedom matters for enjoying retirement on your terms
Becoming financially free as you enter retirement could make a huge difference to this chapter of your life. Financial freedom doesn’t necessarily mean becoming wealthy. Instead, it’s about having enough to live the life you want on your terms, without having to worry about money. As retirement represents a chance to reassess what’s important to […]
Why prioritising could be the secret to reaching your financial goals
In the busyness of everyday life, when you may be juggling work, family, and other responsibilities, finding the time and energy to sit down and think about your finances can be difficult. Or perhaps you find this task daunting and overwhelming, so you push it to the bottom of your to-do list. If so, you’re […]
Investment market update: September 2026
In September 2026, markets experienced some volatility due to conflict in the Middle East and the impact it had on energy prices. Discover other factors that may have affected the performance of your portfolio. Markets got off to a weak start on 1 September. A global government bond sell-off, caused by concerns about inflation and […]
Guide: 5 financial lessons to learn from Queen lyrics
If you “open your eyes, look up to the skies and see…”, you can find financial planning lessons in the most unexpected places. You’ve no doubt heard many of Queen’s greatest hits countless times. You might have danced to ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ at weddings, sung along to ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ in the car, or stomped […]
6 useful tips for avoiding headline-driven decisions ahead of the Budget
The government will set out its tax, spending and economic plans for the year ahead and beyond on 28 October 2026 in the Autumn Budget. The weeks leading up to an Autumn Budget always feature rumours about what might change and how it could affect personal finances. With this Budget being the first for Prime […]
Why viewing your lifestyle goals as an experiment could lead to success
From abandoned new year resolutions to yet-to-be-visited bucket list travel destinations, failing to achieve the ambitious goals we set for ourselves is a universal experience. But what if we’re simply thinking about goal-setting the wrong way? A recent article (21 June 2026) in the Guardian suggests that approaching lifestyle goals with an “experimental mindset” may […]
Investment market update: August 2026
After months of volatility, markets were relatively calm in August, though economic data was mixed. Discover what factors may have affected your investment portfolio throughout August 2026. When markets opened on 3 August, it was a good start to the month. Falling oil prices led to the Stoxx Europe 600 index, which provides a broad […]
Explained: Capital Gains Tax and how you could reduce your liability
The amount HMRC is forecast to collect through Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is set to more than double between 2024/25 and 2030/31, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR, 9 February 2026). The good news is that there might be steps you could take to reduce a potential bill. CGT is a tax you […]