Guide – SMART goals: 5 steps to effective financial planning
Planning your finances without clear goals is like setting off in your car without a destination – you might be able to keep moving, but you can’t be sure you’re heading in the right direction. That’s why goal-setting is at the heart of effective financial planning. However, not all goals are created equal. You can […]
Your Spring Statement update and what it means for you
Just over three months after her lengthy Autumn Budget, chancellor Rachel Reeves has addressed the House of Commons and delivered the government’s 2026 Spring Statement. Ahead of the Statement, Reeves reinforced the government’s commitment to “one fiscal event, one Budget, a year”. So, it will come as a relief to many, including business owners, that […]
Guide: 7 key allowances you might want to use before the end of the 2025/26 tax year
The new tax year will start on 6 April 2026, and many of your important allowances and exemptions will reset. Checking whether you could use these valuable allowances before the end of the 2025/26 tax year on 5 April 2026 might help your money go further. Before you make any decisions, ensure that you understand […]
How Inheritance Tax is changing for business owners and what you can do now
In the 2024 Autumn Budget, chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that, for the first time since 1992, businesses will no longer be eligible for 100% Inheritance Tax (IHT) relief on all qualifying assets, effective from April 2026. Instead, new thresholds will mean more estates comprised of business and agricultural property might be liable for IHT. Due […]
Finger-in-the-air finances: 4 important costs you might have misjudged
It’s possible to get away with a “finger-in-the-air” approach for much of our day-to-day lives, whether it’s how much salt you add to dinner or judging if the petrol left in your tank will be enough to get you to work and back. However, this strategy can be particularly risky (and costly) for your financial […]
Guide: 5 tips to help you manage your wealth in 2026
The start of a new year can be the perfect time to check in on your finances, set goals for the year ahead, and create a plan for how to achieve them. In fact, the Investment Association (6 January 2025) found that 43% of UK adults planned to set financial goals at the start of […]
4 tax-efficient benefits of pensions and how to make the most of them
In December 2025, PensionsAge reported that 31% of UK adults couldn’t identify the purpose of pension tax relief. A further 44% didn’t even know what it was. When pressed, the 2,000 people surveyed demonstrated confused and varied understandings. Some thought it enabled the government to match individuals’ pension contributions. Others thought it allowed pensioners to […]
Guide: The money lessons your family could learn from board games this Christmas
There is perhaps no better time than the festive season to sit down and enjoy a favourite board game with your loved ones. But as many families know, a friendly game can quickly get competitive. Sometimes this even leads to heated arguments over who gets to be the banker or who suddenly “forgot” to follow […]
Guide: 5 enduring money lessons you can discover in Jane Austen’s novels
In life, the finest wisdom often comes from the most unexpected places. So, you may be surprised to learn that Jane Austen – one of the most revered romance authors of all time and a paragon of women’s literature – has anything to teach you about the modern world of finance. Born in Hampshire in […]
Guide: Everything you need to know about the State Pension
Having a stable income when you retire could give you the independence to enjoy a meaningful and fulfilling life after work. Indeed, a July 2023 survey by Legal & General found that 94% of UK adults said that financial security was their most important retirement dream. Your State Pension, along with other savings and investments, […]