Wealth Management Update – August 2018

08 Aug 2018 | Wealth Management Update |

What to think about when retiring/retired?

Whether you are retired already or are planning on it, there are always some key things to think about before or during. Some of these points are probably geared more towards those planning for upcoming retirement but they are still valid for those who are currently retired and are looking to review their position.

 

Find out what you’ve got

It’s good to know what funds you have, when you can get them and how long you think they will last. This can either put your mind at rest or give you a goal to work towards.

 

Where do you want to live?

Do you want to stay in the UK or live somewhere sunnier when you retire? Do you want to move closer to your children or grandchildren, upsize or downsize? There are so many factors to consider, but a decision on this can be a starting point for working out what you will need financially.

 

When do you want to stop working?

This is one to be realistic about. While you may want to stop work at 40, it probably isn’t or wasn’t realistic at the time! Suddenly, you’ve hit the big 6-0 and you’re still working 9–5. By finding out what you have (see point 1) you can work out when is the right time for you to stop working, and then work hard to make that happen.

 

Work out the level of income you need (or want!)

Working out what you absolutely need to live on (e.g. mortgage, bills, etc.) is a good start, but it’s always nice to have that bit extra for life’s little luxuries, so make sure to factor that in. Remember, your expenditure is likely to reduce when you are retired if you are coming to the end of your mortgage or no longer have a long commute to work. And don’t forget your state pension!

 

Pay in as much as you can

Once you have worked out what you need and want from retirement financially, it may be that there is a shortfall. This is the time to fill the gap, and even paying in a small amount to your pension can make a difference – don’t forget you get tax relief at your marginal rate on what you put in (up to the lower of your net earnings or £40,000). Speak to your employer if you have one – if they are contributing to your pension they will normally put more in if you increase your contribution, so you get a double whammy to the pension pot.

 

Keep the family in mind

If you have a spouse, make sure they are using their pension as well. Once you’ve used up your annual allowance, look at whether they can use theirs to help build your joint retirement fund. Make sure you update your “nomination of beneficiary” to name who you want to have your pension when you die; it makes it easier for everyone involved and means your pension goes to the people you want it to.

 

Keep on track

Your planning for retirement should start as early as possible and that message should be passed on to the rest of your family. You are never too young to have a pension. Make sure you track the progress of your pensions or retirement savings, so you can increase them where necessary. It usually helps to have all of your pensions in one place, so if you have some you want to add to your current portfolio with us, then let us know.

 

Choose the right investments

If your portfolio investment is with us, we will do all of that for you, so you don’t have to worry. For those of you who self-manage or have investments elsewhere, make sure you are investing in the best funds and that you focus not only on growing your fund but also on protecting it.

 

Take everything into account

It’s not just your pension that can be used in retirement, there are other investment vehicles that can be useful if they are suitable for you. Speak to us to see where else we can invest your funds.

 

Work out what’s important to you

What is important to you in retirement, be it security or flexibility, will affect your overall retirement plan and so it is good to be clear on this decision before agreeing to anything that you perhaps cannot reverse in the future.

 

Wills – do them right

Increasingly, we hear about ‘have a go’ challengers to Wills – those who challenge Wills based on a claim they believe they have to a share, or a greater share, of the estate in question.

A recent report told of two brothers, one of whom is now contesting his late mother’s Will as she left a larger share of her estate to his brother. There will no doubt be more to the story than meets the eye, but there does seem to be a rise in these types of claim across the board. With modern family set-ups becoming increasingly complicated and a rapidly aging population, is this a sign of more to come?

It is a British tradition that we have the freedom to leave our estate to whomever we please. This is not a tradition that is adopted everywhere, some countries have forced heirship rulings. So, when we leave our estate or assets to someone, we want that to happen unequivocally.

The courts can get involved in disputes if necessary, and the only way to prevent a successful challenge to your estate is not to attempt to fight it yourself! Not only do you risk doing it incorrectly, making the defence invalid, but you will also miss out on valuable estate planning advice, especially if you have a large and complex estate. If you do want to exclude an individual from your Will, there are multiple ways to help prevent challenges that you may not be aware of.

In short, it is a much more complex process than people believe, and you should always seek out a professional to draw up your Will. You wouldn’t ask a novice to take you parachuting so don’t ask one to draw up something as important as your Will.

 

Penguin Legal can help you with this, call 0800 246 5176 or visit our website here

 

Savings interest rate minimum …

The Financial Conduct Authority is in discussion about a Basic Savings Rate (BSR) on cash savings, in an attempt to tackle discrimination in this particular market. The idea is that once an account has been open for a set period of time, the BSR would apply.

This investigation has been triggered by findings that the current cash savings market has little competition, especially for those who are loyal to one provider. Given the prevailing view that switching is hard work and time-consuming, fewer people are willing to spend the time shopping around for better cash interest rates. The FCA’s stance on this is that these people should be treated as fairly as those who do.

The intentions of this investigation are honourable, with the regulator trying to stop banks and other corporations from taking advantage of their customers. Whether or not this will come to fruition is yet to be seen.

 

Are you a ‘hands-on’ grandparent?

With working life getting more hectic and childcare more expensive, increasingly grandparents are stepping in to pick up the slack and help out.

If this is the case for you there is a benefit you could be missing out on, or actually are most likely missing out on, because only 20% of those eligible currently claim it.

If you think about it, depending on how “hands on” you are in looking after the grandchildren, it can become a full-time job that is sometimes harder than working a 9–5, so why not get a little extra towards your retirement fund for doing it?

If you care for children under the age of 12 and you are below state pension age you qualify for Class 3 National Insurance credits that count towards your qualifying years for the full state pension. If you are retiring after April 2016 you need a full 35 years to qualify for the total amount, and so this would be a great way to top up if you need it.

You do need to make a claim, so for further information please follow the link to the official website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-insurance-credits-for-adults-who-care-for-a-child-under-12-fact-sheet

 

Fund awards

Our investment committee is doing a great job at picking funds! The Marlborough Global Bond in our Low-Risk portfolio has taken the Best Global Bond Fund title at this year’s Money Observer Fund Awards. The fund has won this title six times in the last seven years, so has a great track record.

Keep up the good work investment committee!

 

Notes on Brexit

The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 received Royal Assent on 26th June and has now passed into law. It has two main parts; the first is to end supremacy of EU law by converting European laws into domestic law with temporary powers to enable corrections to laws that would otherwise no longer work once the UK has left the EU. It also allows UK law to reflect the final withdrawal agreement reached under the Article 50 negotiations, subject to Parliamentary approval of the final terms.

Given the current divisions in Parliament and the Conservative Party itself, it is the final sentence that causes the greatest concern – that of a No-Deal scenario. The Act lays out steps that will be taken in this case, incorporating votes by Parliament about what will happen. The Secretary of State has indicated that if the deal were to fall through, this would not necessarily lead to the “complete absence of any outcome”, pointing to the possibility of a “bare bones deal” or a “whole series of bilateral deals”, which is slightly reassuring. It also incorporates a very tight schedule for all aspects of Parliamentary review and voting. This will ensure that, whatever the final deal reached by the October 2018 Council, the Parliamentary outcome is concluded and delivered before 29 March 2019, the date on which, under the terms of Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, the UK becomes a third-party country.

 

Book of the month

In July we published a blog piece on our website of ‘The Top 10 Business authors to read while you’re on holiday’. Read it here

 

BEST SAVINGS SELECTION

 

Top three Cash ISAs

 

Name Contact £1 Gross % £10 Gross % £100 Gross %
Shawbrook Bank shawbrook.co.uk n/a n/a 2.30
(fixed
rate)Min Deposit £5,000
Virgin Money virginmoney.com 1.35 1.35 1.35
Charter Savings Bank chartersavingsbank.co.uk n/a n/a 1.40

Min Deposit

£1,000

 

Please check with the terms and conditions before opening any account. If in doubt consult with your financial adviser directly as the above are for information only.

 

Source: Moneyfacts Magazine August 2018 Edition

 

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