The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused many households to reassess their financial defences with the purchase of protection insurance. The diagnosis of a serious illness can mean a very difficult time for your health and your wealth. ‘If you were to become critically ill and could not earn a living, would your family cope financially, especially to pay bills, mortgage and other expenses?’
What you need to know about the Chancellor’s announcement
At the end of September, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a new Winter Economy Plan, with new measures to support businesses and individuals through the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as extensions of current measures.
There is no easy way to say it – anticipating one’s death is an uncomfortable topic. Yet it is often worth pushing past the initial discomfort to pursue the potential rewards of effective wealth transfer planning. There are three places your assets can go at your death: to your family and friends, to charity or to the government in the form of taxes.
How could the change impact on your retirement plans?
For the first time in over a decade, the point at which people can claim a State Pension (the ‘State Pension Age’) is simple. If you have reached your 66th birthday, you can claim it. Otherwise you cannot.
‘The secret to happiness is freedom’ wrote the ancient Greek historian Thucydides. And with the introduction of the pension freedom rules, those aged over 55 now have far greater freedom of choice over how they use their pension pot to fund their retirement years.
Giving up on cash altogether, disillusioned by today’s dismal savings rates
The number of people in their 20s and early 30s choosing to invest in a Stocks & Shares Individual Savings Account (ISA) prior to the coronavirus pandemic outbreak increased according to the latest HM Revenue & Customs annual ISA data[1].
Giving grandchildren financial security is an important goal for many
If you are a grandparent, it’s natural to want to help out the family. And if you’re able to give a financial boost – whether it’s a loan or a gift – to the younger generation, it can be enormously rewarding for you too.
How people’s physical health and financial well-being are being affected
Needless to say, coronavirus (COVID-19) has had, and will continue to have, a major impact on our lives. It is not just impacting on people’s physical health but also their financial well-being. Research highlights how the finances of the UK’s households have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak[1].
Why working and retirement are no longer binary terms
Giving up the 9-to-5 doesn’t necessarily mean stopping work. Many people are now considering staggered or flexible working. It can suit some individuals who have caring responsibilities or health issues, or those thinking about retiring in the next few years.
We are living in extraordinary times right now, in the grip of a global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Many people are concerned to ensure that their affairs are in order and that they have made a Will, which is one of the most important legal documents you can create in life.
