Insights and events for financial advisers

Later life planning is becoming more complex for clients. Rising care costs, evolving pension rules and potential inheritance tax changes mean advisers need a clear, joined-up strategy. This article outlines the key considerations around retirement readiness, pension contributions and life beyond retirement, helping IFAs support better long-term outcomes for clients and their families.

The second quarter has produced another set of challenging conditions. The US/Iran conflict is still not fully resolved; inflation remains higher than central banks’ targets, and UK domestic politics continues to hog the front pages. We explore how current events are unfolding, what lies ahead for the second half of the year, and where risks and opportunities are emerging.

Retirement planning has become fundamentally more complex in recent years. The shift away from defined benefit schemes, the growth of flexible drawdown, and longer life expectancies have all increased the burden on advisers to deliver sustainable, well-governed income strategies.

Markets trusted earnings to do the heavy lifting, as AI profits powered equities despite fears of froth, tail risks, and recession.

The US “4% rule” is a familiar guide to retirement planning — but how well does it really hold up in the UK? New research hints at a different answer, showing why a more tailored approach could be key to making money last.

Markets drew lessons from lived experience and old scars that split investors into believers in the AI boom in one camp, and believers in the other.

For three decades, William Bengen’s 4% rule has shaped how advisers and retirees think about sustainable withdrawals. Originally published in 1994, the rule suggested that a retiree could withdraw 4% of their portfolio in the first year (gross of fees), increase that amount with inflation, and reasonably expect their funds to last 30 years. But does that guidance still hold in 2026? Recent research and Bengen himself suggest it may no longer be the optimal starting point.

Pension drawdown gives clients flexibility over how and when they take income, while keeping their capital invested for the long term. For advisers, the challenge is balancing clients’ income needs today with income sustainability tomorrow.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz kept inflation high in the first half of this year, but corporate earnings growth flowed freely.

Why transparency, flexibility and control are becoming more important in a Managed Portfolio Service (MPS).

A Burnham-led government would move leftward, but markets are waiting for more details before reacting. We advise clients to stick to existing paths.

Markets stayed steady despite heavy political and policy news, with investors weighing UK upheaval, a historic US IPO and a firmer Fed tone.

How investment and retirement propositions work together to move clients from growth to income, managing evolving risks and delivering better outcomes.

Explore how advisers and investment managers can collaborate to deliver personalised retirement support, addressing emotional and financial challenges across the journey.

The backdrop remains unsettled, from Middle East tensions to changing rate expectations. We still see reasons to stay constructive; investors are rarely rewarded for waiting on perfect conditions.

The Pension Schemes Bill represents the most significant package of UK pension reform in more than a decade. This article explores what advisers need to understand, and how the new framework is likely to affect pension recommendations in practice.