Financial planning insights

Better economic forecasts open the door to big tax breaks on pensions and business investment, maintaining the energy price cap, and benefit reforms to encourage more into the workforce.

Emma Watson, head of financial planning at Rathbones Group Plc shares some things to consider when it comes to sorting your financial affairs and writing your will.

If you’ve not yet started to draw your State Pension, you may find that buying extra National Insurance years can boost your income.

Emma Watson, head of financial planning at Rathbones Group Plc, shares her top tips on how to manage finances as a couple.

Make sure you’re not paying more tax than necessary by taking advantage of all your annual allowances. Here’s what you need to know.

Charities and good causes are desperately in need of support in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we consider how to make your contribution most effective.

Emma Watson, head of financial planning and advisory services at Rathbones, gives her key considerations for protecting your long-term finances during a divorce.

Christmas is upon us and many will be keen to get a head start on planning for the festive season, whether that’s organising food shops, festive activities, or Christmas shopping for presents.

The UK government is introducing new legislation that promises to transform the way care in later life is funded in England. But it may pay clients to read beyond the headlines. 

Here are seven top financial planning tips to help you, and your loved ones, make the most of your money and prepare for the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many people to come to terms with their own mortality, which has created a spike in the number of people writing wills.

Whatever your personal wealth, the tax benefits of a pension make it one of the most important tools to ensure you can enjoy a comfortable retirement, however jargon and a lack of knowledge can prevent many from saving as much as they can into their pension.

Most of us aspire to pass wealth on to the next generation, but unless you manage the process carefully you can end up needlessly losing hundreds of thousands of pounds to taxation. Though it pays to take professional advice, here we suggest some general issues to consider.

Emma Watson, head of financial planning and advisory services at Rathbones, shares her top tips on how to manage finances as a couple.

Educate and empower to level the playing field

In September we took a closer look at the importance of putting the right team together when getting divorced and the important actions and considerations in the pre-settlement phase. We’ve revisited this now to look specifically at the period immediately post settlement.

National Savings & Investments (NS&I) has long been the preferred haven for many cash savers but the institution’s announcement that it is to slash the returns on its products may force them to rethink. But what are the alternatives?

Divorce is one of the toughest times in anyone’s life. A ‘team of experts’ approach from the outset is essential to securing the right financial outcome from divorce.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has written to the Office for Tax Simplification, calling for a review of capital gains tax (CGT). What might the Chancellor do — and how can investors limit their exposure to the tax if it rises as sharply as many expect?

The lockdown has put pressure on many households, like those juggling work and childcare or home schooling. But it has given others time to catch up on tasks they have been putting off. Here we offer a helpful list of financial affairs jobs that people often procrastinate over.

Emma Watson, head of financial planning at Rathbones, looks back at the history of the financial inequalities between genders, and where we are today.

Emma Watson, head of financial planning at Rathbones, highlights how planning can help clients when passing on their wealth while protecting their own financial future.

As a nation, we are living longer than ever. This is a cause for celebration, but it means planning ahead for care in later life has never been more important.

Passing on wealth has never cost the UK so much. Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts are surging and reached a record £4.9 billion last year. With property prices rising and IHT allowances frozen until 2021, that trend is likely to continue.

According to a recent YouGov survey, fewer than four out of 10 adults in England and Wales have a will. No-one likes to think of what will happen when we die, but failure to plan can have serious consequences for loved ones.