Guide: 5 financial lessons to learn from Queen lyrics
If you “open your eyes, look up to the skies and see…”, you can find financial planning lessons in the most unexpected places. You’ve no doubt heard many of Queen’s greatest hits countless times. You might have danced to ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ at weddings, sung along to ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ in the car, or stomped […]
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 […]
Your Autumn Budget update, and what it means for you
After months of speculation and rumour, chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered the Autumn Budget for 2025. In this update, we’ll explain the key changes and what they mean for you. Last year, in her maiden Budget, the chancellor sought to balance the public finances with tax rises to cover a reported £22 billion black hole. […]
The difficult but important estate planning conversations to have with your family
An estate plan sets out how you’d like your assets to be managed and distributed during your life and when you pass away. It often involves thinking about difficult topics, such as your funeral preferences or who you’d like to receive heirloom possessions. Once you’ve created an estate plan, it can be tempting to put […]
The Bank of England is predicted to cut interest rates in 2026
The Bank of England (BoE) is expected to make several cuts to the base interest rate in 2026. The move could reduce the cost of your mortgage. Read on to find out what’s predicted and how it could affect you. Following a period of high inflation, the BoE increased the base interest rate between December […]
Investment market update: October 2025
October 2025 proved to be a positive month for many investors, with markets reaching record highs. Read on to find out more about what factors may have affected your portfolio’s performance. Remember to take a long-term view when assessing your investments and consider your risk profile when making decisions. Markets experienced record highs, but investor […]
Pension v Lifetime ISA: What’s the best way to save for your retirement?
When you start searching for the best ways to build a retirement fund, private pensions might be the first option that comes to mind. However, they’re not the only way you can prepare for your life after work. An alternative is the Lifetime ISA (LISA) – a government-backed savings account. While you might assume you […]
How the benefits of your financial plan go beyond you to your family
A financial plan is rarely focused solely on the person making it. For many, a successful plan also benefits their family. When setting out your goals as part of your financial plan, your family might feature in them. Perhaps you want your retirement income to be enough so that you can treat them to an […]
Why successful investing starts with your mindset, not the markets
What’s the most important factor affecting the performance of your investments? Your mind might jump to the ups and downs of the market, and they do have an effect. When share prices rise, so too will the value of your portfolio. However, the markets aren’t the starting point of a successful investment: your mindset is. […]
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 […]