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NEST- The National Employment Savings Trust

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This new way of forced saving for our retirement looks set to be in place by 2012.
Employers will need to automatically enrol their eligible workers into a qualifying pension scheme and make contributions to it.  Workers will be able to opt-out of their employer’s scheme if they choose not to participate.
Workers who give notice during [...]

Rental Market Remains Strong

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The rental market is continuing to grow with   increased tenant demand and a shortage of properties pushed rents higher last month, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
Individuals in the main are still struggling to  secure a mortgage. The continued gloom of a possible double dip in the housing market coupled with the [...]

Annuity Rates and Solvency II

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As we already are fully aware that annuity rates are not as good as they were in the past, the future could see rates fall considerably.
A recent change in European law-Solvency II, could force life companies from 2012   to value their annuity liabilities using government gilt rates, rather than the current preferred option of corporate [...]

Private Sector Pension Indexation Change

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Goal posts have moved again and for some the news is not good. The government will revalue defined benefit DB schemes in line with Retail Prices instead of Consumer Prices and will reduce the value of occupational pensions in the future according to some analysts.
This move will bring into line the indexes used for determining [...]

Best ISA Transfer Rates

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 With interest rates still at the same level as last year, savers are attracting to locking in some of their ISA money and secure a higher rate.Halifax,Nationwide and Dunfermline are all offering in excess of 4% gross as long as you tie the money up for 4 years or more from as little as £500.
Instant [...]

Increase in State Pension Age Should Be Delayed

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The Government’s plans to increase the retirement age so soon will mean those in their mid to late 50s who have already made retirement plans are unable to change their savings and private pensions to make up for the loss of a year’s state pension. This will hit the pocket of a number of our [...]

Emergency Budget June 2010

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Income Tax
The personal allowance for  those under 65 will be increased by £1000 from April 2011,this is more than a 15% increase.The higher rate threshold will be frozen up to and including 2013/14. With the Government  aiming to increase the personal allowance up to £10,000 over their Parliamentary term.
The 50% additional rate of income tax [...]

How do you feel about investment risk?

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One of the difficult things in the client adviser relationship is assessing their attitude to losing and or growing capital. What you believe your shares or investments can do for you may be far from the mark.
We now have a range of ways of assessing your risk profile and shown below is [...]

State Pension- Erosion

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The Basic State Pension BSP increased by 2.5% recently but the average couple will have seen their household inflation edge up by 4.1% This is not good news for those with a level annuity income to supplement the BSP.
The Liberal-Conservative Coalition plan to restore the average earnings link for the State Pension is welcome but [...]

Emerging Markets

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For the last twelve months, Russia’s equity market has performed strongly. The optimism looks set to continue as both economic and corporate earnings news continue to improve.
Stockmarkets in other emerging economies; China, Brazil, and several other emerging economies, have delivered outstanding returns over the same period up to 80% in some instances. [...]