Deciding how best to invest your money can be daunting, with so many options available and so many uncertainties, how do you choose what’s right for you?

Our job is to eliminate as much of that uncertainty as possible and to work with you to identify the most appropriate way for you to achieve your financial goals.

The Finance Planning Wealth Management advice process is designed with that in mind. It creates a framework for us to discuss your needs and expectations, to assess and agree your attitude to risk and then to build and manage an investment portfolio to match.

By working through a series of logical steps, you will gain a better understanding of the reasoning behind our recommendations and confidence in the resulting choice of investments.

To arrange an initial meeting with one of our financial advisers call 01444 449200

Our inheritance tax planning service is designed to keep your hard earned money in the family and help avoid your loved ones having to pay a hefty tax on any inheritance you leave them. Through careful planning that’s tailored to your individual needs, you can mitigate inheritance tax, or avoid it altogether, by arranging investments into trust, using life policies, changing your will, as well as through other different methods.

It’s worth saying at this point that when calculating your estate, it includes your house, car, savings, valuables etc., so please don’t fall into the trap of thinking it doesn’t affect you.

When you consider that anything you leave your loved ones over the IHT allowance is charged at 40%, it is a lot of money for the tax man. The current allowance is £325,000 for 2019/20 tax year. Additionally, a main residence nil rate band of £125,000 where a residence is passed on death to a direct descendant (increases to £150,000 in 2019–20 and £175,000 in 2020–2021).

We’ll explain all this to you and help you minimise the financial impact on your loved ones.

To arrange an initial meeting with one of our financial advisers call 01444 449200

Equity release refers to a range of products that let you access the equity (cash) tied up in your home if you are typically over the age of 55. You can take the money you release as a lump sum or, in several smaller amounts or as a combination of both.

There are two equity release options:

Lifetime mortgage: you take out a mortgage secured on your property provided it is your main residence, while retaining ownership. You can choose to ring-fence some of the value of your property as an inheritance for your family. You can choose to make repayments or let the interest roll-up. The loan amount and any accrued interest is paid back when you die or when you move into long-term care.

Home reversion: you sell part, or all, of your home to a home reversion provider in return for a lump sum or regular payments. You have the right to continue living in the property until you die, or go into residential care, but you have to agree to maintain and insure it. You can ring-fence a percentage of your property for later use, possibly for inheritance. The percentage you retain will always remain the same regardless of the change in property values, unless you decide to take further cash releases. At the end of the plan your property is sold and the sale proceeds are shared according to the remaining proportions of ownership.

There are other alternative to Equity Release which would also need to be considered such as raising finance from local authority or other available grants; trading down or even selling the property and renting.

There are plenty of things to consider before releasing equity from your home as you will be reducing the amount of inheritance available for your family, so before taking a big step talk to us. We can help ensure you understand all the implications of this decision and make sure your future is as comfortable as possible with the best equity release products to meet your needs.

It is advised that customers seek Independent Legal advice before entering into a legally binding equity release contract.

To arrange an initial meeting with one of our financial advisers call  01444 449200

If you’re looking to invest for the future then we can help put together an investment portfolio that meets your objectives.

Whether you like to take risks with the aim to generate higher returns, or you don’t like to take risks but still like the idea of getting better returns from your money than what’s available via traditional savings accounts, we’ll recommend the most suitable investment solutions for you.

This could include investment bonds, unit trusts or even the latest WRAP and asset management systems that put together and manage a range of different funds that all work together to meet your needs. It goes without saying that we’ll help you make the most of any tax allowances that are available, such as the New Individual Savings Accounts (NISAs) which enable you to shelter some of your savings from the taxman.

To arrange an initial meeting with one of our financial advisers call 01444 449200

The most valuable asset to any business is its people, without them, a company’s survival can be at serious risk. Through a range of Business Protection options, Key Person Cover, Share & Partnership Protection and Relevant Life Cover, we can help you find the solution that’s right for your business.

*Business Protection
How would you cope with the sudden death, long term disability or even short term illness or your key people?

*Key Person Cover
What would happen to your business if a key person was unable to work for a period of time due to illness or injury? Would the company suffer a loss of profits? Would you have to recruit and pay a temporary replacement? Would you be able to meet contracts or obtain new business?

*Share & Partnership Protection
Share & Partnership Protection is a life insurance taken out on the lives of partners or shareholding directors to ensure that a lump sum is available on death, so that the surviving directors or partners have capital to buy the shares back from the deceased’s estate.

**Pension Auto Enrolment is hot on the agenda right now so if you run a business that employs staff, we can help you set up and run an employee pension scheme that meets the stringent requirements of The Pensions Regulator and which fits the specific needs of your business.

Businesses require specialist financial advice such as making sure key people are protected in case of illness or death, help getting a group pension scheme set up, or group protection cover for your staff. We can provide the financial advice you need to make sure you have the right products for your business.

To arrange an initial meeting with one of our financial advisers call  01444 449200

There are numerous ways that you can make the most of the tax allowances available and keep your money away from the tax man. With our expertise, we can review your situation and plans, and then put together an effective plan to help you make the most of the opportunities available. When you consider the additional 45% income tax, 28% capital gains tax for higher rate tax payers and even 40% inheritance tax, there is lot to be gained by getting expert help.

To arrange an initial meeting with one of our financial advisers call 01444 449200

A mortgage is probably the largest commitment you are likely to make, so we can help make sure you get the right one for your needs and ensure you don’t pay over the odds. We offer a comprehensive range of mortgage products from across the market for first charge only, we are able to provide advice to ensure you get the right mortgage solution for your needs and circumstances.

We offer a comprehensive range of mortgage products from across the market for first charge mortgages only. We do not offer deals that you can only obtain by going direct to a lender.

To arrange an initial meeting with one of our financial advisers call 01444 449200

Whether you are planning your own provision, acting as attorney, or assisting a family member with funding care fees, the process of funding suitable cover at home or considering a care home can be extremely daunting.

Helping a loved one come to terms with the thought of long-term care can be very difficult in itself but this stress can be made much worse when it comes to ensuring care costs can be met.

As financial advisers, we can help you by:

• Listening to your individual needs and helping to determine your priorities
• Providing advice and assistance regarding eligibility for NHS and state benefits
• Providing advice and recommendations on financial aspects of paying for care
• Addressing any IHT mitigation
• Providing support and information to everyone involved in the planning process

To arrange an initial meeting with one of our financial advisers call 01444 449200

We know protection and insurance isn’t an easy subject to think about. However, once sorted, insurance and protection is designed to give you peace of mind that you will have financial protection against unfortunate things that life could throw at you. Having the right cover could be the best investment you make.

There’s a wide range of different types of insurance and protection available. This includes life cover which pays a lump sum to your loved ones should you die, critical illness cover which pays you a lump sum if you’re diagnosed with certain critical illnesses, policies which will pay you an income if you’re unable to work due to an accident or sickness, and home insurance which is designed to protect your home and its contents.

As part of our service we can assess your individual circumstances and make sure you have the right cover for your individual needs, giving you peace of mind about the future.

To arrange an initial meeting with one of our financial advisers call 01444 449200