I am have an interesting investment opportunity that I am offering to select clients. This is not for everyone but if you want something a bit different, it could be for you…
Please contact me for details and I will send you a fact sheet with a good overview.
Get in touch! Click on this link to send me an email: keren@holbornassets.com or use this contact form.
Winston Churchill is a towering figure in British political history but was also an orator and writer. What I want to focus on is a quote that is relevant to most of our lives, even now, over 100 years after he said them:
Many of us make New Year resolutions, but how many of those are about our finances? 2020 was a tough year for large numbers of people, and we aren’t out of the woods yet, but knowing you have taken all the right steps will give you some peace of mind.
Invariably we could all spend less and save more and a little focus rarely goes amiss.
With that in mind here’s a list of 10 steps you can take to get yourself financially fitter in 2020.
In an uncertain world, it is understandable that we have seen an increase in property as an investment class. People have always liked investments that they fully understand, or can see and touch. Property markets are not equal and the legalities and potential for growth and/or income vary hugely but Europe still presents many opportunities for long-term investment and yield.
Recent surveys have shown that many expats are keen to invest in property in their home country either as they consider it a more secure place than where they are currently living or as a potential base should they need to move back.
The recent upheavals in work, schooling, lifestyle and more has made many reflect on the lives that they want to lead, and to consider future plans. Initially, I saw an uplift in enquiries for wills and life cover, and while these are still popular, I am now being contacted by people about property investment in the UK and Germany. Fortunately, I can assist with both and you can invest without leaving home.
The UK has a progressive tax system and so the rate of tax payable increases as income increases. All UK residents have a Personal Allowance which means that the first part of their income is free from UK income tax. For the tax year 2020/21 this is £12,500 but you need to be aware of a change in the system.
The Personal Allowance is also available to people who are not resident in the UK provided they are a citizen of a European Economic Area (EEA) country, which includes all British passport-holders. It also applies to anyone who has worked for the UK government at any time during the relevant tax year.
There is however a change in the way that non-residents, expatriates, claim this allowance which has not been widely publicised so if you are UK non-resident for tax purposes and have income arising in the UK, such as rental income, you need to read on.
The sad and somewhat worrying fact is that anyone can suffer from a serious illness at any time. It doesn’t matter how healthy you feel, and serious illness does not discriminate by gender, age, nationality or income.
Have you considered how you are your family would manage if you were seriously ill, or if your partner became ill and unable to work for an extended period? Not happy thoughts but ones that need to be addressed.
The statistics for serious illnesses in the UAE are significant, even for a relatively young population, when compared to countries with large numbers of retired residents.
Your medical insurance should cover the cost of treatment but it won’t replace an income. That’s where critical illness cover comes in. This is a plan that will pay out a cash lump sum in the event that the policyholder is diagnosed with a serious illness and this insurance is both important and worthwhile.
Consider the statistics for the UAE:
When it comes to taking control of your finances, the obvious, but frequently overlooked first step, is to take a long, hard look at your monthly budget. Quite simply, if you don’t know what your outgoings are, how do you know if you are overspending? How do you know how much money you have available to spend each month?
This article provides a guide to working out your budget and reducing wasted expenditure. Life in the UAE is expensive and we can all benefit from reminders of how to manage our heard-earned income a little better.
Get started by following these steps: