Credit cards are a fact of modern life but are they friend or foe? Should you have one, or are they to be avoided?
When used sensibly and responsibly they can be a useful tool with benefits but too often they are used to support a lifestyle, the balance is not repaid in good time, and they become a very expensive burden.
This article is a quick look at both the pros and cons of this type of consumer debt.
This article has been superceded so please see the latest version published on 1st April 2021/
There is no doubt that many youngsters leaving school this summer are lacking in practical knowledge about their finances. It is important to have some financial knowledge to safely negotiate the adult world so here are some points that every young person should know about money.
This may sound like a silly question but research from a major British insurance company has shown that up there are up to 2.5 million forgotten UK pension plans. Furthermore, the UK government estimates that the size of these forgotten and unclaimed funds could exceed £400 million.
Among those with a forgotten pension, the majority believe they have misplaced one pot (77%), although 17% think they have forgotten about two and 6% have forgotten three or more. At the same time, almost three in five (59%) UK adults are worried about not having enough money to last them in retirement. If this is you, there are steps you can take.
This article has been updated so please see link for the latest version:
Are your investment funds in the dog house? | Financial Planning in the UAE (financialuae.me)
If you would like a chat about your investments and are interested in active future management, or have queries about any aspects of personal financial planning email me at keren@holbornassets.com
Many of us muddle through our financial lives, not focusing on what matters the most, so this article is designed to help you sort out your financial priorities.
You have probably thought that there are some issues you need to address but it is common to be stuck in limbo, not quite sure what to tackle first, or a to have a vague to-do list but are unsure where to start.
I am often asked what are the most important topics to focus on so this is a guide to what you may need to look at if you haven’t reviewed your personal finances before, or haven’t done so for some time. What should you do now and what is most important?
All too frequently I see people who have been sold long-term savings plans without having been given the right advice to address more immediate issues. The most important consideration is to focus on what could go wrong tomorrow and then to take steps to protect you and your family. This doesn’t have to be expensive but this is what proper, ethical, financial planning is all about.
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:
Many of us muddle through our financial lives, not focusing on what matters the most, so this article is designed to help you sort out your financial priorities.
You have probably thought that there are some issues you need to address but it is common to be stuck in limbo, not quite sure what to tackle first, or a to have a vague to-do list but are unsure where to start.
I am often asked what are the most important topics to focus on so this is a guide to what you may need to look at if you haven’t reviewed your personal finances before, or haven’t done so for some time. What should you do now and what is most important?
All too frequently I see people who have been sold long-term savings plans without having been given the right advice to address more immediate issues. The most important consideration is to focus on what could go wrong tomorrow and then to take steps to protect you and your family. This doesn’t have to be expensive but this is what proper, ethical, financial planning is all about.
9th March 2017 saw the final UK Spring Budget as the announcements now move to the Autumn. As ever there were a number of measures that will affect expats, including a surprise regarding pensions. This article is a brief overview of some of the main points with particular reference to any changes that have relevance to those living outside of the UK.
We all have certain beliefs and behaviours that guide us in our choices in life, whether that is in respect of the food we eat, how we live, the way in which we work or bring up children, our political views etc, so it stands to reason that these personality traits cross over to our financial identities.
Although the financial services industry tends to pigeon hole people into various categories such as balanced investors, retirees, young married, cautious types and more, I believe that there is a whole other set of identities that relate to how we run our financial lives.
You may have heard people claim that they are a ‘spendthrift’ or that they are ‘saver’ but I think it is a little more complex. In reality we rarely have such black and white styles of money management.
There have been a number of studies with authors listing up to 20 different personality types but I have narrowed it down to seven which I think cover most of us.