Your family is important. Your children are important. When you have dependents and loved ones, you want to make sure that they will be financially okay, no matter what happens.
Have a watch of this short clip to understand why you need to have life insurance.
When it comes to investment we are still living in interesting times. With so many unexpected global events in recent years and those that are ongoing, investing has not been a great deal of fun of late, and I fully appreciate the frustration of clients, of all investors.
This article is designed to provide some context and comfort. So read on…
Wellness is a term that has become very popular in the past few years. We tend to think of it in terms of mental or physical health but it is time we looked at financial wellness.
Simply put, financial wellness is a relative measure of how well a person manages their financial life. We all want to be financially well and this article is about what it means and how you can improve your financial wellness.
Here we are again with another Budget and don’t they seem to come around fast?
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt has been in the role since October of last year and while he issued an Autumn Statement on 17th November 2022, he has had his feet under the big desk for a while now so should be in a better position to take economic steps for the benefit of the UK public.
This article is a brief overview of some of the main points with particular reference to any changes that have particular relevance to those living outside of the UK and especially in the GCC. The UK press will cover many points in detail but many of the points will not be directly relevant to expats so this article focuses on the points that could affect us.
The UK still has a cost of living crisis and the official inflation figure is 10%, a 40 year high. The price rises are being felt, as are the increased mortgage repayments. Salary increases are below inflation, energy prices are still high, and many people could do with some government support.
Interestingly, US inflation has fallen from its peak, from 9.1% to around 6% yesterday. Average European inflation is at 8.5%.
With a consensus that the UK could still enter into recession, the challenge is that expansionary spending could damage the steps being taken to try and keep a lid on further inflation.
As has become common in recent years, many of the announcements were trailed and leaked to the media as we there seem to be policy by feedback these days. We had been told that there would be support for working parents, an extension of the energy price cap, and an increase in the pension Lifetime Allowance.
Read on for a summary of the major points, and especially anything that affects expats
Too many people bury their heads in the sand when it comes to planning for their financial future so we need to face some facts.
The reality is that most people are facing a significant shortfall in their retirement income.
According to recent figures, the average UK pension pot totals just £50,000 and the average pension income is £500 a week. That income will not just be from the pensions, but from other sources such as the state pension, personal investments or property.
The average UK resident has savings of just £17,365 and 34% have no savings or less than £1,000. Equivalent figures are not available for GCC expats but given that our incomes are higher than UK averages I would hope it is rather more. That said, I all too frequently come across people without any savings or investments.
In this article I look at some of the mistakes you want to avoid and issues that you really cannot afford to ignore.
UK property has a great deal of potential as an investment and it is easier to get into than you might think, with lower starting prices and plenty of benefits.
Read on to find out why UK property could be good for you.
I have put together a simple guide to 10 practical and logical steps you need to follow when investing so to find out more, read on…
It is too easy to side-tracked from planning your future, our lives are busy after all, but it rarely needs to be as complicated as some might make out. My role is to make this simpler and easier for you so while we discuss serious topics, so our conversation is friendly and the language straightforward.
The financial services industry is full of jargon and sales messages so sometimes it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction, the reality from the adverts and the sales pitches.
When a new Prime Minister takes office, it is usual for them to want to put their own stamp on things and Liz Truss and her team are doing just that. Kwasi Kwarteng, the current Chancellor of the Exchequer, has made a few announcements today, a mini-budget if you will, or an oddly named ‘fiscal event’ according to the government.
As has been the case in recent years, many measures have already been announced or deliberately leaked so this was largely about clarification.
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 and especially in the GCC. The UK press will cover many points in detail but many of the points will not be directly relevant to expats so this article focuses on the points that will be most relevant to us.
EDIT. As this mini-budget went down so poorly, and did such dmanage to UK financial markets, Kwazi Kwateng was replaced by Jeremy Hunt and many of the announcements have since been rescinded so I have commented under each section to clarify. Added comments are in italics.
There is no question that we are in interesting times for investment markets and we have all seen falls in the value of our portfolios This article is designed to explain why you really should not worry and why you need to remain invested.
The key thing to remember is that to make money over the long-term it is not about timing the market, but about time in the market.
Join us on Wednesday 27th April at 1pm UAE time, for a presentation about a property investment opportunity that will complete soon. Tenant enquiries are already being taken so this is a good option for anyone who wants to complete a purchase in the next few months.
If you miss the date, let me know as the presentaton is being recorded.
I have written about options for UK property investment a few times and in most cases these are off-plan developments with completion some time ahead. I know a few clients would prefer quick completion so I would like to share details of an opportunity that fits that requirement