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Insights from the Charles James team
What Is An Annuity?
An annuity is a financial product that allows you to convert your pension savings into a guaranteed, fixed income for the rest of your life - often referred to as a secure income.
Choosing an annuity is a significant decision, as it is usually irreversible. That’s why it’s essential to fully understand how annuities work, the different types available, and the features they offer before making a commitment…
Financial Planning for Retirement
If your plans for the future have felt stalled recently, now might be the ideal time to revisit and reignite them…
The Importance of Nominating Your Beneficiaries
Deciding what happens to your pension when you die might not be front of mind, but if it is sorted it could give you peace of mind.
So, why is nominating your beneficiaries and keeping them up-to-date important?
The Three Main Ways To Access Your Pension Savings
Before you decide how you'd like to access your pension savings, it's important to take some time to understand all your options.
What are your retirement options?
Top 5 considerations when preparing for retirement
After years of hard work, the time has finally come to begin thinking about retirement and it pays to be prepared as retirement nears.
Six Top Tips for Pension Savers
Saving for retirement is vital, but many people often ask, how do I save comfortably? Here are 6 top tips to think about when saving your pension.
When Can You Claim Your State Pension?
The State Pension conditions have gradually changed, leaving many confused as to when they are allowed to claim it and how much they are entitled to.
25% of Pensioner Households Have Zero Savings
Latest government figures reveal that a quarter of all pensioner households have no money saved for retirement.
Over 50s Failing to Put Extra Income into A Pension
Many older workers are expecting to use inheritance money or property sales to boost their retirement funds, as saving is becoming more difficult.
What Does A Hung Parliament Mean For Your Finances?
An unexpected result in the General Election has left uncertainty surrounding key policies, particularly involving personal finance.
Personal Finance and The 2017 General Election
As the date for the General election approaches, we take a look at what Labour and the Conservatives have included in their manifestos regarding personal finance.
Younger Generation Likely to Benefit from Inheritance Lump Sums
Over £400 billion could be passed down from grandparents straight to grandchildren in the coming decades.
Will Your Pension Be Sufficient?
Just 36% of people believe that their pension will provide a good retirement.
The State Pension Age Could Rise to 70
Analysis of government documents reveals the DWP are considering a state pension age (SPA) increase.
Pension Annuity Sale Scheme Scrapped
The Treasury reverses their decision to allow pensioners cash in their annuities.
Inflation Rises To 1%
Rising costs have led to the highest inflation levels in almost two years.
How Much Should You Withdraw From Your Pension?
Financial experts are worried about the amount of money that retirees are withdrawing from their pensions, so just how much is safe to withdraw?
The UK Economy Post-Brexit
Since the UK voted to leave the EU on the 23rd June, there has been lots of speculation about what will happen to the country’s economy. We take a look at how different markets have been affected.
Employees Offered Lump Sums to Abandon Pensions
As pension costs increase for businesses, some employees are being offered lump sums to give up their final salary pensions.
Interest Rates Drop to 0.25%
It was announced this week by the Bank of England that interest rates have been cut to 0.25%.