Planning for retirement is not a straightforward process, and when it comes to choosing a pension there are lots of different things to take into account. You may not be aware, but there are actually three different types of pensions. Let’s explain a little about them…

Pensions are a tax advantaged way of saving for retirement. You may already have a pension you can pay into, such as a work pension. If you haven’t got one already, and are looking into starting one, you may want to consider the following…

In simple terms, a Will is a way of letting your family, friends or even organisations (such as charities) know what your wishes are upon your death. These wishes are most commonly concerned with how your estate is to be divided up. This includes the amount of money you wish a family member to receive from your estate or the appointment of guardians for your minor children....

Do you want to reach the end of 2015 richer than when you started it? Unless you receive a significant windfall, the only way you are going to achieve this is by saving. So, what better time to start than now?

Recently, we looked at how pension flexibility allows you to use your pension “like a bank account” once you reach the minimum age.

For those of you who are not yet at retirement, may have questions about pensions and what you need to consider when planning for the longest holiday of your life – retirement. Here are our top 5 things to think about when organising your pension.

“Freedom and choice in pensions” is something of a hot topic at the moment, but you may be unaware of what this means for you. After April 2015, once you reach the minimum retirement age of 55 (this may be earlier if forced to retire due to ill-health) you will have the freedom to access your personal/company pension as and when you please. There will no longer be an annual limit on how much you are allowed to withdraw and you will be able to use your pension fund “like a bank account”.

A friend of mine recently told me about a profit he made while trading penny shares in a British Oil Company. His thinking behind the purchase was “They’ve fallen substantially so they have to recover, right?” This proved to be a good decision as eventually the share prices rose and he ended up making a profit. The reality is that, although this was a shrewd investment, he was lucky to make a profit and could have quite easily had his fingers burnt...

A small, quiet dinner was recently held celebrating 30 years since the inception of the original business that became Charles James Financial Planning Ltd. Below are extracts from a speech that Founding Director Bob Thorpe gave reflecting on 40 years personal history in the financial services business as well as the 30 year evolution of Charles James.