Lifestages & Changes

Retirement

As we are living longer, the time we are likely to spend in retirement is increasing, and with it, the need to make sure we have enough in our pot to enjoy our retirement and standard of living.

When you add to this, low rates of return on annuities or interest accounts and volatile equity market returns, we believe it is essential to seek help and advice.

We have vast experience of helping people towards and in retirement. Whether it be pension consolidations from several different schemes, self invested personal pensions, equity release or a wide variety of investment products, we can assist you to maximise your standard of living and reduce your tax burden.

We work closely with accountants and solicitors to make sure your income, tax and inheritance plans are up to date and achieving maximum efficiency.

Equity Release

This process safely releases some of the capital value locked into your home, whilst at the same time maintaining the possession, security, enjoyment and comfort of it. In some cases we can reduce the amount of tax you pay by £100,000’s.

If you have a total estate (the value of your house, investments and all other assets) in excess of £650,000, your beneficiaries might be paying the Inland Revenue 40% inheritance tax. On a £1.2m estate, that’s as much as £220,000 or on £2m, £540,000. Should you not wish to do that, by considering the benefits of equity release, you might have some more attractive options -

1. Have a significant sum of money that can be invested and/or easily accessed to help enhance your lifestyle and cover some of life’s expenses

2. Give it to your family now, quite legally avoiding a large lump of inheritance tax to pay

Selling your Business

We work with specialist companies who can prepare a business owner to sell his/her business at the best possible price and pay little or no tax when doing so. The key is to plan it well in advance. We don’t need to tell successful business people that the earlier they start succession or exit planning the better.

We work in particular with one specialist company that has a very successful track record in guiding business owners towards achieving the maximum sale price for their business. The advice they give is that the most profitable route to an owner making as much money as possible is to make themselves redundant as quickly as possible!

We also work closely with specialist accountants and solicitors to make sure the legal and taxation framework is optimal and accurate as any mistakes can have dire consequences. Upon selling the business, we can work with you to construct ways in which the capital sum will provide for your needs in retirement, as well as the long term.

Divorce

This is one of the most critical life-changes upon which to seek advice. We are all too aware of the emotional distress caused by divorce and now, more than ever, you must make sure that your finances will last and maintain the best standard of living for you and your family. We are highly experienced in working in divorce settlements and are sensitive and empathetic to your situation, knowing how intimidating paperwork and finances can be.

Windfalls

We specialise in advising people who have received a lump sum, whether it be a gift, bonus, share option scheme, a personal injury or legal settlement, or an inheritance.