Services

Sanlam UK, part of the international financial services group Sanlam Ltd, today announces the acquisition of chartered financial planning business, Astute Wealth Management.

There is thought to be somewhere between £15bn and £77bn in unclaimed money sitting in forgotten investments, pensions, bank accounts and a whole range of other places in the UK. So, how can you go about finding out if any of it is yours?

We’re used to the ups and downs of different business cycles, and we’ve come to expect and prepare for them. But with unusual circumstances such as a trade war and the reversal of quantitative easing, the outlook becomes harder to predict. As risks build across the global economy, here are the key things we’ll be looking out for in 2019.

Life has become increasingly expensive for young people and for many the pressure of high property prices, expensive university education and the need to save for their own retirement is overwhelming. While the older generation, who benefited from rising house prices and final salary pensions, have arguably ‘never had it so good’, their children and grandchildren are struggling.

According to the financial forecasters at the UK Office for Budget Responsibility, £5.4 billion will be raised by HMRC from Inheritance Tax (IHT) in the coming financial year. More people have found themselves subject to IHT as the value of property has increased, but one way you can limit your liability is to invest in companies listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM).

Pension freedoms offer the flexibility needed for a long retirement, but you may need expert financial advice to get it right.   Have you noticed a recent surge in the number of pensioners powering down your local high street in Lamborghinis? Probably not, but that was the concern when new pension freedoms were introduced in April 2015.

We’ve all experienced the consequences of a sugar rush: lethargy, sluggishness and plenty of volatility. But can the same principles be applied to economies and their own versions of artificial stimulus?

Previous complicated rules and lack of general understanding about ISA legislation in the event of the death of an ISA holder means spouses/civil partners do not always utilise the ISA Additional Permitted Subscription (APS) they are entitled to on the death of the first spouse/civil partner.