Feature Articles

ISAs, SIPPs, SSASs, VCT, EIS… It's enough to make your head and eyeballs spin. Judging by the amount of acronyms the financial services has, there's some justification of the view that the industry is awash with abbreviations and jargon. No wonder it's easy for people to view financial planning as over-complicated. Taking care of the elderly is one of society's prime responsibilities. Old people are people who have a lot of energy and creativity. The 21st century is shaped in such a way that humans do not have time for relationships. They believe that relationships need a lot of time to build and unfortunately, they simply do not have that time. Pensions are in the news again and with so many legislation changes over the last few years on private pension provision, it's always useful to have a look over all the options available to you. Pension and retirement planning now needs a multi-dimensional approach and with many choices available, it can seem daunting and quite often leads people to put planning off for another day. In the recent budget it wasn't the cut in the higher rate of tax, the granny tax even the new child benefit rules that most irritated most people, and especially those in Cornwall. What was possibly the last straw was the attack on the iconic Cornish pasty! With Bank of England interest rates remaining at a record low, we've been asked by a few of our clients whether they should be investing in corporate bonds. In short, there's no simple answer to this. As with many things, it depends on your circumstances and what you want from your investments. Only 28% of people aged 55 and over are aware that certain medical conditions could entitle them to a higher level of retirement income

Nearly three quarters (72%) of UK adults aged 55 and over are unaware that certain medical conditions could entitle them to a higher level of pension income through their annuity provider, according to new research¹ from MGM Advantage.

We're afraid the politicians are at it again with yet more changes to pension rules. For pensions geeks (like those at Worldwide) these constant changes provide interesting challenges to be overcome when helping clients plan their retirement. Running a tight tax ship, or is your money leaking away?
Staying with the nautical theme, we thought we'd look at how you can keep your expenses and allowances ship shape, especially as it's nearing the end of the tax year (the current tax year ends on the 5th April).

Source: Worldwide Financial Planning - Matt Higham

Given recent Government rulings about pensions, retiring in your mid-fifties might seem like a far-fetched dream. But is it possible to have a pension scheme flexible enough to allow you to retire at the age of 55?
One of our readers asked us recently about what kind of pension scheme could give him the ability to do just that. (1)
Our reader wondered if a Self Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) would be the best way to achieve that, but he was concerned that it might mean his money would be 'locked' into his SIPP fund. --------------------

Source: MGM Advantage

Only 28% of people aged 55 and over are aware that certain medical conditions could entitle them to a higher level of retirement income.
Nearly three quarters (72%) of UK adults aged 55 and over are unaware that certain medical conditions could entitle them to a higher level of pension income through their annuity provider, according to new research¹ from MGM Advantage. --------------------

Source: Worldwide Financial Planning - Chris Rowe

With Christmas now just a distant memory, what do we have to look forward to in the coming months until the Easter rabbit calls? But if you've already had too much of crème eggs and chocolate bunnies, how about looking forward to making use of your unused tax allowances. --------------------

Source: MGM Advantage

A new report reveals that the UK’s ‘Retirement Nation’¹, which includes all retired people, saves the state and society at least £25 billion a year through unpaid care, community and voluntary work². But the report, ‘Our Retirement Nation’, which was commissioned by MGM Advantage, warns that the contribution made by this part of society is not fully recognised and that the government and society as a whole need to do more to understand their emotional, health and financial requirements. --------------------

Source: Worldwide Financial Planning

This was the reaction of one of our clients we were discussing their income in retirement. If you've not heard the term before, an annuity is a guaranteed income for life, which you buy from an insurance company with your pension fund. Most people who are not lucky enough to have a final salary pension (and that is likely to be most of us in the future) end up buying one. --------------------

Source: Gabrielle Pickard

Why we should embrace increasing the retirement age The age of retirement is a hot topic at present both in China and in the UK. In China, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security has been studying the different possibilities of changing the retirement age or making it more flexible. In changing extending the retirement age, the ministry believes it will "postpone pension deficiencies," which, according to the 2011 Chinese pension report, currently stands at almost 70 billion Yuan ($11.9 billion). --------------------

Source: IMAPAC

• Conference Name: Retirement Living World China 2012
• Time: 28th-31th May, 2012
• Venue: Renaissance Shanghai Pudong Hotel, China

Retirement Living World China held by IMAPAC Pte Ltd (Singapore) is China's ONLY and largest retirement living industry conference. It stages a senior level executive forum for village developers, operators and investors to explore China's burgeoning retirement market opportunities, identify new strategies and form new partnerships in China. --------------------

Source: Thinkmoney

Financial solutions company Think Money has urged people to think about how they'll support themselves when they've reached pension age and are no longer working. --------------------

Source: Sunlife

More than 100 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every day. And nine out of ten of them are over 50.
Sun Life Direct is committed to doing everything possible to look after the interests of those who are over 50. --------------------

Source: PensionForecast.org

Here’s the big picture. THE WORLD IS IN FINANCIAL TURMOIL. The Euro is at risk of collapse. USA is borrowing more than ever. And the last quarter saw the largest UK stockmarket collapse for 10 years.

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