The overall combined ISA allowance is £10,200.

If you are happy to if you are happy to make your own investment decisions, we have a simple low cost service to access a managed portfolio of funds. Click here to apply

New ISA allowance for 2011/2012

What has changed?

The financial services industry use data, such as life expectancy, which varies between men and women, to calculate the cost of pension and protection products. Following the European ruling this will no longer  be allowed.

What effect could this have on your Pension?

At present men receive a slightly higher pension (annuity rate) than women, as statistics support the fact that men have a shorter life expectancy, on average.

The annuity rate is the amount of pension income an insurance company will pay in exchange for a pension fund.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) estimate, as a result of the ruling that male annuity rates could fall by as much as 8% whilst women’s rates could rise by 6% as the insurance companies will have to average the pensions paid between men and women.

Obviously depending on the size of your pension pot these percentage changes could have a dramatic effect on your retirement income and when you decide to take your pension benefits.

It is predicted that a couple will receive a lower retirement income overall as a result of the ruling.

As a result of these changes it is vital that every pension investor shops around to find the best pension with their retirement fund. This is where independent financial advice is essential.

The open market option is best way to ensure that you receive the highest yearly pension from your hard earned retirement savings and we can offer a no obligation annuity comparison service to ensure you receive the best possible independent financial advice.

What effect could this have on Life Insurance Products?

Although males have benefited from high annuity rates in the past due to their shorter life expectancy, a longer life expectancy for females has reduced the cost of some protection policies.

This has resulted in women paying less for equivalent life assurance although they generally pay more for health related insurance such as critical illness and income protection.

Although other factors such as smoking, medical history and body mass index have a significant influence on the price paid for insurance, it is clear the European ruling will shape the future of life insurance and critical illness policies.

The price of life insurance and critical illness varies dramatically between insurers for individuals with the same circumstances.

To ensure our clients obtain the most appropriate protection for their family at the best possible price we shop around the widest range of insurers.

If you would like to take advantage of this service to compare your existing mortgage protection policy or family life insurance policy please do not hesitate to contact us.

The base rate has now been pegged at 0.5% for two years and tracker rate mortgages have dropped to their lowest levels since 1988* at an average rate of 3.40%

Two year fixed rate mortgages have risen to their highest level in the last two years and stand at an average rate of 4.59%* longer term fixed rates rise even higher.

The differential between variable and fixed rate mortgage deals is probably the reason why almost people choose to remain on their lender standard variable rate. Recent figures suggest that almost 90% of borrowers are on the lenders variable rate.

It is inevitable that rates will rise at some stage in the near future and to what extent will very much depend on how the economy recovers and the effect of the Government cuts on any recovery.

The more quickly the economy recovers the more likely interest rates will rise to ensure the economy doesn’t overheat.

Whilst it would be true to say that anyone who fixed there mortgage before Christmas would have secured a better rate than today, it is likely that the differential between variable and fixed rates is likely to narrow in the coming year as the market becomes more competitive.

Although everyone requires individual advice to make sure they find the best mortgage for their circumstances the ultimate decision should not be based on the interest rate alone.

A number of our clients have expressed an interest in securing a fixed rate deal which is within their budget and will provide long term security.

Although they are paying more per month this provides the peace of mind they are looking for which, in the case of mortgages, money can buy!

In our opinion this is a sensible approach as to take as there is no way to effectively choose the most appropriate time to switch from a variable to a fixed rate deal.

If you prefer the security of a fixed rate mortgage or are looking to reduce the cost of your borrowing why not register to take advantage of our dynamic mortgage review service?

By providing some basic details about your mortgage requirements we can keep you informed of all the latest deals by email.

*source moneyfacts

With the crash of the major American banks, many lost out on stocks, shares and other forms of corporate investment. Investments that had once been worth premium sums, shrunk to virtually nothing in a matter of days – a dramatic fall from which many investors are still licking their wounds and attempting to recover.

As with all major economic changes, the decline of one type of investment has led to the creation of another. Though emerging markets investments existed long before the present financial crisis, they have never been looked on quite so favourably as they are right now.

It can be complicated to attempt to define what counts as an emerging market and what doesn’t. Few would attempt to dispute the emerging market status of major players such as China, India and Brazil, all of whom currently boast the world’s fastest growing economies. It is only natural that the Western world, tired of dwelling on its own stagnant economic problems, should want a slice of the action.

In the past, it has been shown that emerging markets investments have proved more volatile than developed markets investments. That said, their returns are also, on average, slightly higher – a statistic that is proving highly persuasive with the current crop of investors.

For a detailed explanation of how investments in emerging markets can work and the many different shapes and forms they might take, Legal and General have compiled an easy to use webpage – an accessory page to their main site – that offers users clear and concise explanations of this kind of investment opportunity. The page outlines the risks involved and makes detailed comparisons with other sorts of investments as well as providing a comprehensive FAQ section.

Our new  site sets out our  Financial Planning services and  introduces our team, Paul Toon and Richard Lester.

You can also look forward to ongoing changes as we add more content.

We would welcome your comments and suggestions for any future content  and thanks again for visiting.