How the new tapered annual allowance has changed in the Spring Budget. There are some winners and some losers.
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In my time as a financial professional, I have seen many downturns, some more significant than others. I started work in this world of finance in May 1988 and since then these are the ones that have stuck in my head
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Human beings are hard-wired to focus on the here and now. We’re much more concerned about immediate threats than longer-term dangers such as failing to save enough money for retirement.
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There is plenty of evidence to show that mindfulness has a range of health benefits. But can it also help us to become better investors?
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It’s very important that you have absolute trust in your financial adviser. But how do you go about choosing one?
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I cannot tell you how bad things will get in the future for this virus or tell you how much it will affect your investments. My advice as always is to simply sit tight. If it gets really cheap, there is a potential opportunity and we will advise accordingly.
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While it might make intuitive sense that there should be a close link between how a country's economy performs and the returns from its stock market, the historical evidence shows otherwise.
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We’ve all heard the saying, “patience is a virtue”, and it’s one especially applicable to investors. Resisting the urge to constantly change and fiddle with your portfolio can allow your assets to grow over time.
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Generally speaking, it’s good to have a positive outlook on life. But too much optimism, or overconfidence, can be a problem, particularly when it comes to investing.
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Andy, his wife Sally and their son Jack have been Ifamax clients since early 2018. After qualifying as an accountant following university, Andy then worked his way through the financial services industry as a sales and commercial director.
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The South Sea Bubble was one of the first, and one of the worst, financial crashes in history. The lessons from that episode are as important today as they were 300 years ago.
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Some financial professionals are dismissive of academic research, arguing that it’s too far removed from the realities of today’s financial markets. True, academic models are, by their nature, theoretical. But that doesn’t mean investors can’t learn practical lessons from them.
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While the temptation to try to pick stocks can be great because the rewards can be high, the odds are not in your favour. It is much better to trust the market as a whole.
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There’s been a big increase in interest in sustainable investing in recent years. But what exactly does do we mean by sustainable investing? And, if we invest with our conscience, can we expect to receive lower returns?
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For decades active managers have sold the idea that they can out-perform the market. That is what investors pay them to do. But how many are delivering value for money?
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Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman described regret as probably the greatest enemy of good decision-making in personal finance. Exactly what role does it play, and what can we do about it?
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Trying to predict the future is never a good idea when it comes to financial decision-making. However, there are ways in which we can prepare to make clear financial decisions in the new year.
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Many of us are reluctant to change our banking providers. But, as you run the ruler over your personal finances, it's important to ask: has your bank earned your loyalty?
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