NEWS & INSIGHTS

Some mortgage lenders are returning to products that require homebuyers to provide smaller deposits than have become the norm in recent years – with Nationwide and Santander re-introducing deals with a 95% loan-to-value requirement. The move has been attributed to “a...

It is the only essential UK-wide adult identity reference. The ‘number’ itself is made up of both letters and numbers, however, they do not include D, F, I, Q, U or V to (historically) reduce handwriting errors… the combinations BG, GB, NK, KN, NT and ZZ are also...

  It has been dubbed the ‘Interest Only Time Bomb’ by the press in recent weeks, with many column inches and online reports dedicated to painting a bleak picture in which as many as 1.7 million people have no means of repaying their mortgage debt. The reports...

The Bank of England policymakers’ message surrounding forthcoming interest rate rises are being heeded by UK households it would seem – with a report this week claiming that 78% of us now expect rate rises within the next year, with 48% anticipating the upward curve...

Following the Bank of England’s  ‘Super Thursday’ meeting in London, the Bank provided the latest Quarterly Inflation Report alongside its August Interest Rate decision – although the base rate remained frozen at its historical low 0.5% figure, the Bank pushed back...

Figures released this week underline how scammers are continuing to target pension pots... to the tune of £4.7m in May alone. It appears that fraudsters are using tactics to aggressivly dupe savers following new freedoms, which allow over 55s to spend their retirement...

Lenders have been steadily cutting rates since the end of summer 2014, and the current crop of fixed rates now includes the lowest we've ever seen – with five year fixed rates available from 1.99% – there has never been a better time to fix as the table below...

The buy-to-let mortgage market is booming, with lending figures jumping 22% over the past twelve months –according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders over 19,000 landlords borrowed £2.7billion to invest in property in that period. There has also been a significant...

Figures released this week show that April’s pension freedoms, which allow those aged 55 and over to cash in their pensions to release a lump sum, are proving popular – more than £1.8bn has been ‘liberated’ from around 235,000 pension pots in just three months....

Taper of annual allowance for those earning between £150,000 and £210,000 from £40,000 to £10,000  read more Pension input periods will be aligned to tax years for all schemes from April 2016 read more Second hand annuity market delayed until 2017 Pension wise...

Interest-only mortgage deals have re-emerged as an option for borrowers after virtually disappearing for the past five years.  Interest-only deals, where the borrower only pays off the interest each month and not the capital, were immensely popular prior to the...

Reports in the Press this week suggest that as many as 160 Tory MPs support the call to cut the top rate of income tax from 45p to 40p in the July 8th budget. They believe that, by reducing tax rates for the highest earners, it produces more economic activity, which...

It would appear that the Greek authorities have blinked first and come up with a proposal that will allow the EU to throw in the towel whilst still keeping some degree of self-respect. With the FTSE 100 index down a few hundred points from the high, about 5%, in only...

Seeking the right financial advice and starting to invest at a younger age can make a huge difference to your future security – with a report estimating that good professional help taken at 25 could equate to an extra £34,000 for your old age.Stereotypically, the...

According to the Bank of England, many of the mortgages advertised to borrowers during May were cheaper than at any time on record. For households with substantial property equity, short-term fixed rates fell to their lowest levels since records began in 1995  – the...

According to press reports this weekend, the Government intend to tackle the problems that some individuals are facing since the recent pension reforms were introduced. A Ministerial enquiry has been ordered to investigate the obstacles and rip-offs millions of savers...

  The front page lead story in today’s Daily Express carries a warning from one of Britain’s biggest pension firms that funds set aside for retirement by millions of people are being targeted by the treasury. The report claims that – “UK pensioners are already...

It appears that the continued aim of the new Government is to move quickly to cut the deficit further. Plans have been outlined to reduce the deficit by £3 Billion pounds ahead of schedule. The stated aim being £13 Billion over the next 2 years. Pledges have been made...

Keeping larger sums of money squirrelled in basic bank accounts, earning little or no interest, is an all-too-common situation according to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) – they say that more than £160bn in cash savings is languishing in low-interest accounts...

It is estimated that more than four million married couples and civil partners could benefit from tax allowance changes that came into effect earlier this year. Have you registered to make the most of the new rules? From April 6, couples with one non-taxpayer and one...

Visitors to The Financial Planning Group exhibition stand at last week's Richmond Expo took part in a novel, sweet-themed experiment, with guests being asked to estimate the number of jelly beans in the FPG jar. The average estimate of all participants was very close...

Although the UK economy was one of the strongest in the developed world in 2014, the UK stock market returned just 1.2 per cent. The globally-diversified developed world index returned 12.1 per cent. News headlines can paint an inaccurate picture of the effect of...

Following the introduction of stricter new ‘affordability’ tests by banks when assessing mortgage lending applications, we are starting to see an increasing amount of homebuyers in their 40s, 50s and 60s being prevented from getting a loan. It would appear that the...

Barclays have launched a five year fixed rate mortgage priced at 1.99% for a limited period of ten days. This is available on both a repayment and interest only basis. This is the lowest five year fixed rate in history. Could you benefit from a quote over the phone?...

The Work and Pensions Select Committee last week proposed that the minimum age at which individuals are able access to their pension savings should be increase from 55 to five years before state pension age. According to reports; “Senior political figures and think...

As Chartered Financial Planners we work closely with a number of local professionals involved in family law, particularly divorce. As a member of the team with Collaborative Lawyers and Family Change consultants, our financial planning expertise is employed...

It is estimated that there could be as much as £15 billion of unclaimed financial assets in the UK that is simply sitting in old bank accounts, pensions, life assurance and investments, just waiting to be reclaimed. Tracking this money is becoming ever-easier, with...

An article in The Telegraph recently has underlined the fears of many reputable pension professionals – that the vultures are circling in the wake of the Government’s major reform of pension rules, which came into effect on April 6th, 2015. Indeed, David Barrett’s...

It is often an important discovery for individuals and private investors when they learn of the possibility of benefitting from one of the most valuable tax reliefs currently used by corporate executives to pass on their businesses free of inheritance tax. Inheritance...

The Financial Planning Group are pleased to announce that we will be one of the 80-plus exhibitors at this year’s Richmond Expo, which takes place at Twickenham Stadium on Friday 22nd May. The annual exhibition is a vibrant event for local companies wanting to access...

Following last week’s pre-election Budget, we have prepared a summary of the key impacts and tax changes that were outlined by the Chancellor. We hope that you or your clients find the information useful, and if you would like to discuss any of the issues in more...

After several months in which lenders had battled it out to provide the most attractive cut-price, fixed-rate, mortgages deals, it would appear that the “natural low point” has been reached. The past seven days has seen several lenders reverse previous rate cuts, or...

Chancellor George Osborne has announced plans in his pre-Election budget for a large-scale revamp of ISAs – including the introduction of increased flexibility and plans to help first-time home buyers in their attempts to climb upon the property ladder. Osborne’s...

With the April 5th deadline approaching, we wanted to remind you that every tax year end closes the door on an annual opportunity to take advantage of one of the few tax benefits now available. The 2014/15 annual ISA/NISA allowance of £15,000 per individual cannot be...

New pension rules come into affect on April 6th 2015, which mean that over-55s will be given unfettered access to their pensions. However, these freedoms are peppered with new and complicated rules, which could cost retirees dearly if misunderstood. We have produced...

With the Bank of England interest rates widely predicted to remain at an historic low, or maybe fall as a measure to stave off the threat of deflation; the plight of Britain’s savers is once again in the spotlight. According to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)...

According to a report in the Press this week, “Pension providers, advisers, regulators and the Government are not ready for reforms which, in less than six weeks time, will give people more freedom over their pension pots…” The Association of British Insurers also...

The fixed-rate mortgage price war seems to have escalated in recent weeks, with many lenders battling to provide consumers with tempting products at record low rates. For example, details have landed on my desk this week offering my clients Trackers with no penalties...

The latest issue of Teddington Property News magazine is being distributed to over 8,500 homes this week – the January/February issue contains some excellent articles that will be of interest to all local home owners, as well as those interested in buy-to-let property...

We are a well-established Chartered Financial Planning practice with an exciting opportunity for a Graduate with ideally six months to two years’ experience within Financial Services, to join our team. You should have a relevant financial services, business,...

Aimed at home buyers looking to secure long-term financial peace of mind, the Woolwich have announced the UK’s lowest ever 10-year fixed rate mortgage, which will be set at 2.99% for residential loans up to 60% loan to value (LTV). In addition, for clients who want to...

Steve Padgham, head of the mortgage department at The Financial Planning Group, shares a secret that could give you and your family peace of mind during 2015 and beyond. Hands-up all those readers who are concerned about the impact of an interest rate rise on their...

The Bank of England this week announced the findings of its study into mortgage affordability if interest rates were to rise from their historical low of 0.5%, to 2.5%, in the medium term. Although the report suggests that just 4% of mortgage holders would need to...

The struggle that faces many 40-plus-year-old mortgage applicants when trying to borrow money from Britain’s biggest lenders was highlighted on BBC News again today. Over the past few years certain lenders have made it increasingly difficult for ‘older’ borrowers to...

Writing for The Guardian this week, Britain's Prime Minister, David Cameron, said: ‘Six years on from the financial crash that brought the world to its knees, red warning lights are once again flashing on the dashboard of the global economy.' However, the Governor of...

The findings of a report from American bank, Wells Fargo, make for very gloomy reading – with one in five middle class respondents admitting that they would rather die early, than retire poor. Financial worries by those looking ahead to their retirement are not unique...

The new issue of Teddington Property News, which can be downloaded for free here, or read below, features up-to-the-minute news and advice for local property investors, landlords, those considering buying an investment property, or home-owners seeking to re-mortgage...

Chancellor George Osborne has unveiled outline changes intended to cut death tax rates for pensioners, with further clarification expected in his autumn statement on December 3rd. It is understood that those under the age of 75 will soon be able to leave drawn down or...

For many individuals, knowing that their money is invested with ethically and socially responsible companies is of great importance. The Financial Planning Group, who are celebrating 21 years in business at the heart of Teddington, will be supporting Good Money Week’s...

The 2014 Budget contained some unexpected good news for pensioners and savers, which included the introduction of the New Individual Savings Account, or NISA’s, as well as ‘Pension Liberation’ changes designed to allow individuals to unlock their pensions, or access...

Whether you are buying a new home, re-mortgaging to take advantage of a better deal, increasing a loan for home improvements, or considering a buy-to-let investment, it is always advisable to seek the best possible independent advice. Banks and Building Societies are...

The Financial Planning Group celebrates an important landmark this summer, with our company marking 21 years in business at the heart of Teddington. FPG partners, Alan Clifton and Tim Norris, will be marking the occasion with clients and staff with several events in...