Read the latest news and articles from the Gem & Co team
As the old saying goes, investing is simple but not easy. It is simple to look back at market data today and wish that we had, for example, owned more US equities and less UK and emerging market equities over the past ten years, given their annualised returns of around 14.5%, 5.0% and 6.5%, respectively.
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As a parent, your child facing an illness could affect your finances just as much as becoming ill yourself. Appropriate financial protection could offer you a safety net when you need it most, including if you need to take a long period off work to care for your child. Read on to find out how
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Embarking on a holiday is about more than simply sightseeing – it’s also your chance to experience new and tantalising local dishes from around the world. An increasing number of people worldwide enjoy exploring exotic flavours during their time abroad. Acorn Tourism Consulting states that food tourism is one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing
Read moreI recently read an article by a wine expert that resonated with me. The wine expert makes the point that she (a genuine expert with numerous appropriate qualifications and 35 years experience) has to shout louder and louder to be heard in a world inundated with a 24-hour news cycle and endless social media. There
Read moreIntroduction It was famously said that ‘all roads lead to Rome.’ In British politics, all speeches currently lead to the EU Referendum. George Osborne’s Budget speech, delivered on Wednesday March 16th, was no exception. More than ever, the Chancellor was seeking to balance politics and economics as he rose to speak. On the politics front,
Read moreThe new dividend allowance will mean that from 2016/17 the first £5,000 of dividends you receive will be free of any personal income tax liability, regardless of your marginal tax rate. However, once the allowance is exceeded the effective tax rates are generally 7.5% higher than currently apply, as the table below shows. Extra Tax
Read more2015/16 marked the beginning of pension flexibility for money purchase schemes. In the first six months following the reform over 380,000 pension arrangements were accessed under the new rules of which nearly 240,000 were fully encashed, according to the Financial Conduct Authority. The introduction of flexibility, radical though it was, is by no means the
Read moreAs the end of the financial year draws ever closer, it’s important not to forget about any ISAs (Individual Savings Accounts) you have and any remaining payments that you’re allowed to make. The maximum allowance for ISAs for the 2015/16 financial year is £15,240, so it’s important that you invest any funds that you have
Read moreFebruary was another month where the problem for this commentary was what to leave out: the world is not short of ‘events’ at the moment. In the Far East, North Korea successfully fired a long range rocket, causing consternation in Tokyo and Seoul. Closer to home, David Cameron returned from Brussels with his deal on
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