Read the latest news and articles from the Gem & Co team
As you may be aware, we recently sent out a client survey to gain an insight into your thoughts and feelings about the service we provide and identify areas where we can improve. As promised, we’re sharing the survey results with you and what changes we’ll make where necessary. Of those who completed the survey,
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One of the biggest social changes over the last 50 years has been the rise in the do-it-yourself (DIY) approach to jobs around the house. This has resulted in the rise of DIY superstores, along with any number of books and TV programmes encouraging you to sort things out for yourself rather than get someone
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Rising inflation and concerns about recession risks continue to place pressure on households and affect economies around the world. The World Bank has slashed its 2022 global growth forecasts from 4.1% to 2.9%. The organisation also warned the global economy is at risk of experiencing stagflation, where economic growth is stagnant, but inflation is high.
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The pension gap between men and women is closing. But, once life expectancy is taken into consideration, women still need to save an extra £185,000 for retirement, on average, according to the Scottish Widows 2021 Women and Retirement report. The report finds that young women in their 20s today can expect to have around £250,000
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Research suggests that millions of workers are being too cautious with their pensions. Taking too little investment risk with retirement savings could mean your pension is much lower than it could have been. It could affect your retirement lifestyle. Pensions and investment risk If you pay into a defined contribution (DC) pension, your money will
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The age you can access defined contribution (DC) pensions is rising. Research suggests that many people are unaware of this, but it could affect your retirement plans. At the moment, you can access money saved into a DC pension scheme from the age of 55. However, from 2028, this will rise to 57. If you’d
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It’s been six years since Pension Freedoms were introduced. They gave retirees more choice in how they accessed their pension, and increased the need to make important decisions about how and when to do so. Unfortunately, it’s also made pensions an attractive target for fraudsters. In recent weeks, the lack of Pension Freedom safeguards, causing
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2020 saw a lot of volatility within investment markets. While vaccine news means there is hope for battling Covid-19 in 2021, there’s still a lot of uncertainty. If you’re retired and are taking a flexible income from your pension, it’s likely your pension is invested, so it’s important to take stock of how it has
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More people are becoming self-employed and it’s a step that’s been linked to improved wellbeing. But it can mean your financial security falls, particularly when looking ahead to retirement. For self-employed workers, it’s important to take steps that can ensure your financial security in the long term. According to research from the Institute of Fiscal
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Your 55th birthday, rising to 57 in 2028, often marks being able to access your pension for the first time. The opportunity to take a 25% lump sum tax-free is certainly attractive and can be too tempting to resist. But it’s not a decision to take lightly and it isn’t the right move for everyone.
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From 2028, you won’t be able to access your Personal Pension until the age of 57. The government’s decision could affect your retirement plans and it’s important to review what it means for your future. The government previously stated it intended to increase the age people could access their Personal Pensions, currently set at 55.
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Throughout your career, you’ve probably contributed to a few pensions. It can be easy to lose track of them, so you may have considered consolidating them into one larger pension instead. Indeed, research from the Pension Policy Institute shows that there are eight million deferred Workplace Pensions with values under £1,000. You could be neglecting
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