You will no doubt be familiar with Payment Protection Insurance – you can't fail to be bombarded with the advertising and you may even have been victim to the incessant phone calls or texts advising you to make your claim.

According to the FSA, compensation paid to customers who complained about the sale of payment protection insurance (PPI) has now reached £3bn. £469 million was paid out to consumers in February 2012 alone.

A couple of clients have contacted us recently to ask how this affects them and if they need to take action.

If you feel you do have a valid claim, one of the first things we would recommend is investigating the possibility of making a claim yourself.

The companies that contact you directly offering to make a claim on your behalf are not doing this out of kindness – they stand to make a considerable sum from a successful claim and this eats into any compensation that might be payable to you.

If you find yourself in the position where you need to make a claim then there are a number of steps to follow.

How to make a complaint

You can still make a complaint if you have concerns about how you were sold PPI. Doing so should be a straightforward, free process, and you do not need to use a claims management company, which may charge you. Here are the steps you should take.

1. Contact the firm which sold you the policy directly

Firms regulated by the FSA must respond to your complaint within eight weeks, telling you whether it has been successful or not, or why they need longer to look into it.

You can contact the firm yourself and get free help from organisations like Citizens Advice Bureau if you need it. There are also template letters available to assist with this process and these can be viewed here (hyperlink to blog post with letters in).

2. Contact the Financial Ombudsman Service

If you are not satisfied with the firm's response, the Financial Ombudsman Service(FOS) may be able to help. This is a free, independent service for settling disputes between financial companies and their customers.

It will ask the firm to explain what happened and then decide whether to uphold your complaint.

It is important that you contact the FOS within six months of receiving a final response from the firm.

Cash ISAs are some of the most straightforward investment products on the market. They are designed to appeal to investors who want to take less risk, but also want their cash savings to work as hard as possible in a tax efficient way. For the 2012/13 tax year, the upper limit for a cash ISA investment is £5,640 and there are ways to improve on the average rates available by considering what you need from your money.

What is right for you?
At one end of the scale, if you can only invest small amounts, need full access to your money at any time and need to run a debit card from the account, this flexibility may come at the price of lower interest rates. However, you will still have the benefit of paying no tax on that interest, which will be of particular benefit to those paying tax at 40% or 50%. However, at the other end of the scale, you may find that by tying your money up for a longer period – perhaps placing it on 60 or 90 days’ notice – you could earn a higher rate of interest. Equally, online-only accounts will often pay a higher rate of interest. 

Interest rates can be fickle
Whichever approach you choose, it is worth keeping an eye on interest rates, particularly if you are taking advantage of an introductory bonus or a short-term guarantee. Typically, these expire and can leave you with a lower or less competitive interest rate afterwards. 

As an alternative to building society and bank accounts, cash ISAs can also be invested in certain National Savings & Investments accounts. These are backed by HM Treasury and can be invested in money-market instruments.

Feeling exotic?
At the more exotic end of the market, there are also some structured products that can qualify for ISA investment. They are not strictly ‘cash’, but may offer some form of capital protection. However, some use complex market instruments that are not always easy to understand and can be riskier than they initially appear. They are unlikely to be a straight substitute for a cash ISA, but can offer a more managed risk/reward profile for a certain type of investor.

Transferring
Another popular option with cash ISAs is the ability to transfer to an alternative provider offering a better rate.

Research from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has shown the time taken for ISA transfers has reduced significantly. In 2011, 93% of all cash ISAs were transferred within the 15-day deadline. Providers of cash ISAs are now back-dating interest if the transfer is delayed beyond this and are publishing interest rates on cash ISAs statements.

The OFT became involved in the cash ISA market after a ‘super complaint’ by watchdog Consumer Focus in 2010 showed cash ISA transfers were taking an average of more than 26 calendar days. OFT research found, during the transfer period, consumers not only miss out on the higher rates that pushed them to transfer in the first place, there was also a period during which they received no interest at all. The OFT deemed this unacceptable and said transfers and interest rates on cash ISAs need to be more transparent, introducing the target wait of 15 working days. The OFT also stated the new rate of interest should be paid from day 15 of the transfer period – even if the transfer remains incomplete – and that interest rates be published on statements.

Currently, more than 10% of Cash ISA holders currently switch their deposits to a new provider each year so many have been affected by the delays. Consumer champion Which? believes that 15 days is still too long and is pushing for 10 days. In response to this, the OFT has recommended that research be done to see if an electronic transfer system is feasible.

Do your research
It is important to keep track of your cash Isa’s and make sure that you are receiving the best interest rate possible for your deposit. Some of the worst ISA providers are paying a fraction of 1%. This compares with offerings like Santander’s instant access Direct ISA paying 3.30% and the Halifax offering an inflation beating 4.50% if you are prepared to tie the money up for 5 years.

Retirement and Investment Solutions were delighted to be able to support the Bishop’s Waltham and area Community Responders by donating a £200 cash raffle prize to a recent Music & Fish’n’Chip Nite. The sell-out event, held in Bishop’s Waltham’s Jubilee Hall on 28^th of April, had revellers rocking the night away to singing duo Michaela & Danny, the popular Trevor John Band.

The lucky prize winner was Diane McLean, a Practice Nurse who works in Southampton. It was most appropriate that the prize should go to someone who has herself been a Responder since the local group started 11 years ago. The Bishop’s Waltham area is certainly fortunate to have such an active and respected Community Responder group. When an ambulance is called out, the Responders are alerted so that, if necessary, they can be first on the scene to resuscitate patients or provide vital first-aid during those critical minutes before the ambulance arrives.

All Responders are volunteers but need support to cover the cost of ongoing training and expensive medical equipment. The Music & Fish’n’Chip Nite raised a total of £2,400 to help with this.

It has always been a widely held belief that pension funds are protected from creditors in the event of bankruptcy but a recent court decision has thrown this into doubt and which could have significant implications in divorce cases where pension funds are a part of the assets.

In a recent ruling in the High Court in the case of Raithatha v Williamson the bankrupt member Mr Williamson had an uncrystallised pension fund worth £1 million. He had not taken any benefits and relied upon the protection from the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 that excludes uncrystallised pension benefits from being part of the bankrupt’s estate. Of course if Mr Williamson had crystallised his pension fund and taken benefits the trustee in bankruptcy, Mr Raithattha, could  have applied for a general Income Payment Order that would have allowed the recovery of any income over and above that deemed necessary to provide the reasonable needs for Mr Williamson and his family. 

Mr Raithatha was advised to issue an application against Mr Williamson under the Income Payment Order rules on the basis that Mr Williamson could take the benefits from his pension fund but had chosen not to  (possibly to avoid some or all of the benefits being “lost” to his creditors!).

The Court concluded that there was no logical reason why there should be a distinction between a bankrupt who had taken pension benefits and one who could have taken benefits but had chosen (for whatever reason) not to do so.

The right to appeal has been given and we shall have to wait to see if the decision is challenged – however if it is not challenged or the decision is upheld this could have significant implications in divorce cases.   

Why?

In divorce cases it is not unusual for one or even both parties to be placed in a difficult financial position and subsequent bankruptcy could definitely be a concern.

If that person is aged 55 or over and has an uncrystallised pension fund (possibly as a consequence of the divorce settlement) then this decision makes it very likely that creditors could successfully apply for a general Income Payment Order against the benefits that could be provided by that pension fund.    

Earmarking has not been widely used as a means of using pension assets as a part of a divorce settlement due to the drawbacks (lack of control over timing and possible loss of benefits on death) but if there is any possibility of either party to the divorce being made bankrupt then perhaps this ruling makes earmarking a better proposition than pension splitting. 

Regulations have been laid earlier this year extending the facility enabling small

“stranded” pension pots to be commuted on the grounds of triviality to include personal

pensions. This extension takes effect from 6 April 2012 and means that if you have a small pension fund you can take the fund as a lump sum rather than use it to buy an annuity (fixed income for life).

In order to take advantage of this the scheme rules must allow it and the following

conditions must be met:

• member has attained age 60

• the funds in the personal pension arrangement must not exceed £2,000

• the payment extinguishes the member’s entitlement under the arrangement

• only 2 such commutations are possible in a member’s lifetime.

Please note that these payments take no account of the level of pension savings the

member has elsewhere and are in addition to any trivial commutation lump sum payments and

any commutation of small pots payable from occupational pension schemes.

When we meet with clients there are a number of themes that crop up time and again – the same sort of questions and ideas. With this in mind we have prepared a list of what we feel are 10 top tips for those people facing retirement.  

Our 10 top tips to preparing for retirement:

1. 1. Work out how much income you will need in retirement – this is often overlooked but it is vitally important. A lot of what we do for our clients is financial planning but it is almost impossible to plan if you don’t know    what you are trying to achieve.  We have an excellent budget planner on our website and this will help you to do exactly that.  
   2. Get a State Pension forecast. Many people overlook the importance of what the state will provide. We have found that for many of our clients it is a useful top-up to their pension provision.
   3. Work out how much income you will get from your private and company pensions. It is very important to keep an eye on this. Make sure that you receive up to date valuations and projections for your personal and    company pension provisions. It is important that you review this regularly to ensure that it provides what you will expect.
   4. Look at the shortfall and devise a plan to meet this (see tip number 10!).  The most effective and straightforward way to achieve this is to seek out some professional advice.
   5. Ensure that your wills are up to date and reflect your wishes. This more for peace of mind than anything else and will ensure that the plans you have are carried out.
   6. Have a plan for your retirement – think about new hobbies or activities – have a strategy for how you are going to occupy this new chapter in your life.
   7. Keep on working – nowadays many people simply reduce the amount of work they do gradually or start something new that they have always wanted to do – it may be volunteer work
   8. Check out your options at retirement – how best to use your pension funds.
   9. Check your Tax – HMRC can get this wrong in the year up to and the year after retirement.
   10. Contact Retirement and Investment Solutions for a free retirement review!  At Retirement and Investment Solutions we offer a free retirement review. One of our overriding beliefs is that everybody should seek         independent impartial advice with regards to their retirement plans and how best to make the most of their retirement income.    

Financial Conduct Authority head, Martin Wheatley, says equity release has a role in funding long-term care and argues that people may have moved on from the idea of leaving their home to their children. Speaking at an Age UK conference in London last week, Wheatley said equity release represents “one part of the solution” to the problems faced by an ageing society.

He said: “There is clearly a huge amount of capital built up in homes and we do not all need to leave large legacies to children who have already grown up and have a home themselves.“We may have moved beyond the age of leaving a home intact and debt-free to the next generation. The challenge now is how people can utilise the value that has been built up to pay for what is becoming an increasing problem of caring for an ever-longer old age.”

Association of British Insurers Director General, Otto Thoresen, said equity release is a big part of the solution to long-term care funding and could play a role as the industry looks to build on the care funding proposals outlined by Andrew Dilnot last July. He says: “We need to start thinking about how we can begin raising the profile of equity release in a positive way.” But Joseph Rowntree Foundation chief executive, Julia Unwin, warned equity release cannot cover the increasing levels of retiree debt. She said: “The Treasury has its eyes on equity release to pay for people’s old age, to pay for care, provide insurance and possibly pay off their children’s student loans. Let us remember that we cannot use equity that many times. The fact that a very high number of people are entering retirement with mortgages seems to be a wake-up call that people are leaving employment with quite a high level of debt. We should not overstate what that equity is there for.” 

As Kodak’s recent slide into bankruptcy suggested, the camera-film business has known better days. This week, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) delivered the final insult to celluloid by removing charges for processing colour films from the shopping basket of goods it uses to measure inflation. iPads are in; Kodachrome is out. Fair enough, you might think. Elsewhere, however; there was a distinctly retro feeling to some of the items that the ONS tossed into its basket, which now includes cans of stout, nanny fees and trade union subscriptions. What next? Based on recent trends, analysts are looking for the ONS to include Spangles, Austin Allegros and space hoppers in future revisions!

Late last year, HM Treasury announced that subscription limits for Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) from April 2012 will increase to £11,280. Half of this  amount can be saved in cash.  Junior ISAs (JISAs) are now also available from 1 November with a limit of £3,600 for each eligible child per year, as part of the Government’s commitment to encourage saving for children. 

With the new tax year just about to start, you may want to think about using this valuable tax efficient investment vehicle. Fortunately, many of the deposit providers reserve their best rates for just this type of plan. If you need instant access to the funds then Marks and Spencer’s Money are offering a rate of 3% gross per annum on their advantage cash ISA option. If you are prepared to lock up the fund for a period of time, then Birmingham Midshires are offering a rate of 4.05% gross for their 2 year fixed rate Cash ISA.   

These are Britain's 60 and 70 year-olds and have been described in a new piece of research as the luckiest generation alive.

Born to a nation of heroes, following victory after the Second World War, this generation has lived through more than six decades of peace, prosperity and technological innovation.

This research has shown exactly why this generation is classed as the luckiest on the planet. It was in 1957 Prime Minister Harold Macmillan told the British people that most of them had “never had it so good".

For those people who can count themselves amongst Generation V, these words turned out to be very true. This generation grew up with Elvis and the Beatles , the Swinging Sixties, and the birth of Colour Television. They benefited from the booming housing market of the '80's and the research has shown in the early part of the first decade of the 21st Century they actually held 80% of the UK’s wealth.

Proving that age is not an issue for this generation almost half describe themselves as ‘younger than my years’ and less than 1% think of themselves as ‘old’. This generation is not only fit in mind, but in body too. Nearly half of Generation V regularly undertake physical exercise three times a week - more than the recommended average for people of their age.

As part of the generation which has seen NASA put men on the moon and the invention of smaller and smarter mobile phones, the members of Generation V are certainly not shy of new technology. Many of them are as active online as much as they are offline. Generation V spend a great deal of time, and money, on the internet.

Keeping up to date with modern society and trends is also very important to them with 40% having an active Facebook account and almost 30% using Skype to communicate with friends and family.

However it is the power of the grey pound which sums up the positivity and ambition of Generation V. One fifth is still working but for most, this is the time in life to enjoy the fruits of their labour, and many of them they certainly are! They indulge themselves by dining out and going to the theatre, going on holidays often two or three times per year, and making improvements to their homes.

Long may it continue!

This could be the account in which you store your rainy day funds or money simply there for an emergency. Whatever it's use it tends to be the place where you keep savings which you are not prepared to tie up for any period such as a notice type account or even a longer term fixed rate bond.

This is traditionally the place where you receive the lowest of interest rates but it does not have to be this way. A little shopping around can find easy access accounts with a slightly higher rate of interest. With inflation starting to fall slightly it is very important to  make sure you do all you can to try and preserve the real value of your money over the longer term.

With this in mind we have taken a look at some of the best easy access accounts out there at present.

Allied Irish are offering an easy access reward account with interest payable annually. This offering has a very generous 3% gross per annum and the account can be managed by post or telephone.

If you would prefer to receive your interest more regularly then ING offer their account which pays montlhy interest at a rate of 2.90% gross per annum. This account can be managed online or by telephone.

Finally, are you looking for a more tax efficient offering? Then Virgin 's Easy Access Cash eISA is currently paying in interest rate of  2.85% per annum.

As always I hope this information is useful to you - if there is a specific area that you would like us to comment on then don't hesitate to let us know. 

Its aim is to improve service levels, transparency and ensure the interests of financial advisers and their clients are in line.

For the Financial Services Authority, the industry regulator, RDR is about establishing a “resilient, effective and attractive retail investment market that consumers can have confidence in and trust, at a time when they need more help and advice than ever with their retirement and investment planning”.

The good news for clients of RIS is that we have been working this way for many years. Our business is geared to providing excellent levels of client service, our remuneration is completely transparent   and both Pat and Steve are already qualified to the standard which will required by the industry from next year.   

Following on from our extremely successful ‘7 Essential Steps for Everyone Facing Retirement’ seminar the message from this seminar is "Don't go into retirement ill prepared".

We want to help take the worry and guesswork out of planning for retirement by holding this free seminar about the options available at retirement.

At the seminar you will learn:

Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment. If you know of someone else who may benefit from this informal but informative event, please feel free to pass on the details.

One of the resounding sentiments to come from the research is how many of you would be prepared to refer our services to a friend, relative or colleague.

At RIS many of our clients are referred by friends and colleagues and this is our preferred method of conducting business.

This type of client endorsement is very valuable to us and to show our appreciation we want to ensure this loyalty is rewarded. With this in mind, we wanted to inform you of our referral scheme.

For each person that is referred to us by you who then goes on to become a client in their own right, we will give you the choice of a luxury gift. It is just as our way of saying thank you. This could be a meal at a beautiful restaurant, a luxury hamper or even gift vouchers, the choice is yours.

Many of you have said how keen you would be to support us and we wanted to remind you that if you do then that support is well rewarded.

One answer, according to commentators, would be to raid the higher rate tax relief on pension contributions - there have been several stories to that effect in the Financial Times and elsewhere. Of course, this has been threatened many times in the past. But this time could be different.

For a start there are people in the Coalition Government - the Lib Dems - who favour the policy. And discussions about the possibility of abolishing higher rate tax relief have been reported as taking place at the highest levels. The practicalities have been an inhibiting factor in the past, but now the legislators know exactly how to do it from their recent experience under the previous occupants of Downing Street. What's more, it would look as if we really were "all in it together".

Of course, there would be a lot of squealing - and quite right too. Yet what is the alternative political home for those who don't like the idea? It is unlikely that most would be tempted into voting for Mr Miliband. David Cameron and George Osborne can blame Clegg and co. And there's no getting away from the fact that it would raise billions.

So the Budget really could contain some major surprises this year - and pensions tax relief might only be one of them.

Here at RIS we will be watching the budget closely to see what impact it has on our clients. Shortly afterwards we will be issuing a budget summary newsletter detailing how we think this affects you.

Most of our clients have spent many years growing their wealth through property and investments and we are proud to have played our part in helping them to achieve their goals.

However we find that most people fail to consider how they can protect that wealth both for themselves and for future generations. Maybe you have never considered how easy it could be for your wealth to be quickly eroded by the cost of residential nursing care or inheritance tax.

If you have children from a previous marriage, you may want to ensure that some of your wealth will eventually pass to your own children. This may also be the case if your spouse decided to remarry after your death.

Once your wealth passes to the next generation it could be at risk from more threats;

• If one of your children has a shaky marriage which ends in separation and divorce, then your wealth could find its way into the hands of your ex-son or daughter-in-law.
• Your wealth could be taken by creditors if your children cannot repay their personal or business debts.
• In an extreme case it may even be life threatening to give a large sum of money to a beneficiary who is addicted to drink or drugs.

 However, the good news is that we have developed a solution for our clients who have the foresight and desire to protect their property and investments from these risks.

This solution would allow you to leave a Family Legacy Fund to help future generations with their education, buying a house and retirement planning.

 Obviously you will want to know more, so we have prepared a factsheet which is freely available on request.

The protection is capped at £85,000 per person per Institution and it is this “per institution” restriction which causes the most confusion.

Brands with very different images may be linked under a single authorisation. For example, Lloyds Bank’s authorisation covers AA Savings, Bank of Scotland, Birmingham Midshires, Capital Bank, Halifax, Intelligent Finance, Saga, Cheltenham & Gloucester Savings, Scottish Widows as well as Lloyds TSB.

Therefore, if you have more than one of these accounts the maximum protection is £85,000 per person.  If you have joint accounts the cover is £170,000.

To get a full list of which brands are covered by which Institution click on the link below which will take you to the FSA’s list of “Linked deposits for the purposes of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)”.

http://www.fsa.gov.uk/consumerinformation/uk_groups

If your bank or building society is not on the list and you would like information about how it is authorised, you will need to speak to your bank which should be able to advise you.

I hoped to run this story last year but space in the Newsletter was a little tight in the run up to Christmas. With this in mind apologies for this slightly late news item.

Slightly belated congratulations go to Syd Prior who has retired from B&Q just days before his 97th birthday. Mr Prior had worked for B&Q for more than 20 years after starting work with them aged 76! He plans to enjoy spending time with friends and visiting the theatre more regularly. 

Mr Prior had not been unemployed since the age of 14 and has cited hard work as the key to long life and happiness. He is an inspiration to us all and we would like to wish Mr Prior a happy and healthy retirement.     

We would like to thank you all for your comments regarding our charitable donation programme for 2012 and for your excellent suggestions.

After some deliberation we have decided that our two chosen charities for this year will be the Wickham First Responders and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance. We feel that these are two very worthwhile causes and whilst modest we hope that our contributions will assist with their work over the coming year.     

For those that read the local publications that appear periodically you may start to see adverts for our forthcoming seminar.

Following on from our extremely successful 7 Essential Steps for Everyone Facing Retirement seminar  the message from this seminar is "Don’t go into retirement ill prepared".

We want to help you to take the worry and guesswork out of planning for retirement by attending our free seminar about your options at retirement. At the seminar you will learn:

• What options are available to you at retirement

• How to cut through the pension jargon

• See if you could boost your retirement income at no extra cost

• The importance of keeping your options open throughout your retirement to handle any unforeseen expenses that may occur

• How to find out what the State will pay you and when

• The value of independent advice at this crucial time

If you are thinking about retirement, we would be delighted if you could join us at the Solent Hotel & Spa, Whiteley on Thursday 29th March 2012 at 6.30pm. To claim your free place, please contact us on 01489 878300 and speak to one of our friendly team or register on our website www.retirementis.co.uk. Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment.

This is a reminder that our Market Commentary Seminar is being held on  Monday 13th February at the Solent Hotel and Spa in Whiteley. We are holding two separate sessions, one at 3pm and one at 7pm. Refreshments will be available at registration from 2.45pm or 6.45pm.

The guest speakers will be the fund managers John Wallace and James Grayson from Brooks MacDonald. Whilst they will be representing Brooks MacDonald they will be talking about their thoughts regarding the markets and general economy as well. Although the initial invitees were our client base we feel that this information would be useful to a wider audience. If you think that you might like to attend this event please contact us on 01489 878300 or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for details of availability and to reserve a place. Places are limited. 

As you will know we are always keen to share this type of knowledge and if you have any friends, relatives or colleagues who you feel might benefit from this free, no obligation seminar, then please ask them to contact us on the numbers above to reserve a place. We will put the name of all existing clients who bring a guest into a draw to win vouchers of their choice to the value of £100.

This could have a significant impact for everybody, but particularly for anyone over the age of 50. If you are over 50, you may think that the introduction of the new workplace pension scheme into which employees and employers are going to have to contribute is not really going to impact too much on your retirement plans.

However, we agree with Lord Oakeshott, the LibDem Peer, who has publically stated that People over 50 being auto-enrolled into a pension should be given one hour of face-to-face advice due to the increased risk of misselling.

Lord Oakeshott is more concerned about the interaction with state benefits, debt and scheme charges, but it goes much further than this.....

The automatic enrolment, which will happen every 3 years if you opt out, can cause major financial implications if

•  Your pension pot is likely to exceed 1,500,000
•  You have applied for Enhanced or Primary Protection in the past
•  If you are considering Fixed Protection because of the imminent reduction in the Lifetime Allowance from £1,800,000 to £1,500,000
•  If you take advantage of the new Flexible Drawdown pensions

Without proper advice you could end up in the situation of breaching HMRC rules and be liable to large penalties or reductions in benefits. Depending on the size of the employer this automatic enrolment could start as early as October 2012 which means that you should contact us as soon as possible to take advantage of our free one hour consultation and make sure that you are not unknowingly breaching HMRC rules.

If you are over 50, you may think that the introduction of the new workplace pension scheme into which employers are obliged to automatically enrol some or all of their workers into a pension scheme is not really going to impact too much on your retirement plans.

However, we agree with Lord Oakeshott, the LibDem Peer, who has publically stated that People over 50 being auto-enrolled into a pension should be given one hour of face-to-face advice due to the increased risk of misselling.

Lord Oakeshott is more concerned about the interaction with state benefits, debt and scheme charges, but it goes much further than this.....

The automatic enrolment, which will happen every 3 years if you opt out, can cause major financial implications if

•  Your pension pot is likely to exceed £1,500,000
• You have applied for Enhanced or Primary Protection in the past
• If you are considering Fixed Protection because of the imminent reduction in the Lifetime Allowance from £1,800,000 to £1,500,000
• If you take advantage of the new Flexible Drawdown pensions

 Without proper advice you could end up in the situation of breaching HMRC rules and be liable to large penalties or reductions in benefits.

 Depending on the size of the employer this automatic enrolment could start as early as October 2012 which means that you should contact an Independent Financial Adviser as soon as possible to make sure that you are not unknowingly breaching HMRC rules.

If you are wondering whether you should release money from your Home, you will find the updated free guide from the Financial Service Authority’s Money Advice website really useful.

yourmoney.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/tools/publications/firms_online_order_form.html

If you click on the above link and select “Free Printed Guides” at the top of the page and then the “pensions and retirement options tab”, you will find the guide which was updated in November 2011.

The advance of the baby boomer generation is leading to a massive increase in the number of people approaching retirement.

As far as I am concerned our main task is to make sure that our clients who are facing retirement get the maximum income possible.   In many cases, this can be as simple as making sure they use their Open Market Option. However, when you take into consideration that many people are affected by lifestyle issues or health conditions the advantages of shopping around become even more compelling. Typically, an enhanced annuity could increase our client’s income by a further 20%, perhaps much more

One in every two

Research from the Association of British Insurers suggests that nearly half of all retirees could improve their income with an enhanced annuity, yet only one in ten actually buy one.

However, with an uplift of perhaps £20 in every £100 offered by a standard life annuity, this has to be a concern. If you smoke or have ever stayed in a hospital or are taking prescribed medication you could qualify.

 A range of lifestyle conditions

From simple lifestyle issues such as smoking, alcohol and high blood pressure through to more serious illnesses such as heart disease, cancer and stroke, every piece of information matters. Together, they can make the difference between just getting an income - and getting the significantly uplifted income that these condition mean you deserve.

So the moral of this story is “don’t just take the pension offered by your existing company;  take advice and shop around before it is too late”

One of Pat's relatives is having a stab at pop superstardom with this festive offering!

Click here:

A possible Christmas number one? I don't think the military wives are worried just yet... Enjoy! 

We would like to wish all of our clients and associates a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year!      

Enter Norfolk pensioner Joy Tomkin. Legend has it that the 81 year old has chosen a most unusual way of communicating her desire to avoid life sustaining medical treatment. Apparently the words "DO NOT RESUSCITATE" are tattooed onto her chest. As if this was not clear enough she has made doubly sure that her wishes will be carried out by having the letters "PTO" tattooed onto her back!

You don't have to go this far though. One of the jobs we do at Retirement and Investment Solutions is to maintain important connections with legal professionals who can advise on wills and the type of arrangement that Joy required. Before you head for the tattoist's needle give us a call - we would gladly point you in the right direction of someone qualified to help more painlessly.          

The newly revised numbers, from the Office for National Statistics, show that life expectancy is rising for the general population by one year every four. Experts are worried that this new information could cause the government to scrap their already accelerated plan to raise the state pension age to 68 by 2046.

The concerns are heightened as David Cameron and other prominent policymakers have recently made statements about austerity leading the way to prosperity. Experts warn that as state benefits come under pressure, it is important for the public to be prepared for the worst by saving privately.

Prizes often go unclaimed as the bond-holder has moved house, had them gifted to them as a child or maybe they are the executors of a will.

Thankfully there is no time limit on making a claim as the oldest unclamed prize dates back to 1957. Fortunately you can visit the National Savings and Investment website (nsandi.com) and simply enter your Premium Bond Holders' number to check if you have any unclaimed winnings. Alternatively you can write to them at: Premium Bonds, National Savings and Investment, Glasgow, G58 1WA.

If you have moved house, have some old Premium Bonds and have 5 minutes to spare it might just be worth checking - you never know...

The office will be closing at 5pm on Thursday 22nd December 2011. It will re-open on Tuesday 3rd January at 9am. If you need to get hold of us urgently during this time please contact the office on 01489 878300 and leave a message. This will be checked throught the Christmas period and somone will respond to you.

In addition the office will be closed from Midday on Wednesday 14th December for the staff Christmas lunch. Again if you need to get hold of us urgently please leave a message on the anwserphone and someone will respond as soon as possible.

As many of you will be finding it is increasingly difficult to get decent savings and deposit interest rates. A combination of a historically low Bank of England base rates and high levels of inflation mean it is important to make sure you make the most of your savings. Otherwise you are faced with the very real prospect of the value of your money eroding over the years.    

One of the things we regularly look at for our clients is who is offering the best interest rates - be it a cash ISA subscription or a fixed term bond or something else.

If you are happy to tuck the funds away then for as little as £500 you can open a 2 year fixed online saver with Halifax. As the name suggests this is an internet only account and the fixed term nature of the account means that no withdrawals are permitted during the term. The interest rate is 3.85% but remember that you will be taxed on the interest payable on this type of account.

With regards to cash ISA's, Northern Rock (soon to become part of the Virgin stable) are currently offering an eISA paying 3.05%. You can open this ISA with as little as £1. Again, we always recommend that you use your annual ISA allowance to take advantage of the tax benefits applicable to this type of account.     

As with so many things the online rates are often marginally more favourable than the rates payable on the in-branch or telephone accounts due to the redcued overheads faced by the banks.

One important thing to remember with deposit account is the depositor protection limit of £85,000 per individual, per institution. Always ensure that you don't place morer than this amount with any one institution and remember that many of the banks and building societies are now part of larger global banking groups.     

I will give you an update each month as well as offering some tips on where to look out for the best savings rates.

All too often it can seem like we are bombarded with bad news from the media about the state of the economy, double-dip recession, Eurozone Crisis etc. We know how complicated it can be to wade through this and make sense of the different opinion pieces and editorial slant from the journalists.

Over the last couple of years we have run a market commentary seminar with a leading fund management group, Brooks MacDonald Asset Management, which aims to cut through these messages and get right to the heart of what is going on with commentary from people who are at the cutting edge. As the nights are starting to draw in we are considering arranging another one of these if people would be interested. If you would like to attend a meeting like this please contact to register your interest and we will organise something for late November/early December.

As many of you will know one of the key messages that Retirement and Investment Solutions like to deliver is that we believe everybody planning for, considering or at retirement should have access to independent advice about their options and circumstances.

Allied to this is our belief that the greatest compliment that you can pay to us is by recommending our services to a relative, friend or colleague. You may not be sure how we can help but that is something we can ascertain when we have a chat or meet with them. 

If you think we could help someone in any way then please do pass on our details or get in touch with us and we would be happy to contact them and discuss their needs further. We value referrals of this nature and if you recommend someone to us who subsequently becomes a client then we like to say thank you by way of a gift. This can be something like lunch at a local restaurant, vintage champagne or a food hamper. For example just yesterday we sent one of our clients Thompson holiday vouchers to the value of £100 to thank them for referring a new client.

So please don’t hesitate to recommend us – you may be able to help a friend or relative and at the same time be rewarded for doing it!

I am sure that many of you will have seen that the rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation in the UK matched its record high in September, rising to 5.2% from 4.5% the month before.

An increase in energy costs has been blamed for the majority of the increase. The rate of 5.2% is the highest CPI measure since September 2008, and CPI has never been higher since this  measure was introduced back in 1997.

September's CPI measure is considerably higher than the Bank of England's target rate of 2%. However, the Bank of England governor Mervyn King is still expecting inflation to begin falling next year once factors such as the rise in VAT last January begin to drop out of the equation.

This recent rise in the cost of living highlights the risk of the Bank's latest move to revive the economy through further quantitative easing, which could help to stoke inflation.

The CPI figure delivered in September is key because it will be used to set the amount by which the state pension and Jobseekers' Allowance will rise next April.

It will be the first time that benefits have increased with CPI instead of the RPI.

Other rates set by the September inflation figures include allowances and indexation for income tax, national insurance, inheritance tax, capital gains tax, disability and maternity benefits, income support and tax credits. With pensions and other benefits rising by 5.2%, it will place increasing pressure on the chancellor, who is already battling to reduce the budget deficit.

We work pretty hard at Retirement and Investment Solutions. Although we all work in a fairly small office environment it is easy for us to become wrapped up in our own little worlds of work. For this reason we like to get together a few times a year for some form of team-building exercise.

However being Retirement and Investment Solutions and having a penchant for doing things differently these things can be quite exciting. In the past year we have subjected our loyal band of staff to pub quizzes, go-karting and a night at the casino! However 2012 is just around the corner and we need to plan our agenda of activities.

With it being an Olympic year we think it should have a bit of a competitive element and suggestions have ranged from shooting to assault courses to duck-herding!?!?!?! What do you think we should do? Please send your suggestions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Here at Retirement and Investment Solutions we are not ones to rest on our laurels. With this in mind we have commissioned a professional firm - TLC Business -  to contact a number of our clients for a short survey about how they perceive us, how they came to work with us, what they think we do well and also what else we could be doing. The contact will come over the next couple of weeks and the results will then be compiled and digested so that we can continue to ensure that we offer the type of service that our clients have come to expect.

You may be contacted shortly to take part in this survey - please answer honestly as we value your opinions and it helps to shape how we work and constantly improve our offering.

The rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation in the UK rose to 5.2% from 4.5% in September 2011.  Meanwhile the Retail Prices Index (RPI) reached 5.6% which is the highest RPI annual inflation rate for over 20 years.

High inflation does however mean that ISA limits will increase to £11,280 from next April, the Treasury has announced, up to half of which can be saved in cash ISA’s.

The CPI will also be used to set the amount by which the State Pension and Job Seekers Allowance will be increased in April 2012.  It will be the first time that benefits have increased by CPI and not RPI.

Other rates set by the September inflation figure include allowances and indexation for Income Tax, National Insurance, Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax.

 A large number of economists believe that the September rise should represent a peak and predict that inflation should start to fall, possibly as low as 2% by the end of 2012 but this is dependent on what happens to oil price movements.

Watch this space…

According to a statement made by the Government today, plans to raise the state pension age to 66 in 2020 will be delayed by six months to address concerns of thousands of women who have already had their state pension age increased from age 60 to 65.

The government has listened to concerns about the effect that the current proposals would have on certain groups of women.  But who will benefit, if these proposals go through?

The Direct Gov website has a very useful table showing the revised increase in State Pension age, by birth date, from 65 to 66 (for men and women) and shows by date of birth those women who will still receive their State Pension before age 65.

As the evenings begin to draw in and we are all thankful for the last little burst of summer we here at Retirement and Investment Solutions are busy planning our next round of seminars.

Each year we run a series of informal but highly informative seminars for those facing retirement. I am pleased to announce that we are now taking bookings for our next seminar. This is to be held at 6.30pm on Wednesday 23rd November 2012 at the Botley Park Hotel in Boorley Green.  The seminar is called 7 Essential Steps for Everyone Facing Retirement. The aim of this event is to take the worry and guesswork out of planning for retirement. At our Free Seminar where you will learn:

• What action you need to take now to ensure a stress-free retirement
• How you can boost your retirement income at no extra cost
• How to work out the income you will need when you have retired
• How to find out what the State will pay you and when
• What you can do to improve the retirement pots you already have
• Your options at retirement

Places are limited at these popular events so to ensure that you can come along please register your interest by clicking on the seminar banner on our homepage or by giving one our friendly team a call on 01489 878300.

We would love to see you there! 

Spare a thought for 62 year old Diana Nyad who has had to give up on not one but two attempts to try and swim from Cuba to Florida. On the first occasion she suffered an asthma attack and then on the second try she received a nasty sting from a man-o-war jellyfish. She had swum about 49 miles of the 103 mile journey.

One of Diana's primary aims was to try and inspire people to remain active as they age.

They do say that if at first you don't succeed then try again. If that fails even more spectacularly then it is probably time for a cup of tea and a revisit of your goals!

 For many retirees – as well as those considering their retirement plans – their home is likely to be their largest asset. In an environment of high inflation and low savings rates, money can be tight for pensioners, but misconceptions about equity release plans might prevent retirees from releasing the value tied up in their home. Research by Safe Home Income Plans (SHIP), the trade body for equity release providers, has found a number of myths that persist about equity release plans.

1 – 69% of UK consumers believe you risk losing your home. However, you can remain in your property for life as long as it remains your main residence. In cases in which a couple is involved, this rule will apply to the last surviving member of the couple.

2 – 67% of UK consumers believe you will not be able to leave an inheritance.  In fact, when you die, your home will be sold and the money used to pay off the loan. Although an equity release plan will reduce the value of your estate, any money left over will go to your beneficiaries. Taking out an equity release plan could also help by reducing inheritance tax liability.

3 – 52% of UK consumers believe you will not be able to move house. In practice, you have the right to move your equity release plan to another suitable property without suffering any financial penalty.

4 – 47% of UK consumers believe equity release plans are unsafe and unregulated. However, all members of SHIP have to abide by a rigorous complaints procedure to satisfy the Financial Services Authority.

5 – 43% of UK consumers believe your children will have to repay the loan themselves. In fact, you will never owe more than the value of your home and no debt is ever left to the estate. Importantly, SHIP providers also offer a no-negative-equity guarantee.

It is important not to confuse equity release plans with sale-and-rent-back arrangements, in which the house is sold – often at a discount – to a third party and then rented back to the vendor for a specified period. These arrangements tend to be an action of last resort, involving those in serious financial difficulties.

Equity release refers to Home reversion plans and Lifetime mortgages. To understand the features and risks ask for a personalised illustration.

 Here at RIS one of the important jobs we do is to help our clients with the assets they have outside of their investment and pensions;  the emergency funds, savings and just plain rainy day money that you build up.

At the end of last year it was announced that the level of depositor protection would increase to £85,000 per individual, per authorised institution (£170,000 for joint accounts). This is all well and good and in many ways a useful amount to give you some confidence that you will be able to make a claim in the event of the unthinkable happening and your bank goes to the wall.

However in these days of enormous global banking firms it is not always easy to tell which bank is part of which banking group. For example Marks and Spencers are part of HSBC; Post Office Savings are part of Bank of Ireland and so on.  The Financial Services Authority has produced a useful table which gives guidance on which firms belong to which group. This will help you to ensure that your savings don't breach that all important £85,000 limit per institution.

The table can be found here - www.fsa.gov.uk/Pages/consumerinformation/uk_groups/index.shtml

 The government currently allows you to opt out of the State Second Pension - this is called 'contracting-out'.   You may also have known it as SERPS or the State Earnings Related Pension Scheme.

The State Second Pension is the pension that the government provides on top of your basic old-age pensions.  You will qualify for this additional pension if you are or have been employed and  you have been earning in excess of the threshold set by the government.  For the 2011/12 tax year this threshold is £5,304. If you are contracted out the government pays some of your National Insurance Contributions to your own individual pension arrangement; these payments are known as rebates.

If you are due to take your retirement benefits prior to April 2012 then these changes will not affect you.  However if you are due to retire after this date and you are contracted out then you will notice some changes.  After April 2012 you will receive no further rebate payments into your plan. The contracted out funds that you have built up so far will remain invested and will be treated in the same way as the remainder of your pension pot.

In addition to this the limitations currently applied to the contracted out part of your pension pot will be removed. You will no longer be required to provide a retirement income to your spouse or civil partner in the event of your death unless you choose to do so.

You can find out more information on the benefits available under the State Second Pension by downloading the HM Revenue & Customs factsheet at www.direct.gov.uk/contractedoutpensions

 We are pleased to announce the appointment of Julie Woodward as the newest member of our team. Julie will be joining us in October as Pat’s Client Relationship Manager/PA and we know she will be a big asset to the company.

Julie has previous experience of the financial services industry and joins us from her current role working as a Fundraiser for the Rainbow Centre in Fareham.  We are all looking forward to Julie starting with us. If you pop into the office then be sure to say hello.

Justin Randall will be our new Practice Manager from October and will be ensuring the continuing smooth running of the company with particular responsibility for Research, due diligence and Compliance.  All these functions ensure that RIS maintains the high level of service and ethics that our clients have been accustomed to.

Tracey Matthews has been promoted to become Steve Webb’s Client Relationship Manager/PA;  Tracey has worked at RIS for over 2 years as our New Business administrator and has excelled in everything she does.  Steve and Tracey make a formidable team and as well as providing advice and support to individuals, they manage several Group Pension Schemes for local businesses.

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee has voted to keep base rate at 0.5 per cent for the 30th consecutive month.

From 6 September 2011 National Savings and Investments have withdrawn the latest Issues of Index-linked Savings Certificates and Fixed Interest Savings Certificates from general sale.

I think most people know that there is no Inheritance tax payable on assets passed to their spouse, but have you thought about the Inheritance Tax that would be payable on the death of the survivor.

According to the Office for National Statistics, the UK Consumer prices index rose to 4.4% in July, which is an increase of 0.2% from 4.2% in June 2011.

We are very proud to announce that our own Sue Tucker has been part of the Retirement and Investment Solutions team for 10 years now. Many of you will know Sue from your visits to the office and will know that she is one of the friendly faces who greets you upon arrival.

Sue has just recently moved to working part time after reaching a  milestone birthday (I won't say which one...) but remains a loyal  and hardworking member of the RIS team.

Congratulations Sue and thanks for all of your hard work and dedication!

Whilst we feel that we have a really good format for our seminars with the 7 Essential Steps for Everybody Facing Retirement and Your Options at Retirement we are not ones to rest on our laurels. Is there something you would like to see discussed at one of our seminars? What do you feel are the burning issues for those facing retirement? We would love to hear your feedback so that we can make sure that our presentations remain relevant and answer the questions that you have.

Low interest rates are great news for borrowers but for savers, they can have a devastating effect. With inflation currently running far in excess of base rates, even though the value of your capital may be safe, you need to keep a close eye on the interest rates you are earning to stop, or at least limit the rate at which the buying power of your money is being eroded.

Nowhere is this more apparent than with Cash ISAs. In a recent survey for watchdog, Consumer Focus, over 80% of Cash ISA holders were found to be earning less than just 0.5% a year on their savings. In most cases, the attractive introductory rates which lured savers in had come to an end and been replaced by very low "standard" rates. In some cases this change had even gone unnoticed. Whilst it is true that, whatever the conditions in the market, most people should hold at least some money in an easy access, readily available deposit account, simply to make sure they can cover unforeseen emergencies and short term needs, any saver with longer term plans should be alarmed by findings like this. At the very least, you should do a review of the market and see if you can find an account paying more.

In response to the findings, Consumer Focus suggested that: "...customers who have not switched their [ISA] savings may be losing one to two per cent in interest. In total this could amount to as much as £1.5 billion to £3.0 billion per year…” With those potential gains at stake, it is certainly worth shopping around”.

It has long been accepted that improvements in medicine, lifestyle and an understanding of the effects which habits such as smoking can have on our health means life expectancy is increasing. Future generations are likely to enjoy much longer and healthier lives on average than their predecessors.

However, figures released in April 2011 by the Department of Work & Pensions illustrate more accurately exactly what that means. These figures suggest, of the under 16s already alive today, over a quarter are going to reach the age of 100 – and already, the average new-born female is going to live to over 90.

As Steve Webb (that is the Minister for Pensions, not our own erstwhile Mr Webb) commented at the time, this means that millions of people will spend over a third of their life in retirement. However, as the DWP were quick to point out, this news also coincides with a period during which pension savings are in serious decline.

An ageing population is putting our welfare system under significant pressure as more people need not only pension income but also healthcare, incapacity support and help within the home. You can therefore have little expectation that a State Pension will provide anything other than a safety cushion when the time comes. If your retirement plans include holidays, visiting relatives and treating yourself on occasion, then it’s time to take control of your savings and take advantage of our Free Pension Review.

United States President Barack Obama has finally announced that Republican and Democratic leaders have reached an agreement on raising the US debt limit and narrowly avoided defaulting on their financial liabilities. 

The Department for Education and the Department of Health have today launched consultations into reforming pensions for their staff. Although if you read the headlines in the media you would be forgiven for thinking that the proposals were final.

It’s not only about money – it’s about freedom, friends and family too.

For the 28th month in a row the Bank of England bank rate has been held at 0.5 per cent. The last time we had a change in interest rates was way back in March 2009, when it was reduced from 1 per cent down to it's current record low. 

According to the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority one in 10 European insurers would not be capable of meeting minimum capital requirements should we be faced with another financial crisis. 

Word is coming through that the Treasury has sent the first compensation cheque to Equitable Life policyholders as part of the £1.5 billion three-year payment plan which it has agreed.

The government has stood firm over its plans to raise the women’s state pension age to 66 by 2020, although there will be transitional arrangements, which means that the State Pension Age for both men and women will increase to 66 by April 2020 with the State Pension Age for women reaching 65 by November 2018.

UK annuity providers and experts believe IFAs could be the fourth choice for retirees behind their employers and current investment provider.

The research commissioned by annuity administrators, Xafinity Paymaster, showed while providers believed for critical decisions such as annuity advice, IFAs should be involved, most retirees will in reality go to their existing provider followed by the internet to pick a pension.

The most popular channels for annuity advice at retirement were firstly, existing investment providers, secondly the internet, thirdly current employer or scheme trusteee, fourthly IFA and finally a bank.

How to decide if transferring a pension is right for you.

This week, Steve Webb, the pensions minister has arranged an emergency meeting with the Pensions Regulator to discuss the fear that thousands of workers have been enticed to give up valuable benefits in exchange for less generous cash-in-hand payments.

Recent research undertaken by Just Retirement on lifestyle changes and medical issues shows it is now estimated that between 55% and 65% of people retiring could have a condition that might qualify for an enhanced annuity and obtain a much needed boost to their income in retirement.

Recent advances in the accuracy of medical underwriting have enabled a ‘widening’ of the conditions that might qualify for an enhancement. Just Retirement’s research shows that more people than ever could benefit from an enhancement to their income in retirement. Also combinations of medical conditions and lifestyle issues are now taken into account in far greater detail.

1.  Kidnappers are not very interested in you.

2.  In a hostage situation you are likely to be released first.

3.  No one expects you to run - anywhere.

4.  People call at 9 PM and ask, "Did I wake you?"

5.  People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.

Here at Retirement and Investment Solutions we are constantly trying to improve and streamline our processes to give our clients the very best advice and a first class service.

One new addition we would like to announce is the introduction of a secure client facility on our website. We hope to use this facility to replace the current process of sending out Brooks Macdonald Quarterly valuations and Contract Notes by email. We will also update the secure site with market updates and any other information that may be relevant.

Steve and Jackie are currently beavering in the background fine tuning some details and then will be in contact regarding this exciting new facility.

Retirement and Investment Solutions have recently added to their library of Free Guides and have published “Questions to ask yourself BEFORE you retire”.

This insightful booklet will highlight all the questions you need to ask yourself as you approach retirement and get ready for the biggest remaining change in your life. What you decide now could have an impact on your life for the next 25 years.

The booklet explores everything from how your health affects your retirement plans right through to how to find any old lost pensions that may be gathering dust.

Download your copy here

Latest price inflation figures published this month show the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 4.5 per cent in April, up from 4.0 per cent in March. The last time CPI annual inflation was higher was September 2008 when it stood at 5.2 per cent (the record high for CPI).

The rate of increase of the Retail Prices Index (RPI) came down, from 5.3% in March to 5.2% for the year to April bringing CPI and RPI even closer together.

However it worth noting the timing of Easter 2011 had a significant impact on certain travel costs included in the CPI due to the collection periods for air transport, sea transport and international rail travel including the Easter holidays. Easter in 2010 was much earlier and did not affect the April 2010 CPI.

Thursday 26th May 2011 - Botley Park Hotel - 6.30pm for 6.45pm

Due to unforeseen circumstances, it is with regret that we have to postpone our seminar on Thursday 26th May 2011 at the Botley Park Hotel.

The seminar will be re-arranged for later in  the year, however if anyone would like to book a free consultation we would be happy to discuss your options at retirement individually.

Everyone who has booked a place on the seminar will be contacted by a member of  the team shortly.

Publication of DWP Research Report 737. Research published yesterdy examines what aspirations people of all ages hold for their later life, what they are currently doing to prepare, and what enablers and barriers there are to achieving their aspirations.

This study focuses on many of the social aspects of preparing for later life and specifically looks at what plans people are making for later life in their earlier years; what hopes or ambitions may motivate people as they approach later life; and, whether later life is viewed as an opportunity to do things people were unable to do in their earlier years or as a time to relax and do less.

I am pleased to annouce that we have recently added to our library of Free Guides and have published “Questions to ask yourself BEFORE you retire”.

This insightful booklet will highlight all the questions you need to ask yourself as you approach retirement and get ready for the biggest remaining change in your life. Remember - what you decide now could have an impact on your life for the next 25 years.

The booklet explores everything from how your health affects your retirement plans right through to how to find any old lost pensions that may be gathering dust.

You may have heard that National Savings & Investments (NS&I) has issued index-linked savings certificates are back on general sale.

NS&I withdrew the investments from the market after sales volumes of the products exceeded expectation back in July 2010.

But it announced in March that after being handed a £2 billion net financing target for 2011/12 in the Budget, it was able to reintroduce them into the market.

As one of the most requested topics, I am delighted to confirm that we will be running a seminar entitled Navigating The Retirement Maze – Your Options at Retirement on 26th May 2011 at the Botley Park Hotel.

When you come along to our Free Retirement Planning Seminar, you’ll learn:

• What options are available to you at retirement
• What steps you can take to maximise your income in retirement
• How the new pension rules affect you and your retirement plans
• The importance of keeping your options open throughout your retirement to handle any unforeseen expenses that may occur
• The value of independent advice at this crucial time
• Plus much, much more!

Our clients agree that our approach has simplified their financial worries and they can now enjoy a stress-free retirement.

Am pleased to confirm our 2011/12 ISA Guide is now available to download.

Get your copy here

Wealthy retirees will be for the first time able to withdraw their entire pension pot following the new rules for Income Drawdown which came into effect this month.

Flexible drawdown will allow pensioners who are income rich but cash poor the opportunity to free up capital to pay for holidays, clear mortgages and help the kids.

The all new Flexible Drawdown is only available to those who will not become a burden on the State by securing a minimum guaranteed income of £20,000 a year.