This plan will be fully comprehensive, and will point out all of the areas where we feel you need to do something, and when we sit down together to discuss it, we will jointly prioritise which elements are urgent, and which we can put off until your circumstances permit that they can be addressed. We think of this a bit like the “advisories” section of your car’s MOT where you are told what you are going to need to do in the future, but which don’t make your car unroadworthy today.

Of course, we also know that not everyone’s needs are quite this complicated, perhaps your only current issue can be solved with some relatively simple advice, and so we will ALWAYS tailor our service to suit your immediate, and future needs. Please rest assured though, that where we see things which we believe you need to be aware of, we will point these out to you and ensure that you understand the implications of them.

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Sun Life Financial

There is no doubt, that we are living longer, in fact statistics from Public Health England show that in 2016, a 65-year-old had a life expectancy of a further 19 years for men, and 21 years for women. This creates a significant problem for the state as the number of people drawing State Pensions increases, and adds to the pressure on those contributing through National Insurance towards it. Recent changes to the age at which this can be drawn helps this position, but the stark reality is that we cannot simply meander into later life and trust the State to look after us.

If you’ve ever had this concern, then you are probably in need of a conversation with us to understand what options are available to you. If you haven’t, then answering the following two questions may mean that you do.

 

• Would my dependants be financially stable on their

own in making certain payments, such as the mortgage or daily expenses?

 

• Would my death have a financial impact on my

children or partner?

 

It’s a painful truth that the taxman is often the biggest benefactor of a deceased person’s estate, indeed after Cilla Black’s death in 2015, the £6m Inheritance tax paid by her estate was twice what each of her three sons received individually. It’s not just the mega-rich who are caught by Inheritance tax, but the good news is that although the rules are incredibly complex, careful planning throughout your life can reduce or eradicate the pain of losing hard earned funds to unnecessary tax.

On April 6th 2015, savers were given unprecedented freedom to access and spend their pensions as they wished. It was the biggest shake-up in the retirement rules for a century. The Chancellor’s pension revolution was hailed as the end of the scandal of savers being given annuities which turned their pension pot into an income for life, that paid poorly or were inappropriate. No longer would pensioners see their nest eggs go straight into the pockets of insurers when they died.

How many times have you started a DIY job at home, and half-way through wished that you’d called in an expert at the start? We find that many people who come to us, do so because they are unsure whether what they have arranged for themselves is REALLY the most appropriate thing for their circumstances, and whether someone with more knowledge and experience could improve on it. The internet can be a financial jungle, and the risk of falling prey to a scam, or simply buying an investment or insurance product which doesn’t meet your needs is huge.

Andy has more than 30 years’ experience in Financial Services having worked in Advice, Investment and Insurance companies at a senior level. Andy joined Stonebridge in 2018, to help to develop it into a modern financial planning business which continues to place its clients at the centre of everything it does, and having worked with advisers all over the UK during his time as a Director of Old Mutual, as well as in a National firm of Financial Advisers, he believes that he has seen all of the good (and the bad) elements financial planning, and how they impact on clients.

 

Away from work, Andy enjoys spending time with his family, and when time allows, a round of golf or a walk in the hills.

 

Gill's role is to continuously support the Stonebridge team and to liaise with clients, product providers, accountants and solicitors. A key part of her role is to ensure that every client is looked after efficiently and kept informed of progress from application, through completion and onwards into regular reviews.

 

Gill has over 10 years’ experience in office management and has lived in Chester for 40 years.