Managing your wealth

Pensions, although much maligned in recent years, are a great tool to individuals for many reasons, in particular since Pension freedom rules came into...

The prospect of divorce inevitably equates to heartache and difficulty but our experts are on hand to help you through the entire process. Whilst most people immediately think to engage the services of a solicitor when going through a divorce, few...

An individual Savings Account (ISA) is a tax-efficient method of saving and can come in various forms. In recent years, more products have become available to invest in under an ISA wrapper, to appeal to more consumers. These include structured products,...

Birkett Long is delighted to announce that Paul Chilver, an Independent Financial Adviser at the firm is celebrating 20 years of service this year. Birkett Long IFA is part of the wider Birkett Long group, meaning that clients have the advantage of their...

Brighter evenings and warmer weather have signalled the start of Spring. Whilst you may set some time aside to spring clean your house, it can also be a great opportunity to Spring clean your finances. Spring cleaning your finances can help you to...

The last two years have been stressful and uncertain, however, it’s important to ensure that you’re in control of your finances as we approach the end of the 2021/2022 tax year. The tax year will, as usual, finish on 5 April and people all over...

Inheritance tax is often in the news, normally when it is announced how much HMRC has received in the most recent tax year! There are many options available to individuals worried about their IHT liability, but some are put off due to , in most cases,...

Brighter evenings and warmer weather have signalled the start of Spring. Whilst you may set some time aside to spring clean your house, it can also be a great opportunity to Spring clean your finances. Spring cleaning your finances can help you to understand...

This year sees the 30th anniversary of BLIFA. In November 1989, it was an innovative move by the solicitors to launch a separate financial services department. The synergy between legal and financial advice, and providing both services under one roof, has...

We all know that one day we will need a funeral, but what we don’t know is how much it is going to cost. The average price of a funeral is now £3,785 * and rising. For many families this can become a great burden at such an emotional time. ...

Christmas dinner and cheese boards are now a distant memory and 2019 is already in full swing, with the end of the tax year fast approaching. The tax year finishes on the same date each year, 5 April. But each year there’s the same rush to make last...

With bank and building society savings account interest rates providing minimal returns, cash savings for investors remain unattractive. Currently, investors are typically receiving interest rates of between 0.5% and 1.6% per annum on their savings. Whether...

I will be at our seminars presenting on discounted gift trusts, which I touched on at our annual investment seminars earlier this year. “What is a discounted gift trust?” I hear you ask?  Well, a discounted gift trust is an Investment Bond...

Farmers work tirelessly to run an efficient and profitable business and to provide an income for the family, but what happens if disaster strikes and you can no longer work.  Is there anything that can reduce the impact to that loss of income and halt...

It is said that failing to plan is, in fact, planning to fail.  That certainly seems to be the case when it comes to protecting your wealth for future generations.  Nicola Ward, Associate and Financial Planning Manager at Birkett Long IFA,...

There are ways to reduce inheritance tax liability on death.  Below, I highlight some of the gifts that can be used without your needing to survive seven years following a gift, together with an investment option that we will cover at our seminars in...

Maintenance payments often form part of a divorce settlement and can therefore be legally binding.  Whilst this provides some security of payment for a fixed period of time, what is often overlooked is that the payments would cease on death of the...

When a couple enter into a marriage they are undertaking a duty to support one another, both emotionally and financially. What many spouses do not know is that, in the event of separation, whilst the emotional duty may come to an end, the duty to financially...

The role of trustee is not to be undertaken lightly, especially as trustees are personally liable should a beneficiary claim some form of negligence. Trusts are often created as a result of an instruction in a will, especially when someone wants to leave...

The future can seem a long way off; however, the reality, of course, is that it’s not!  This is why planning ahead and making the right decisions today will give you peace of mind, knowing that your personal and financial affairs are organised in...

As a parent, you want to provide the best for your children and plan for their future.  We all know that raising children is expensive.  In 2011 the average cost of raising a child was £133,848 and in 2013 this had increased by 15% to...

On 19 March 2014 in the Government’s 2014 Budget the Chancellor, George Osborne, surprised the Financial Services industry by announcing major changes to the Individual Savings Account (ISA) rules.  It was announced that ISAs would be reformed...

If you are looking for good ideas about how to invest and grow your money, Birkett Long, legal and independent financial services firm, is staging a free seminar in Colchester and Stock. Paul Chilver, a financial planner with the firm, says people...

With the Bank of England base interest rate held at a record low level of 0.5% for over four years, bank and building society savings account interest rates remain unattractive. Investors with bank and building society Cash Individual Savings Accounts...

As a parent, you want to provide the best for your children and plan for their future.  As we all know raising a child/children is expensive, in the last two years the average cost of raising a child has increased by 15% from £133,848 in 2011 to...