Posts by Mary Waring
Aphrodite Angels
Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of beauty, love, and sexuality. Some may remember this from their schooldays. But here’s a little teaser for you: do you know who Aphrodite Angels are? Don’t worry if you don’t recall hearing about the Angels from school. This is infact a service set up by Sarah Wadham to help…
Read MoreWhat’s the difference between an IFA and a Financial Planner?
There are a number of terms used in the financial services industry to describe advisers. A few of the more common ones are Wealth Manager, Independent Financial Adviser (IFA), and Financial Planner. Do all these terms mean the same thing or are you likely to get different services dependant on who you approach? Probably the…
Read MoreHow does a financial adviser charge for their services?
Changes came into effect on 31st December 2012 which meant that commission can no longer be taken from a product provider to remunerate an adviser for the advice they gave to their client. Instead financial advisers will be paid by “adviser charging”. This rule applies to all financial advisers (independent and tied/restricted) and means that…
Read MoreWhy seek financial advice?
Clients typically seek financial advice to get better control and understanding of their finances. Consider the following scenario and consider how familiar does it sound to you? You have a number of different pensions from previous employments. At the time the pension was set up you opted to invest in the default fund because you didn’t know which other fund may…
Read MoreHelp, should I consolidate my pensions?
It’s not at all uncommon for clients to have a large number of different pension pots which have been accumulated over a number of years, all with different providers. Often you start a pension with an employer but then when you change employment leave that pension sitting where it is and start up a new…
Read MoreWhat if you’re a stay at home mum and getting divorced?
It’s easy to think that you’ve stayed at home during your marriage bringing up a family, whilst your partner has gone out to work, that this will impact on the financial settlement you will receive when you are divorced. Since the partner who worked earned the money doesn’t it mean that he gets a greater share of the matrimonial…
Read MoreReview your mortgage regularly
For most of us, our mortgage is the biggest financial commitment we have throughout our life. Given that it provides the security of a roof over our head, it is also one of the most important. As the largest commitment, it is crucial that you get it right, and get the most competitive rate available…
Read MoreHow much is your credit card purchase costing you?
Interest on a credit card is currently around 17%, and could infact be as much as 23% if you are using a store card. If you buy something on a credit card (or indeed purchase with any form of debt) it’s very easy to look at how much you’re paying back each month and to…
Read MoreWhat mortgage will you be offered following divorce?
Mothers who work part time or work in a low paid job to be able to fit their job around general child care, will often struggle after divorce to be eligible for any reasonable sized mortgage from a bank or building society. . Even if your partner has left the marital home and you have…
Read MoreClaim child benefit to protect your state pension
To be eligible for a full state pension you need to have paid or received credit for National Insurance Contributions (NIC) for a minimum of 30 years. For each year less than 30, your full state pension is reduced by 1/30. That means that if you’ve paid NIC for 15 years only your full state…
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