Moving home can be an expensive and stressful process at any age. Many people would prefer to stay put and benefit from the ‘equity’ or value tied up in their homes, and equity release schemes allow them to do that.

Whether you rent or own your home, insuring it makes sense. There are two main types of home insurance to consider – buildings and contents. As the names suggest, buildings insurance protects the property itself, whilst contents insurance covers the furniture, furnishings, appliances, clothing and all your possessions.

From childhood, most of us are told to put away money to save for the future, perhaps for something special; or maybe to be sure that when we really need something we have the funds to acquire it, without taking on debt. People’s aims are broadly the same; to provide for future needs, and to protect ourselves against unexpected expenditure, events and inflation.

Inheritance tax is perhaps the most disliked of all taxes. People having worked hard and paid income tax, capital gains taxes throughout their lives are then subject to perhaps the heaviest tax of all, upon their death. No wonder clients wish to reduce or even avoid paying ‘death duties’. Inheritance tax is considered a voluntary tax, because with the right planning the tax can certainly be reduced and even avoided.

Is now the time to consider an Ethical or ESG Sustainable investment strategy? Socially responsible investment (SRI) and the use of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investment criteria to guide investments has moved into the investment mainstream. Many private investors want a more active, objective driven approach. There is a realisation that ESG focused investments are not just philanthropic but a way to future proofing your investments where performance need not be compromised.

Every tax year you have an allowance to save or invest money up to a certain amount without any personal liability to tax on your returns. The ISA allowance for the 2020/2021 tax year which ends on the 5th of April, is £20,000 per person. There are four types of ISA for adults: cash, stocks and shares, lifetime and innovative finance.

Whilst insuring ourselves against an undesirable event such as sickness or death, may not be a pleasant thing to think about, the benefit of being able to set financial issues aside at emotionally difficult times cannot be overlooked.

If you die without a Will, then the government will decide who will inherit your estate in accordance with the Rules of Intestacy. These were drawn up in the 1920s, and despite major revisions in 2014, may not accord with your wishes.

Mortgages are one of the largest single transactions in most people’s lives. Buying a property can be a stressful and time-consuming experience; nowadays the financing of a mortgage is a case of finding and selecting the most suitable mortgage, rather than simply accepting a lender’s offer.

Pensions are designed to enable you to save sufficient money during your working life to provide an income stream for you to live comfortably after you have retired.