Ray Prince

Offset Mortgages - Are They Still Effective?

Offset mortgages can be very tax efficient. However, if interest rates rise offset mortgages will lose some of their appeal. Borrowers should therefore take advantage of low rates of interest while they can. There is little doubt that an offset mortgag... Read >

Planning Your Financial Future - Diagnosis Before Prescription Is Best!

Look out for Financial Planning Week, coming w/c 21st November. This campaign is promoted by The Institute of Financial Planning(IFP) with the aim to raise awareness of how important Financial Planning is to people's lives. The IFP say: "Putting som... Read >

Is Financial Planning The Key To Happiness?

This was the title of an article that appeared in one of the 'trade mags' we receive, New Model Adviser. This publication was launched a few years ago to cater for the emerging breed of fee based planners that were seen to be the future, rather than t... Read >

Income Protection For Dentists - How To Choose The Right Policy (Part 2)

In Part 1 of How To Choose the Right Income Protection Policy, we looked at: - The background to how income protection works - Occupation definition - Guaranteed rates - Exclusions Let's wrap it up with the other factors that you need to co... Read >

Income Protection For Dentists - How To Choose The Right Policy (Part 1)

All dentists have a number of important decisions to make when planning their financial future, such as: - Should I invest more into pensions? - What is the best mortgage available? - I've sold the practice - what do I do with the realised capita... Read >

Investment Risk - What Does It Mean To You?

As Financial Planners and Wealth Managers, we take our role in managing risk for clients very seriously. After all, we talk about the small (but very big) word TRUST all the time when we examine why a client will choose to put their faith, and money, w... Read >

Critical Illness Insurance - Latest Claim Statistics

I attended a seminar this week on the subject of 'behavioural finance' at The Baltic in Newcastle. Whilst the subject that the very accomplished American speaker covered was very relevant for all investors, it was a personal story that he shared which I r... Read >

Investing For Children - Which Options Are Best? (Part 2)

Having given due consideration to the strategies in Part 1, let's now consider other tax effective investments to help children with the costs of higher education. Trust Arrangements In cases where the donor is confident that the child will have a m... Read >

Investing For Children - Which Options Are Best?

With the potential costs of a university education spiralling, house prices still being relatively high and the cost of weddings increasing, it has never been more important to begin a programme of savings for children and grandchildren. Added to this... Read >

Guaranteed Stock Market Bonds - Are They A Good Option?

At the moment, one of the frustrations for savers is the low rates of return they are experiencing on cash deposits. This has resulted in some investors being persuaded by salespeople to put their money into a Bond that is linked to the performance of the... Read >

Proposed Pension Changes - How Will You Be Affected?

No doubt you are aware that more proposed changes to pensions has been announced by the Government. The good news is that the Coalition has attempted to simplify matters, which is very welcome after Labour's legacy of the anti-forestalling legislation ... Read >

Investing Company Money - Cash, Shares, Pensions?

Investing company money that has built up within a business bank account poses a challenge to many company directors. If you are a dentist that has decided to incorporate (or perhaps you've already done it), or a doctor with private earnings that has i... Read >

Independent Financial Advice - Can a Bank Really Provide it?

As we read a lot of articles every week on a wide variety of subjects, a very common one that keeps on coming up is the appalling reputation of the banks. Time after time we read of the banks' sales people selling products that are totally unsuitable t... Read >

Entrepreneurs' Relief - Will You Actually Qualify?

Entrepreneurs' Relief was introduced following the abolition of the Capital Gains Tax taper relief scheme in April 2008. At the time, the government was intent on imposing an 18% flat rate on all capital gains, whether business or non-business assets. ... Read >

Investment Bonds - Pros & Cons For the Higher Rate Tax Payer

Background A Life Insurance Investment Bond is widely available for you to invest in. As with many investments, there are advantages and disadvantages to using this form of tax wrapper. One of the main points to bear in mind is that the tax wrapper ... Read >