SimplyFinance - Investments

Why Speak with a Financial Advisor?

2007-08-04T23:00:00Z

Working with the right financial advisor is one of the most important decisions you can make. Very few people really understand all of the details related to investing, insurance, tax and liability. A qualified financial advisor makes it their job to know all of these details and to help individuals make the right decisions. Money is not everything, but providing for your basic security and well being and hopefully some luxury after that is very important for leading a balanced and happy life.

In addition, money is usually listed as the number one reason people have problems or arguments in relationships, and it's one of the main causes that leads to divorce. Bringing in an objective and unbiased advisor can ofter relieve pressure on relationships and help in the decision making process.

Financial Advisors can help with most of your important financial concerns. Some of the common areas people seek advice from financial advisors are:

Preparing for retirement
Minimizing their tax exposure
Understanding the best way to finance or refinance your home
Saving money for your children
Preparing education funds for children
Estate planning
Monthly budgeting
Pensions
Savings accounts and managing investments

The costs of financial advisors is very reasonable compared to the benefits they bring. In addition, you do not have to spend a lot of time and money on a financial advisor to get a great amount of advice and resources for managing your finances.

Most people will benefit from an initial call with a financial advisor. If you answer "no" to any of the following questions, it is likely a good idea to speak with a financial advisor:

Are you sure you are saving adequately for retirement?
Are you confident you have the best rates on your mortgage, savings accounts, investments and insurance policies?
Are you sure you're making the right decisions related to your taxes and not paying too much taxes?
Do you consider yourself a financial expert and are you aware of all the current tools and resources for managing your money?

Most financial advisors will speak with you for free initially to discuss ways they can help you and work with you to best manage your finances. Contact a qualified financial advisor to find out what they can do for you.

If you'd like some assistance with finding a financial advisor, fill out a short form, and SimplyFinance will put you in touch with a financial advisor that may be able to shed some light on your finances.

CLICK HERE FOR AN INVESTMENT ADVISOR TODAY!

Pension Basics

2007-08-04T23:00:00Z

There are many ways to save and to raise money for your retirement. One of the most common ways to do this is with a pension.

The easiest way to think about a pension is to think of it as money that will be available to you upon retirement. There are three typical ways a pension can be created:

State Pensions and benefits: this is money contributed by the governement that is paid to individuals upon retirement and/or reaching a certain age
Employer Pensions: this is money contributed by your employer that paid out to you by a current or previous employer upon reaching retirement age
Personal Pension: this is money that you have contributed yourself for your retirement

You are not guaranteed a State Pension. Many people incorrectly assume that they will receive a state pension when in fact they will not. In addition, the payments for a state pension are usually not large enough to live off of. The full basic State Pension for 2006/07 is £84.25 a week for a single person and £134.75 for a couple.

In addition, Employer Pensions are decreasing and fewer employers are providing adequate pensions to fully cover employees retirement.

With rising costs of living it is becoming more an more important for individuals to consider contributing personally towards your pension. The earlier you start contributing, the greater the benefits you will receive from long-term growth in your pension through investment gains.

It is strongly advised that you speak to an investment advisor to get quotes and information on different personal pension options to insure that you are properly covered for your retirement. Start saving early and save often!

To be connected with an investment advisor who can help you on your way to financial freedom, fill out our short form, and SimplyFinance will put you in touch with an advisor that will answer all your questions and who will search the market to find the best pension for you.

CLICK HERE TO CONNECT WITH AN INVESTMENT ADVISOR TODAY!

OEIC Basics

2007-08-04T23:00:00Z

OEICs were launched in the UK in 1997 and there are approximately 300 currently in place. An OEIC is like a mix between an Investment Trust and a Unit Trust. Similar to an Investment Trust, OEICs raise money from shareholders, and they invest the money in the stock market, in companies of their choosing. However, they differ from Investment Trusts in that they are open-ended, meaning if there is significant demand for the fund the managers will issue more shares. This allows more people to enter a well performing fund.

Other than this difference, they operate exactly like Investment Trusts. OEICs employ a management team to track the performance of the fund and to change the investment portfolio to maximize the rate of return for shareholders. There are many different types of OEICs that focus on particular markets, sectors, geographies and investment strategies.

OEIC's are allowable in an ISA.

If you are considering investing in an OEIC, fill out our short form, and one of SimplyFinance's specialists will put you in touch with an investment advisor who will answer all your questions. In addition, the investment advisor will be able to search the market for the very best OEIC investment opportunity to suit your particular financial goals and needs.

CLICK HERE FOR AN INVESTMENT ADVISOR TODAY!