Insuring a learner driver can be a painful process with many insurers charging a premium rate to extend insurance policies. The situation becomes even more difficult when the driver passes their driving test as insurances premiums can skyrocket! We are able to propose short-term coverage which gives you the cover required whilst the driver learns and in the event of a claim, the car owner’s no claims discount isn’t affected.

For more details and in order to obtain a quote, please click on the link: Learner Driver Insurance

There is nothing more personal than who we are and what we believe in.

Interest in environmental, social and governance focused investing is rising across the board.  Socially responsible investing, is also known as sustainable, socially conscious, “green” or ethical investing, is any investment strategy which seeks to consider both financial return and social good to bring about social change.

There are three main types of ethical investment, as follows:

Socially responsible investment, which favours those businesses with good records in corporate social responsibility and actively screens out investments in controversial sectors such as arms, tobacco and gambling.

Social impact investment, which is the targeting of investment in projects beneficial to society, such as the building of schools and hospitals.

Social enterprise investment, which is focused on organisations that pursue a combination of social and economic objectives.

In the early days ethical investing was largely about avoiding companies that were considered to be unacceptable, such as those involved in armaments and tobacco, or those involved in the abuse of human rights and the environment. Whilst this is great news for all of us, companies do not make these changes out of the goodness of their hearts. A business that considers its impact on stakeholders can also reduce legal and regulatory costs and even improve a company’s brand.

Increasingly however, investors have realised that they have the potential to have a positive impact on the way in which companies operate, by using share ownership to engage with company management to improve the way they treat their employees, suppliers and the environment. It’s this latter, more positively focused approach, which is commonly referred to as Socially Responsible Investing.

There is no evidence of Social Responsible Investments or Ethical portfolios underperforming the market; a fact which is supported by a raft of academic literature on the subject. Social Responsible Investments and Ethical portfolios do however behave differently to a traditional portfolio, as they typically have lower weightings to sectors such as mining, oil and gas. There’s also a growing body of evidence that shows that the adoption of a more sustainable approach to management, may actually improve your portfolio’s returns. However, this may not always be the case.

If you would like to discuss investing in a Socially Responsible or Ethical Investment please contact either Chris or Lisa for a free initial consultation.

Demand for gold has risen markedly since the Bank of England’s cut in base rates to 0.25% earlier this month. This is according to the Royal Mint, which revealed it saw a 25% surge in transactions on its bullion website during the week of the cut. The Royal Mint said it also witnessed a 50% climb in gold bar and coin sales compared with the week before. In sterling terms, the price of gold has so far increased by 45% in 2016.

However, do not put all your eggs in one basket.  The last ten years have been a volatile and tumultuous ride for investors, with natural disasters, geopolitical conflicts and a major financial crisis.

Yet despite these difficulties, the worst-performing asset class was cash and this is set to continue for the long term. Meanwhile, a well-diversified portfolio including stocks, bonds and some other asset classes returned 6.8% per year over this ten year time period. A diversified portfolio also provides a much smoother ride for investors than investing in just equities.

Contact us now for a free initial consultation, to review your existing pensions and savings, and hopefully we can assist you in gaining a 6.8% return per year from a well-diversified portfolio.

 

A quarter point fall and some chunky quantitative easing yesterday have boosted stock markets – the stock market (FTSE 100) has jumped 1.5% or so since the announcement.

It sends us closer to negative interest rates which are likely to be with us for some time, certainly the next two years.

At CRS Consultants Ltd we research the whole of market to find the most suitable investments for our clients.  There are alternatives to cash savings available even for the most risk averse clients.  For those willing to take on some degree of risk equities are a favourable asset class with the FTSE 100 continuing to climb.

We will ensure you understand the risks involved as the value of your investments can go down as well as up.

Whilst the recent Brexit vote surprised many of us, one thing is clear – there has never been a greater need for sound financial planning and investment advice. Here at CRS Consultants Ltd we believe that timing markets over the short term is impossible and the important thing is time in the market.

Since the Brexit vote, Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England, has implied an interest rate cut could happen this summer. This will be a daunting prospect for those who have cash savings in the bank.  The idea of savers being charged to keep their money in the bank might seem extraordinary even in an era of unprecedented monetary policy measures – and has never happened before in the UK. Now one of the country’s biggest banks, NatWest, part of RBS, has warned its business customers that it may have to charge for deposits. The announcement comes ahead of a meeting by the Bank of England next week which is widely expected to set a further historically low interest rate.

So are you prepared to receive negative interest on your cash savings?

Should you wish to discuss alternative options then contact us for a free no obligation savings review.

M&G and Aviva Investors have both followed Standard Life in suspending trading on property funds.  We would like to reiterate that we view commercial property as a genuinely long term investment which should remain part of a well diversified portfolio.

As you may be aware, dealing (both purchases and sales) in the Standard Life UK Real Estate Fund (and its Income and Accumulation Feeder funds) has been suspended owing to increased redemptions by investors that cannot be met due to the relatively illiquid nature of commercial property…. Read more

Nothing changes immediately in that the UK remains a member of the EU until it triggers the formal exit process, following which it remains a member for at least two years…. Read more

Making a contribution into a pension is still one of the most tax efficient investments you can make. As well as growing in a tax efficient way, pension contributions can be used to reduce your current income tax liability. If you own and run a limited company, then your company could make an employer contribution to reduce its corporation tax bill.

At retirement you will be entitled to up to 25% as a tax free lump sum and the remaining   funds are used to generate a taxable income. The rules relating to pensions and retirement planning can be complicated and not suitable for everyone. We recommend you seek advice on this subject.

These are just a few of the financial advice tips for 2016/17. If you want to talk in more depth please contact us.

The rates of Capital Gains Tax – which is a tax on the profits made from the sale of assets – will be reduced for some people from 6^th April 2016. The CGT rate will be reduced to 10% for basic rate taxpayers, while the rate for higher rate taxpayers will fall from 28% to 18%.

However, the capital gains tax rates due on disposal of residential property will remain 18% for basic rate taxpayers and 28% for higher rate taxpayers. The Annual CGT tax-free allowance will remain unchanged at £11,100.

Investors with assets subject to CGT, for example large share portfolios it might be worth reviewing these based on the new CGT rates and the impact of the dividend tax changes.