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"We've all got a terminal disease, it's called life" Benedict Groeschel Death, as morbid as it may seem is guaranteed for all of us. The reality of it is, we don't know when our time is up, and before I had children, I didn't really think about it too much. But, more recently I have. Like many at home during lockdown I started sorting out drawers a...

Our Mortgage Adviser Tom Graham has put together some top tips to help you understand the process behind a lender's decision on what you can or can't afford to borrow when buying a house or remortgaging your home. Lots of clients ask the same questions: How much can I borrow? How much can I have to buy a house? How muc...

Stuart Lost it All! Don't be like Stuart! This is a true case but we have changed the name of the client to avoid any embarrassment. Stuart was in his 50's, he had built up savings for his retirement and was still working full-time but had started getting a bit jaded with his work. A work colleague of Stuart's suggested he take a look at a fantasti...

Our adviser Sophie McMillan explains the mistakes many people make when looking to insure their home: Did you use the purchase price of your property when choosing the amount your home should be insured for? Did you decide you only have 10 thousand pounds worth of contents in your house? These are two very common, very real examples of mistakes peo...

On International Women's Day (Monday 8th March) we are encouraging women to take control of their future financial success. International Women's Day celebrates the achievements of women and is a call to action to increase gender parity and raise awareness about gender equality. Our team at SSA, which unusually in the financial services sector...

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, delivered his second Budget on 3 March declaring that "we will recover". The key fiscal event, which had been delayed from the Autumn due to the pandemic, centred on a £65bn three-part plan designed to continue supporting British people and businesses through the pandemic, 'fix' the public finances once rec...

Are you a saver? Saving your hard earned surplus cash for a rainy day? Or a big occasion? Or maybe for your retirement? Perhaps you're squirrelling away pennies in a "safe" savings account ready for when you want to spend it. But…what is safe? The capital amount may be guaranteed and will grow with interest added but what about its value? Would you...

The world of finance can be a puzzling place. Numbers mixed with words mixed with acronyms. It can be hard to decipher, harder still to know what's best and even harder to know if the adviser you have chosen is REALLY doing a good job for you! We have pulled together 3 tips for you to consider when choosing who to trust with your money and your pla...

What I know now, I wish I knew then! Here I am, 40 years old and starting my first personal pension. One that I am going to manage and invest, and watch as it grows, with the ultimate goal of a pension pot that will provide me with the ability to retire on my terms with the income I want. As a teenager and well into my twenties I was good with mone...

Do you worry what would happen to your family if you or your partner were to suddenly lose your job, become seriously ill or even die? How would you pay your mortgage, day to day bills and manage financially during a period of emotional distress? Protecting those you love could be more affordable than you think A Family Protection insurance policy ...

Estimates suggest that well over one million borrowers have lapsed onto their lender's default standard variable rate (SVR). Has this happened to you? If so, now could be the perfect time to consider a remortgage, to get your finances in good shape for the year ahead. Do you know your mortgage rate?If your current tracker, fixed rate, or discount m...

As a nation, we aren't great with our financial acronyms and terminology. Life is busy and our heads are often full of important things to get done to make it through the week, without having to worry about whether we know our LTV from our ERC! You're certainly not alone if you're feeling financially flustered. Recent research has found that more t...

With the first wave of Child Trust Funds maturing this year, there's a great opportunity to talk to your children about the benefits of saving and investing. If one of your children has recently celebrated their 18th birthday then there's a good chance they'll have some money in a Child Trust Fund (CTF), which they can now access for the first time...

On 17 November the FCA confirmed guidance for homeowners struggling financially due to coronavirus. The mortgage payment holidays scheme, first announced in March and then extended in May, has been further extended until 31 March 2021. How does it work? Those who have not yet had a payment holiday will be eligible for payment holidays of 6 months i...

After days of tension, news came in over the weekend that Joe Biden won the key battleground of Pennsylvania, 20 electoral votes was enough to push him over the magical 270 threshold, securing his bid to become the next US President and take up residency in the White House. However, things aren't clear cut, as the Trump campaign has indicated the i...

As you are no doubt aware, the result of yesterday's US presidential election is not yet known. With 43 states having declared their results, the race is much tighter than the polls predicted and neither Donald Trump nor Joe Biden have enough votes from the electoral college to claim a victory. To do so, they need to gain at least 270 of the electo...

During the past few months, millions of businesses have been forced to shut temporarily, with employees furloughed or working from home under very difficult circumstances. With various business sectors reopening in July, many have suffered significant financial damage due to lockdown. For some businesses, productivity has been lost due to illness a...

Stock markets do not react well in times of uncertainty and the effects of the pandemic continue to pile pressure on financial markets worldwide. During periods of increased volatility, such as we have seen over the last few months, the importance of spreading risk and considering the longer term, remain constant investment principles. Why diversif...

On 17 March 2020, as the country teetered on the brink of lockdown, the Chancellor announced that homeowners struggling financially due to coronavirus would be able to take a three-month mortgage payment holiday. What does this mean for me?The extended application deadline now coincides with the end of the furlough scheme. This means, if your workp...

Recent research shows 1 in 10 UK adults with a pension (and not yet retired) have reduced or stopped pension contributions because of Covid-19. 1 in 10 UK adults have reduced or stopped pension contributions1 in 4 workers are worried about paying for every day essentials1 in 5 workers are worried about keeping up with mortgage or rent payments The ...