Professional Briefings

We know how important it is to work closely with Accountants and other professionals in order to ensure that their clients receive the very highest level of financial planning advice. This includes building investment strategies for trustees and advising on the financial aspects of divorce, as well as the more usual forms of asset management, family protection and business needs.

As part of our on-going service to fellow professionals, we have recently introduced an e-mail based advice service that will allow us to keep them up-to-date with developments that might be of interest to their clients.

The information sheets are issued on a regular basis and should you wish to receive them, please e-mail: Sophie Green, Marketing Co-ordinator.

For your convenience, the text will also be replicated on the following pages. Please click on the appropriate topic to view the article.

• New Year checklist - We consider some of the key issues that businesses should be thinking about at the start of the year;
• Flexible remuneration - In this article, we consider the place of flexible remuneration in the SME sector (and add a timely reminder about Christmas Parties);
• Alternative Christmas presents - Every year, grandparents are faced with the same challenge; how to pick Christmas presents for their grandchildren that are worthwhile, will be appreciated and do not duplicate what they already have;
• Alternative sources of finance - This article looks at possible sources of finance for SMEs, in view of bank's reluctance to lend;
• Are you ready for the 'flu - This article looks at the potential impact on SMEs of a resurgence of swine flu later this year;
• Personal Accounts and the SME - This article looks at the impact on SMEs of the forthcoming mandatory Personal Accounts;
• Pension contributions - We consider the implications of the recent Budget announcement on the restriction of tax relief for higher earners;
• Generating additional income - Ways of ensuring that clients can continue to enjoy an acceptable standard of living;
• Helping clients face retirement - weak investment markets need not leave clients in a difficult position;
• Employee benefits in a recession - Is now the time to be cutting back on employee benefits, or could this do more harm than good?;
• Overpaying a mortgage - We look at some reasons to consider overpayments even in current economic conditions;
• Planning an exit strategy - My business is my pension could be a vain hope for some - we consider the options;
• Retired clients with shriking incomes - An overview of how Equity Release might help some clients;
• Clients nearing retirement - We look at the issues facing those who are in sight of retirement, in the current economic climate, as well as those with a little longer to go;
• Is the Credit Crisis making your clients ill? - We look at the implications of illness amongst key employees and shareholding partners/directors;
• Capital gains tax on inherited property - While there is no CGT on inherited property, there can be implications in a slow property market and this article considers the implications;
• Helping individual clients face a recession - Following on from last month, this article looks at how individual clients can 'batten down the hatches' for a possible recession;
• Helping business clients face a recession - In this article we look at how business clients can 'weather the storm' of a possible recession (next month we will consider the potential impact on individual clients);
• Educating the next generation - We consider ways of helping cover the cost of ensuring that the next generation of managers and entrepreneurs can be adequately educated;
• Will the credit crunch hurt your clients? - The credit crunch could affect any business; we consider some defencive strategies;
• Cutting salaries can help employees - As national insurance costs rise for higher earners, we consider a way of benefitting everyone;
• Alternative sources of capital - With interest rates no longer rising, businesses might be forgiven for 'taking their eye off the ball' of corporate finance - but if money is not getting more expensive, it is certainly becoming more difficult to borrow, thanks to the 'credit crunch';
• Key employees - We consider how difficult it can be to identify just who is 'key' to your business and what you can do about it, when you know;
• Investment Strategies for Trustees - We look at some of the main issues facing trustees when it somes to making investment decisions;
• Review employee benefits - as the New Year approaches, some firms may wish to start afresh;
• SMEs under attack from the government following the recent Bre Pudget Report;
• Executive pension schemes and the threat they are currently facing; and


• The rise of self invested pensions and how it can help SMEs.

All articles are in PDF format. If you do not have a copy of Acrobat Reader, please click here to download a free copy.