Tag Archives for " financial planning "

Phased drawdown may sound like one of those terms made up to deliberately baffle the man or woman in the street. 

To repay the mortgage or not to repay: that is the question facing many of our clients at retirement.

At Reeves our philosophy is that investment has to be an active process and action has to be taken as necessary when circumstances and markets change.

An awareness of market conditions and good timing we believe are vital in the effective planning of an investment portfolio. 

In recognition of that, at Reeves we have developed and refined over several years, a sophisticated process of tactical decision making for asset allocation to anticipate market shifts and to protect our client's assets. 

We review the composition of our model portfolios on a monthly basis and regularly advise 'tactical' changes to the asset allocations: the mix of asset classes such as cash, bonds, property and UK and overseas equities. We have an experienced team engaged in research and market analysis, producing a report every week, identifying the key issues in the markets which feed into our monthly review. 

In this way, we can take advantage of market pricing anomalies of sectors in which we have identified potential opportunities. We are also alert to any warning signs so that we can move to protect your portfolio from potential losses. 

We never know what's around the corner. Life holds many surprises - not always pleasant - which can make a mockery of all our plans. 

This is particularly true when it comes to health. 

Serious illness is usually life-changing, and throws up all sorts of problems, apart from purely physical. 

When faced with such a crisis, it's important not to lose sight of financial issues, as neglecting them is only likely to add to your store of worries further down the road. At Reeves, we always emphasise that any material change in circumstance should prompt a close look at your financial plans. 

Pension rules allow those aged 55 and over to withdraw a tax free lump sum from their pension funds, which can be an enormous benefit, providing invaluable flexibility. 

However, care must be taken and advice should be sought to ensure that you don't end up paying tax when you could avoid it. 

Faced with the possibility of taking a tax free lump sum from your pension fund, you are presented with many temptations.

We're not necessarily talking about buying a sports car or taking a round-the-world cruise, it might be something seemingly prudent, such as using the lump sum to pay off a mortgage to reduce outgoings. 

But, is that such a good idea?