FAQs...
Below are our articles on the subject of FAQs. If you can't see what you are looking for our other categories are displayed on the left under 'Our Quick Links'...
A Guide to General Insurance
Most of us see the value in protecting what we have, from theft, accidental damage or simply bad luck. That’s where insurance comes in. You can take out a general insurance policy on just about anythi...
Accident and Sickness Unemployment Protection
Accident sickness and unemployment insurance is designed to pay you a monthly income if you suddenly find yourself unable to work. But what do these policies provide, and what are the exclusions you n...
All About Investing in Equities
Equity investing gives your the potential to profit in the success of a wide variety of companies from all over the world. However, equities can be risky, as recent stockmarket falls have demonstrated...
All About Investing in Property
Investing in property has always been considered a sound investment. It can provide you with a rental income for many years, and the value of property has historically tended to appreciate in value si...
All About Life Insurance
None of us like to think about dying, but if you have a family to look after, arranging life assurance could give you some peace of mind and protect your family’s future. But what are the different ty...
All About Money Purchase Schemes
With fewer companies able to afford final salary schemes, money purchase pensions are generally considered the norm these days. But how are money purchase schemes managed, and are they a good deal for...
All About Multi-Manager Funds of Funds
If you're looking to invest in a number of different funds, a multi-manager portfolio could be the ideal solution. Multi-manager funds are increasingly popular with investors, because the manager of t...
Am I too Late to Start a Pension?
It's a worrying fact that in the UK today, around 10 million people do not have a pension and are currently not saving enough for their retirement. So is it ever too late to start a pension?...
An End to the Buy-to-let Era?
Tumbling house prices, rising unemployment and shrinking rental income have helped to turn the buy-to-let mortgage market sour. Are we about to see an end to the buy-to-let era?...
Building a Recession-Proof Investment Portfolio: A Case Study
With economists forecasting tough times ahead, how can you build a recession-proof investment portfolio? In this case study, find out how David built his portfolio....
Buying Property Overseas
For millions of Britons, fed up with harsh winters and drizzly summers, buying a property abroad seems like a pipe dream. So, how easy is it to purchase an overseas property, and what do you need to k...
Choosing the Right Savings Products
There are a vast array of savings products available in today's marketplace, so how can you choose the right savings product for you? It all depends on your investment goals and time horizon....
Coping with redundancy
Being told that you have been made redundant can be a traumatic and unsettling experience, leaving you unsure of what to do next. So how can you cope with redundancy?...
Crisis on the High Street: What Does it Mean for You?
With empty shop premises and closing down sale signs everywhere you turn, what does the crisis on the high street mean for you?...
Critical Illness Insurance Explained
If you are diagnosed with a life threatening medical condition, the last thing you want to worry about is having to keep paying the mortgage or providing for your family. Critical illness insurance is...
Effective Ways to Manage Your Debts
If the recent credit crunch has taught us anything, it is that borrowing always had to be repaid at some point. So how can you manage your debts, and hopefully reduce the cost of your borrowings?...
Endowment Policies Explained
Endowment policies came into fashion in the early 1980s, and quickly became notorious for leaving investors with serious shortfalls on their mortgage. But what are endowment policies, how did they wor...
FAQs: Private Medical Insurance
Interested in finding out more about Private Medical Insurance? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions....
Final Salary Schemes
Final salary schemes were once popular, but are now virtually consigned to the past. But how did final salary schemes work, and what brought about their demise?...
Finding an Independent Financial Adviser
If you're looking for comprehensive impartial advice on your finances, then an Independent Financial Adviser can help you realise all your savings goals. But how can you find a local IFA, and what que...
Getting a Mortgage When You're Self-Employed
When it comes to obtaining a mortgage, the options for self-employed people are somewhat limited. But there are mortgage options if you are self-employed, the trick is knowing where to look....
Home and Contents Insurance
Insurance is all about buying peace of mind. When it comes to your home, it makes sense to protect against accidents or unfortunate events. There are two different types of insurance that you can take...
How Can I Transfer My Pension?
Are you happy with your pension? Before you decide to transfer your pension to a new pension provider, here are some of the key points you need to consider....
How Much Pension Will I Need?
It’s a question that concerns anyone trying to save for their retirement. How much do they need to save and how much will they need to live on when they retire?...
How 'Pound Cost Averaging' Can Work for you
Nobody likes to see the value of their investment fall when markets are performing poorly. However, by understanding how 'Pound Cost Averaging' works, you can lessen the impact of market volatility, a...
How Safe are your Savings?
The global financial crisis has demonstrated that banks are no longer the rock-solid financial institutions they used to be....
How to Make a Successful Insurance Claim
Making an insurance claim can be daunting, and the costs of an insurance company refusing to pay out can be significant. Make sure that you follow all the necessary steps to make sure that your claim ...
Investing for Income or Growth
Looking for income, growth or both? Choosing between growth and income investments all depends on your investment time frame, and what you need the investment to provide for you....
Investing in Bonds Explained
In today’s volatile markets, everyone should be thinking about including a healthy proportion of bonds in their portfolio. But what are bonds, and how do they generate returns?...
Investment Tips and the Most Common Investment Mistakes
Investing is never an exact science, so it's easy to make mistakes when you invest. However, if you want to maximise the potential of your investment, here are a few points to consider....
Investments for Children
When it comes to investing for your children’s future, even a little can go a long way. Regular savings can build up healthily over time if the money is left to grow. This article looks at the best w...
Is Equity Release a Good Idea?
For homeowners, equity release schemes offer a convenient way to release some of the money tied up in your property now, instead of leaving to sell it and trade down to a cheaper alternative. But do e...
Keeping Your Credit Report Clean
Without a good credit score, you will find it difficult to get personal loans, credit cards, mortgage, or even a mobile phone. So what steps should you take to keep your credit report clean?...
Mortgage Types Explained
For most of us, buying a property will mean taking out a mortgage. But what types of mortgage are available, and how do they work?...
Negative Equity: Should You be Concerned?
After years of rising house prices, suddenly the prospect of ‘negative equity’ is starting to cast a long shadow over large numbers of homeowners. But what is negative equity and, should you be concer...
Paying for Financial Advice: fees vs Commission
If you want the advice of any professional, you usually have to pay for it. If you’re after financial advice there are usually two choices available to you, fees or commission. But which is most suita...
Pension Planning in Your 20s, 30s and 40s
It is all too easy to keep putting off saving for your retirement. But the sooner you start paying money into a pension, the better off you will be. So, if you haven’t started planning for your retire...
Private Medical Insurance Explained
Private Medical Insurance (PMI) can offer people some reassurance that, should they fall ill, they will be able to get the very best healthcare, without waiting for months to see a specialist. But how...
Protecting Your Finances During a Divorce
Divorce is almost always a painful process, but there are some simple ways to help you make sure that your finances are not badly affected....
Read the Small Print and Spot the Savings Traps
Savings accounts can be so littered with small print, so that it’s difficult to tell exactly what you can and can’t do with an account. If you don’t want to suffer from the small print, here are a few...
Saving for Education Fees
Investing for your children’s education may sound like a daunting prospect. However, the sooner you get started, the easier it will be. There are a number of different investment products suitable for...
Self Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPS)
If you are looking for greater control and flexibility as to how your pension fund is managed, then a self-invested personal pension (SIPP) could be what you're looking for....
Should You Stop Investing in Equity Income Funds?
Equity income funds have performed poorly over the last 12 months, so is now the time to stop investing?...
Simple Ways to Keep Track of Home Finances
Keeping track of your home finances doesn't have to be a chore. It only takes a few simple steps to change your outlook and become a saver instead of a spender.
Creating your budget
The first s...
Take Our Investments Questionnaire
Take our investments questionnaire and find out which type of investment suits you....
The Credit Crunch: How Did it Happen?
It began in the US, and quickly spread throughout the world, prompting a stock market crash on a scale that hadn’t been experienced since the great Wall Street Crash in 1929. So how did the Credit Cru...
The Mortgage Fears Facing all of Us
After two decades of runaway success, the UK housing market is now in crisis, with falling house prices and a severe shortage of mortgage lending. So what are the main fears facing anyone with a mortg...
The Savings Crisis Explained
It has been described as the ‘ticking time bomb’ that we are all unprepared for, but why is there currently a savings crisis, and what can be done about it?...
The State Pension Explained
Everyone wants to be able to look forward to a comfortable retirement. But with people living longer and with the cost of living rising, can you be sure that the basic state pension will provide you w...
Tips on Getting Cheaper Car Insurance
You can’t drive a car without getting car insurance. But you don’t have to settle for the first insurance policy you find. Knowing more about how car insurance works will help you to get the best deal...
Travel Insurance: Know the Pitfalls
Travel insurance is now cheaper than it has ever been, with some single trip policies costing just £5. Yet one in five travellers will not take out a policy before they leave. So why should you take o...
Understanding Annuities and Getting the Best Deal
Annuities have received a bad press over the last few years, because falling interest rates and stockmarket volatility have lowered the value of annuities available to pensioners But how do annuities ...
Understanding Inflation and Deflation
Recent reports suggest the UK economy is headed either for a period of high inflation or deflation. But what are the differences between the two, and are there implications for the UK economy, and for...
Understanding Inflation and How it Affects You
Inflation has been one of the biggest concerns of the past year. But what causes inflation and how does it affect you?...
Understanding the Economic Cycle
It's a simple theory of 'what goes up, must come down'. But what exactly is the economic cycle, and how does it work it work in practice?...
What are Investment Trusts?
Although less well-known than other collective investments, Investment Trusts offer investors a wide variety of choice and very competitive rates of return. They can also be included as part of your a...
What are ISAs?
Whether you’re a serious long-term investor or just starting out by putting aside a few pounds each month, if you’re interested in growing your savings then an ISA should be your starting point. So wh...
What Are Your Rights If Your Company Becomes Insolvent?
If the company you work for becomes insolvent here are the main points that you need to know....
What Does the Recession Mean For You?
Recent economic indicators have shown that the UK is close to recession. But what will recession mean for you?...
What is a Hedge Fund?
For most investors, the world of hedge funds is shrouded in mystery. So what is a hedge fund, and how do they make money for investors?...
What is Ethical Investing
Ethical and SRI funds have proven popular over the last few years, as companies with an active focus on environmental issues have benefited from growing political and consumer support. But what is eth...
What is Serps?
The State Earnings Related Pension Scheme (Serps) and its replacement the State Second Pension, was the Government’s way of bringing a certain level of fairness back into the pension world....
What is 'Zopa' and How Does it Work?
Have you reached boiling point with your bank? If so, then you might find that a ‘person-to-person’ lending agreement from a company such as Zopa might be just the change you are looking for....
What Should I do With a Windfall or Inheritance?
Being given an unexpected sum of money may sound like a blessing, but it can often inspire mixed feelings and leave you uncertain of how to put it to good use. Money cannot buy you happiness, but it c...
What you Should Know as a First Time Buyer
Buying your first home can be an exhausting, nerve-wracking and an expensive business. Buying a property will usually cost more than you think. However, knowing what to expect can help you make the pr...
When Should You Remortgage?
Large numbers of fixed rate mortgages and discounted standard variable rate deals are coming to an end, which means that borrowers are facing up to worrying rises in their monthly mortgage payments. B...
Why do I Need Financial Advice?
When it comes to managing your finances, it pays to obtain sound, professional advice. A financial adviser can make your money work harder for you, by setting out your financial goals and finding the ...
Why you Should Diversify your Investments
When it comes to investing, it pays to diversify. By spreading your money in a wide range of different assets, sectors and even countries, you can give yourself greater protection should markets take ...
Why You Should Invest in the Stockmarket
If you're looking to give your hard-earned savings the best opportunity to grow over the long-term, then the stockmarket is the best place to be. But what do you need to know about the stockmarket to ...
Your Pension Questions Answered
Here are some questions and answers relating to recent pension policy and changes to pension regulation....