Blog | Posts by Clive Barwell

How to cap the cost of your funeral whilst protecting your loved ones from financial stress at the time of a bereavement.

Many Timeshare contracts are ‘in perpetuity’, and will pass onto the next of kin. Fees have to be paid regardless of whether the Timeshare is used or not.

With the average annual cost of paying for nursing home fees already at £39,000, according to recent analysis¹ this could rise to £69,500 by 2035 if current trends continue. This huge increase has been mainly attributed to the implementation of the National Living Wage which rose from £7.20 to £7.50 per hour in April 2017, […]

Over a lifetime we spend our time working hard to provide for our loved ones and making a Will ensures that when you die your estate – property, possessions, savings and investments – are shared according to your wishes. A Will is important for everyone but even more so if you have children, own property, […]

In the summer budget of 2015, the Chancellor announced measures for which the headline was an increase in the Nil Rate Band for Inheritance Tax to £1m, but is this true and, if so, who will benefit?

Equity release is the term used to describe a range of financial products which allow people aged 55 or over to access cash that is tied up in their home. The money can be released either as a lump sum, in a number of small amounts, or as a combination of the two. The options […]

All of the emotions we feel about our loss must be expressed and processed if we’re to eventually get on with our lives.

Whilst overall divorce rates are falling in the UK as a whole, the number of those divorcing who are over 60 is increasingly significant

Unfortunately, whilst coping with the trauma of someone dying, there are some practical things you need to do.  This article deals with the key elements. Registering the death It is a legal requirement that the death is registered as soon as possible, certainly within 5-days in England.  You can find the local Register Office at this […]

Written under a simple family trust, the policy proceeds then cost-effectively compensates the beneficiaries for some or all of the IHT on death.

In Inheritance Tax – Mitigation using Business Property Relief – I introduced both Business Property Relief (BPR) and the concept of this being available to non-entrepreneurs. In this article, I will begin to explore the use of BPR products, which have been put together by specialist Investment Managers to bring BPR relief from IHT to […]

All forms of investment carry some degree of risk and whilst I don’t want to understate the risk of investing in shares quoted on the AIM, I will argue that the step-up from investing in shares quoted on the London Stock Exchange is not that great, if fundamental investing principles are followed.

Aspects of the Dilnot Commission are incorporated into the Care Act 2015, including a “cap” on care costs and an increase in the asset threshold. Will this help you? The Government’s “smoke and mirrors” approach to this is exposed!

Many people try and shelter their assets in the belief it will mean the Council will pay for their care. Is this a myth?

Underpinning the funding elements of the Care Act 2014 are “Eligible Care Needs”, which are explored in this article.

In this article I introduce the Deferred Payment Scheme (“Equity Release” offered by the Local Authority in lieu of selling Granny’s home to pay for her care).

If you are needing help with deciding what is the right care package for you or a loved-one this article introduces you to MySupportBroker, who can do all the leg-work for you and probably save you money into the bargain.

Brussels IV is the solution to the forced heirship provisions, which can currently thwart the best laid plans of British Will-makers. However, what many people are not aware of is that the new rules will only benefit those British nationals who have taken appropriate action during their lifetime by drafting a new Will.

That’s the whole story in a nutshell. Investment is really not that complicated. In fact, the more complicated that people make it sound the more you should be sceptical.

When you reach that stage in your life, or the life of a loved one, when you realise that you need help, there is a bewildering array of options available to you. Which one do you choose?