The State Pension often provides a reliable income in retirement that’s an important part of your overall financial plan. Yet, many people don’t understand how the State Pension works or what they’re entitled to. This useful guide covers the essentials you need to know, from when you can claim the State Pension to how the income it provides will increase each year.

Overpaying your mortgage to become mortgage-free sooner sounds like an excellent step to take if you’re in a position to do so. However, it’s not always the right option. Find out more about the key pros and cons of overpaying your mortgage.

Have you accumulated multiple pensions over the years? Discover three reasons why consolidating your pension funds could boost your retirement income, and key downsides to consider.

This Halloween, read about some of the financial “tricks” you might fall for if you’re not careful. Fortunately, working with a financial planner could help you navigate complicated allowances and rules to turn them into “treats”.

Retiring should be a milestone you look forward to. Sadly, research shows UK adults associate spending their retirement savings with negative words, and it could mean they aren’t able to enjoy the next chapter of their life. A tailored cashflow model could turn anxiety into excitement.

Everyone is affected by bias when they’re making decisions. However, while some choices will have little effect on your future, financial decisions could significantly affect your long-term security. So, here are five signs that financial bias might be affecting your choices.

Almost half of workers aged over 50 are already phasing into retirement or would like to do so in the future. Find out why a gradual approach to retirement could be attractive, along with some of the options that could allow you to do so.

The number of people passing away without a valid will increased by 25% between 2020/21 and 2023/24. Discover how your estate might be distributed under intestacy rules, and why it’s important to set out your wishes in a will.

From April 2027, pensions are expected to fall within your estate. This may mean reviewing your estate plan or that you need to consider Inheritance Tax for the first time. Find out more about the policy change and why it could affect your legacy.

Findings from the Office of Budget Responsibility suggest changes to the State Pension could be introduced to reduce government outgoings. Find out why, what options the Labour government may be weighing up, and how they might affect your retirement plans.

Your midlife can be an exciting time. It might also present some new challenges, such as retirement planning with a partner or supporting elderly relatives. Arranging a financial midlife MOT could help you overcome obstacles and feel more confident as you prepare for the next chapter. 

Financial biases are often linked to investing. However, subconscious tendencies can affect many aspects of your finances, including your estate plan. Read about three ways biases could influence how you approach estate planning.

Planning for the possibility of needing care can be daunting, but it also provides you with a sense of control and a chance to set out what your wishes would be. Read about five steps you could take to ensure you receive your preferred form of care if you need support in the future. 

Having a will in place means your estate will be dealt with according to your wishes, and there are other important reasons to write a will too. Find out more about making a will, as well as setting up a Lasting Power of Attorney, in this useful guide.

There’s a certain comfort in holding cash savings. However, looking at a wider range of options and investments could help you see higher returns. Find out why.

Retirement is an exciting milestone but decumulation could present some challenges, such as changing your mindset and ensuring you don’t run out of money during your lifetime. Find out more about decumulation dilemmas and how a financial plan could help you manage them.

Visualising wealth could improve your financial decisions and provide reassurance that you’re on track to reach goals. It’s something that people have been doing for centuries and today you can use powerful cashflow planning tools to see a representation of your wealth and how it might change.

The Autumn Budget is still weeks away, but there’s plenty of speculation about what will be included in the news. While it can feel tempting to respond to attention-grabbing headlines, it might lead to decisions that aren’t right for you or don’t align with your long-term financial plan.

Your relationship with money is related to far more than how much cash you have. In fact, psychological influences could be having more effect on your decisions and how you feel about wealth than you think. Find out how a financial plan could help improve how you think about money.

While many people live independently later in life, planning for potential care costs could provide you with more options should you need support. Read about some of the ways you might make care part of your long-term financial plan, such as using assets to create a regular income or considering property wealth.