Look After Your Nest Egg

Around this time of year, the eggs on people’s minds are usually of the chocolate variety! So if eggs are on your mind, why not turn your attention to the financial planning egg too, your nest egg.

If you are wanting to safeguard your wealth, you will no doubt be looking to maximise the return on your investments as well as minimise your tax liabilities by seeking tax-efficient opportunities. It may be important to you to build value and security for your family and futureproof your business. Here are our top tips for you to consider to protect your estate;

• Speak to a financial adviser to make sure your investments are working for you. If you have yet to invest, you could still take advice, even if you just start small. See our guide on saving and investing. You may also want to discuss insurance options to protect you and your loved ones.

• Speak to a mortgage broker to ensure you are not paying too much interest on your property, particularly if you are outside of the fixed period as you could be on an unnecessarily high variable rate of interest. It’s worth noting that advance planning may be the difference between you getting your dream home or not. You may be able to afford to pay more than you think, whether that’s to buy a new home, increase the size of your existing home with additional lending or pay the mortgage down quicker.

• Ensure you have a will in place and consider your inheritance tax position, it is important to carefully consider your options before making decisions about the distribution of your estate and you can read our will and estate planning and inheritance tax planning guides here.

• Ensure you have a Lasting Power of Attorney in place to ensure your health and financial affairs are protected and dealt with on your behalf under your guidance.

• Work with your accountant to ensure you implement any recommended tax saving opportunities and keep your cashflow monitored. Ask to have a financial review of your affairs to ensure you are maximising all tax reliefs and efficient investments available to you. You can read our tax planning guide here.

• If you are moving money between currencies, speak to a foreign currency broker to ensure you benefit from the best foreign exchange rates. See our article on why you should use a money broker.

• Review any debts to ensure you are not overpaying interest. Compare rates between any credit cards and loans and look for the lowest interest rates, but always consider any fees or early repayment charges first as it may not be just about the rate of interest that costs you more.

Take control of your finances and enhance your wealth by visiting our planning guides, which will take you through the essentials of financial planning, from using your personal tax reliefs to making a will. Remember, failing to plan is like planning to fail.

It is our recommendation that you seek independent professional advice and do not treat this article as advice specific to you, this is for general guidance.

At FUSE, we have a private client team to assist with personal financial matters. Our independent professional advice could save you a fortune and protect your estate. Personal financial planning is essential, so contact us to discuss how we could help you. Together with our experienced team of professional associates, we can help you plan your future wealth. We work closely with independent financial advisers, forex money brokers, mortgage advisers, will writers and lawyers, who we can introduce you to and liaise with on your behalf.

Together we help you protect what is yours. Get in touch to find out what we can do for you.

FUSE is an independent Chartered Certified firm of accountants and tax advisors based in Highgate Village, North London. We provide a dynamic range of services to clients working in property, media, entertainment and professional services. Our clients vary in size from self employed sole traders, small enterprises and medium size businesses. We believe that comprehensive financial planning and sound business financial advice are the keys to growth and profitability.