Talking About Money

Posted by JSCFinancial on Monday 7th of March 2022

Talking About Money

While, for many, discussions about money can be extremely uncomfortable, experts have long stressed the best approach to financial issues is invariably to talk about them. Indeed, perceived wisdom suggests the more open and honest people are about money, the better their life and relationships tend to be.

Finance: the last taboo
There’s a wide variety of reasons why people don’t like to discuss their finances. In some cases, money is simply viewed as a vulgar subject to talk about, while many individuals lack finan...


Junior ISA

Posted by JSCFinancial on Tuesday 22nd of February 2022

In the Autumn Budget in 2021, it was revealed that the Junior ISA spending limits would remain at £9,000 for the 2022/2023 tax year. The JISA limit was last changed in early 2020, when it was doubled from £4,500 to its current level.

JISA and CTFs both benefit

JISAs replaced Child Trust Funds (CTF) in 2011, but those who still hold CTF will continue to benefit from the increased allowance. Both JISA and CTF are a tax efficient way to build up savings for a child. It is not possible to have both a JISA and a CTF.

Savings for children

A ju...


Reckless Caution Is Costing Savers

Posted by JSCFinancial on Thursday 10th of February 2022

New research from The Openwork Partnership, one of the UK’s largest and longest established financial advice and investment networks, shows more than 11.6 million are keeping all their money in cash despite ongoing low rates.

Its nationwide study found 22% of adults prefer to keep all their money in cash while the same number will not consider stock market investments despite potentially higher returns as they don’t understand it.

The Openwork Partnership is warning about the risks to savers of reckless caution – the cost of missing out ...


Are you making the most of your ISA allowance?

Posted by JSCFinancial on Tuesday 8th of February 2022

In the Financial Lives 2020 survey from the FCA, it has been found that older adults were more likely to hold a savings account of any type, than younger adults. For example, 83% of those aged 55+ did, compared with 63% of 18–24-year-olds. So, how could an ISA help you?

ISA
An ISA is an individual savings account that allows you to save tax-free money in a cash or investment account, so you could end up getting more for your money. An ISA is a medium to long term investment, which aims to increase the value of the money you invest for growth...


Omnis Managed Portfolio Service 12 Month Review

Posted by JSCFinancial on Friday 7th of January 2022

Here’s a review of how some of the key events from the past twelve months have impacted markets.

  1. 2021 got off to a good start after the Democrats won a majority in the Senate (the upper house of US politics) giving President Biden a strong mandate to increase government spending. However, the rising number of new coronavirus cases around the world weighed on markets.
  2. The rapid vaccination rollout continued to drive markets higher in February 2021.
  3. China led the recovery from the pandemic because it suppressed the virus quickly while US ...

Investment Update - Inflation and Omicron set the scene for investors

Posted by JSCFinancial on Thursday 6th of January 2022

Markets signed off the year amid high inflation rates and renewed concerns over the coronavirus.

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus unsettled markets at the beginning of December, with investors unsure about how renewed restrictions on socialising and travel will affect the global economy. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) urged national leaders to accelerate the vaccination rollout in order to slow the spread of the virus and reduce the impact of new strains.

Stock markets in the US and Europe had reco...


NEW BLOG - Investment Update - Energy shortages and supply disruptions continue

Posted by JSCFinancial on Monday 8th of November 2021

Investment Update - Energy shortages and supply disruptions continue

Stock markets bounced back in October despite an unsettled month due to global supply disruptions and energy shortages.

Financial markets were unsettled in October for a number of reasons. They include soaring energy prices due to the global shortage of natural gas supplies and high demand in Asia. Markets became calmer after Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated that his country could supply additional gas to Europe. The increase in energy prices and shipping ...


Autumn Budget - Highlights

Posted by JSCFinancial on Thursday 28th of October 2021

Autumn Budget highlights

In Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s second financial statement this year, there were few surprises as he looks to fix the economy following the pandemic.

With inflation climbing and interest rate rises on the horizon, Britain is at a critical period in terms of its economic future. Multiple lockdowns caused the UK economy to slump by 10% while the government spent more than £100 billion supporting jobs.

Now the economy is recovering the chancellor is under increasing pressure to balance the books and claw back money...


NEW BLOG - Autumn Budget & Spending Review 2021

Posted by JSCFinancial on Thursday 28th of October 2021

Autumn Budget & Spending Review 2021 “An economy fit for a new age of optimism”

 

 

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, delivered his third Budget and the results of his Spending Review on 27 October, declaring that it begins "the work of preparing for a new economy post-COVID." The Chancellor struck an upbeat tone during the key fiscal event, as he outlined his vision of “an economy fit for a new age of optimism, where the only limit to our potential is the effort we are prepared to put in and the sacrifices we are prepared t...

NEW BLOG - The not-quite post-pandemic Budget

Posted by JSCFinancial on Thursday 28th of October 2021

The not-quite post-pandemic Budget

The central theme of Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Autumn Budget was greater investment in UK PLC as part of the government’s long term economic plans and priorities. This included £11.5 billion investment in 180,000 new affordable homes, and a Levelling Up Fund that will mean £1.7 billion invested in local areas across the UK.

While some of the announcements may have seemed rather long term, Mr Sunak did provide some more immediate relief for households and businesses still fragile from the effects of t...


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