What is Equity Release?
Home equity release, on the face of it, is one possible solution for homeowners short on income but living in a large valuable home. For many in this position the obvious answer is to downsize, which as I’ve written before has its pros and cons. The biggest barrier...
Are Prize Bonds for Prize Idiots?
Prize bonds are more popular than ever in Ireland, with a total issued of more than €4 billion. But are prize bonds a good investment? Firstly, what are they and how do they work? Prize bonds are non-interest bearing lottery bonds. Your capital has a government...
Making a Will
A will is a formal witnessed document that sets out how you wish to dispose of your possessions (also called your estate) on death. It’s a fairly straightforward document to put together but as it’s so important I would strongly advise you to use a solicitor to help...
Planning for Life
How we manage our money naturally changes as we move from our 20s into our 30s, our 40s, our 50s and beyond. So, what should our top financial priorities be, decade by decade? There is no one-size-fits-all answer and of course each goal does not in reality fit nicely...
Pension Adjustment Orders
As I mentioned in a previous blog, Divorce - Who Gets What, the division of wealth after a separation adds an enormous stress factor to an already difficult process. After the family home, pensions are often the second most valuable asset under consideration. In the...
The Loser’s Game
In recent weeks the name of Neil Woodford has been added to the list of star fund managers who have crashed and burned. Woodford’s flagship Equity Income Fund is now closed to withdrawals as Woodford struggles to liquidate stocks to meet investor demands for cash...
What To Do If You Win The Lotto
When we heard about last week’s €175 million lotto win, Ireland’s biggest ever, I’m sure we all fantasised about what we would do if we had a massive windfall. While research suggests that most winners’ life satisfaction improves, it’s undoubtedly a life changing...
How to Invest
The question of how to invest is an important one, never more so than in a time of stock market turbulence. 2018 has seen one of the US stock market’s worst ever days, followed by a six day rally, but all adding up to a resurgence in volatility. So, how to invest (and...
The Value of Independent Financial Advice
Do you need a Financial Advisor? Yes. You do. We all do. Why? Because expert independent financial advice will save you from making poor financial decisions and guide you towards a consistent and disciplined investment strategy. But don’t just listen to me, here’s the...