2021 - Mearns & Company

Are you squirrelling away too much cash?

When inflation rises, cash needs careful management. A recent strategy paper published by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) stated, “Many consumers who might gain from

Christmas gifts that keep on giving

An investment could be a wise present to children this Christmas. What are you going to buy your children or grandchildren this festive season? Supply

A new style retirement for changing times?

The pandemic has changed working patterns but may also be changing retirement patterns and expectations. The acronym ‘WFH’ is now fully embedded in the 21st

Managing student finance

With Freshers’ Week upon us, another round of families will grapple with the prospect of financing higher education. For parents and students alike the headline

The return of inflation?

Inflation has picked up sharply in recent months, with a potential knock-on for investments. UK annual inflation was just 0.4% in February 2021, as measured

Important changes for the self-employed

It was a busy summer for government announcements for the self-employed. As well as details of the fifth and final Self-Employed Income Support Grant (closed

One year suspension of the state pension triple lock

Next April’s increases to State pensions will now follow a less expected, and less expensive, path. What percentage increase should apply to State pensions in

Income protection – the simple safety net

Calls to ‘build back better’ after the Covid-19 pandemic don’t just apply to the UK economy. Families can use this moment to look at their

The rise of second homes

The number of people purchasing second properties in the UK has boomed according to government figures, with the total number of second homes rising by

Track down lost assets

Up to £15 billion is believed to be sitting in ‘lost’ savings accounts, premium bonds and pension and investment accounts. Many people lose track of

The power of cashflow planning

The future is one thing we cannot know – we have never imagined having to live through a pandemic and here we are trying to

The importance of portfolio rebalancing

Inertia can be a dangerous trait, especially for investment. You know the feeling. Sometimes it just seems easier to leave things as they are for

Coming in from the cold: tax planning for families

In his spring 2021 Budget, the Chancellor announced that the following thresholds and bands will not change until April 2026: The personal allowance – £12,570;

Dividends recover in 2021

Last year many companies were forced to cut or suspend dividend payments. This year, the reverse is happening and dividends are generally on the up.

The future of inheritance tax

Most over 55s have no idea whether there might be inheritance tax (IHT) to pay on their estate — or what the liability might be.

Handling high markets

Most of the world’s major stock markets are at or close to their all-time highs, but that is not necessarily a reason to stop investing.

PIPSI: Get your priorities right

Is paying extra into your pension the right thing to do now, or should you protect your family first, if they would be vulnerable if

Spring Investment Forum

On Monday 24th May, we were delighted to host our online Spring Investment Forum. The forum considered the global economic and investment outlook following the

Mearns Talks: Supporting Employee Wellbeing

Click below to watch this video in our Mearns Talks series, in which Malcolm Steel, Client Strategy Director, and Alan Fergusson, Non-Executive Director, share their

Mearns Talks: Tax Day March 2021

Click below to watch this video in our Mearns Talks series, in which Malcolm Steel, Client Strategy Director, and Graeme McInally, Chartered Financial Planner and

Mearns Talks: Spring Budget 2021

Click below to watch this video in our Mearns Talks series, in which Malcolm Steel, Client Strategy Director, and Graeme McInally, Chartered Financial Planner and

Meet Malcolm Steel

Malcolm Steel, Chartered Financial Planner at Mearns & Company, answers some questions about his career to date and life in general. What was your route

Going electric: the changing face of company cars

The UK’s best-selling car for three months in 2020 did not even have an engine. The top-selling car in the UK for the months of

What is £1 million really worth?

Millions, billions and even trillions now make the headlines, but what do all those zeros really mean, and what will they buy? You may think

State pension rise still locked

The main state pensions will have risen faster than inflation by April 2021, but these state benefits are still low compared with even average earnings.

Spring Budget 2021 – the bridging Budget

The first of two Budgets in 2021 brings larger tax bills in future years. Once upon a time, the concept of ‘Budget Purdah’ meant that

Universal reality check

The challenging reality for many people of having to make ends meet on benefits during the pandemic was underlined by the widespread calls ahead of

Lifetime ISAs

Lifetime ISAs can save you tax of up to 55% and yet are often overlooked. The Lifetime ISA (LISA) was introduced in 2017. It is

Tax Day March 2021

In mid-February the Treasury announced that “To allow for more transparency and scrutiny, documents and consultations that would traditionally be published at a Budget will

How leaders can improve employee wellbeing

Employee wellbeing isn’t new. It has been talked about and implemented in workplaces for decades, and those employers who have embedded it into their businesses

Promotions at Mearns & Company

2021 sees two of the advisory team at Mearns & Company moving into new Associate Director roles. Steven McKay, Head of Employee Benefits, and Graeme

The mid-pandemic Budget

While the pre-Budget Treasury leaking machine appeared to flag many of the Budget measures announced, the Chancellor still managed to produce some surprises on Budget

Meet Aurelija Buckute

Aurelija Buckute, Chartered Financial Planner at Mearns & Company, answers some questions about her career to date and life in general. What was your route

Spring clean your finances

It’s March – the January blues have paled; the nights are drawing out and Spring is in the air! What better way of entering the

The pandemic retirement conundrum

Has Covid-19 disrupted your retirement plans? While the immediate focus of the pandemic has understandably been on the health impact, it has become increasingly clear

Savers feel pinch

Those looking for income from their savings face an uphill challenge, with banks and building societies making swingeing cuts to the interest paid on leading

Scams on the rise

Fraudsters preying on people’s financial and health fears have been responsible for a sharp increase in scams during the Covid-19 crisis. Over £11m is estimated

Tax deadline

The clock is ticking for millions of taxpayers who need to file a self-assessment return for 2019/20 by 31 January. The self-employed, those who are

Our NPS is +96, but so what?

We recently heard that our Mearns & Company NPS is now +96. It sounds really good but what does it mean and is it really

Child Trust Funds grow up

The first Child Trust Funds (CTFs) have reached maturity, but many have been overlooked. The first CTFs reached their maturity date on 1 September 2020,

Preparing for your year-end planning

As 5 April creeps closer, it’s a good time to get ahead with your year-end tax planning. The Autumn Budget has been abandoned for a

News - Year: 2021