2025 - Mearns & Company

5 practical tips when you’re buying your last home

While you might have experience of buying property when you’re searching for the home you intend to stay in for the rest of your life,

How to give gifts that could keep on giving – just like Christmas number ones

Savvy singers and songwriters can generate an annual income by releasing a Christmas hit. As you shop for loved ones, consider giving a gift that

5 interesting insights from the investment market in 2025

The last 12 months have been interesting for investors, with the market experiencing volatility. Read on to discover valuable insights from 2025. 1. Many markets

Is the default pension fund right for you?

How your pension is invested will affect its value and the income it will provide you later in life. If you’ve put off reviewing your

How cashflow planning turns numbers into possibilities

When you’re making financial decisions, it can feel like you’re faced with indecipherable numbers. You might know how much you have in your bank account

6 origins of financial bias that could affect you

Bias can affect the decisions you make, including financial ones. But how are biases formed? Research suggests numerous factors influence biases, including the following six.

We are a finalist in the Professional Adviser Awards 2026!

Mearns & Company has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Professional Adviser Awards 2026! We’ve been recognised in the category – Adviser Firm of the Year (Scotland and Northern Ireland).

We are one of the FT Adviser’s 2025 UK Top 50 Boutique Financial Advisers

We have been named in the FT Adviser UK Top 50 Boutique Financial Advisers 2025 list. FT Adviser, together with ISS Market Intelligence, launched the UK Top 50 Boutiques list, with the aim to celebrate those firms with 10 or fewer registered financial advisers.

We are finalists in the Investors in People Awards 2025

We are delighted to share some very exciting news—Mearns & Company has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Investors in People Awards 2025! We’ve been recognised in the category: UK Employer of the Year – Platinum (2–49 employees)

Don’t have a will? Here’s how your estate would be distributed under intestacy rules

A June 2025 article by Today’s Wills & Probate revealed a 25% rise in people dying without a valid will between 2020/21 and 2023/24. If

3 ways behavioural bias could affect your approach to estate planning

Financial biases are often linked to investing. However, subconscious tendencies can affect many aspects of your finances, including your estate plan. An estate plan sets

How pension and Inheritance Tax policy changes could affect your legacy

From April 2027, pensions are expected to fall within your estate and could be liable for Inheritance Tax (IHT). That date might seem far away,

Why working with a financial planner could help you close the gender wealth gap

It was just 50 years ago that the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 allowed women to open their own bank account or take out a mortgage

How behavioural bias could affect your view of existing investments

When you make investment decisions, you know they should be based on data, logic, and careful analysis. Yet, the choices you make are often influenced

Why the Labour government could reform the State Pension and what it means for you

Almost half of Brits doubt the State Pension will exist by the time they retire, according to a PensionsAge report published in July 2025. While

Why defining “financial freedom” could help you achieve it

Achieving “financial freedom” is an aspiration many people have. Yet, it can mean different things to each person and is influenced by other lifestyle goals,

4 steps that could recession-proof your retirement

If you’ve been keeping up with the news recently, you’ll likely know that global economic growth is under increasing pressure. In February 2025, the Bank

How to use the “gifting from income” rule to reduce your estate’s Inheritance Tax bill

According to a Citywire report, forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) suggest the amount of Inheritance Tax (IHT) paid to HMRC will have

Two-thirds of homeowners could be “wildly undervaluing” their property

78% of homeowners don’t have a clear idea of how much their property is worth, according to a Zoopla survey from March 2025. It’s estimated

How technology could be harming your investment decisions

Technology has made it easier than ever to invest and review the performance of your portfolio. Yet, it could also be harming your decision-making skills

Are your money beliefs helping you make great financial decisions?

This guest blog was written by Chris Budd who wrote the original Financial Wellbeing Book, and also the Four Cornerstones of Financial Wellbeing. He founded

Average Brit takes risk by delaying life insurance decision by 10 months

While it’s important to weigh up your options before making financial decisions, a study suggests families are leaving themselves open to risk because they delay

Is a lack of investing culture holding back the UK’s wealth potential?

An interesting January 2025 report from Abrdn suggests culture could affect your financial decisions more than you think. Indeed, a lack of investing culture in

6 estate planning lessons you could learn from the Murdoch family dispute

The Murdoch family’s messy dispute over who will retain control of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire when he passes away has been grabbing headlines. While your

How financial planning could help you overcome decision paralysis

How long do you leave essential tasks on your to-do list? If you’ve put off tasks because they feel overwhelming, you’re not alone, but delays

How to practice mindfulness when managing your money

How you approach managing your finances could affect your ability to reach long-term goals. The Japanese spending philosophy “kakeibo” could help you practice financial mindfulness

The financial wellbeing equation