Advice

By Samuel Mather-Holgate For many of us, our first experience of money came from Mum. Whether it was being handed a few coins for sweets, learning how to budget pocket money, or hearing the phrase “money doesn’t grow on trees” (more times than we can count), mums have been quietly shaping our financial habits for…

By Samuel Mather-Holgate Are You Making These Common Retirement Planning Mistakes? Retirement should be a time to enjoy life without money worries—but for many people, that’s not the reality. The earlier you start planning for retirement, the better your outcomes will be. But even if you’ve already started saving, it’s easy to fall into common…

A personal opinion piece by Samuel Mather-Holgate Swindon’s property market has made an impressive start to 2025, with house prices rising by 2.2% over the past year, surpassing the national average of 1.9%. This consistent growth has placed Swindon among the top five best-performing areas in the South West, reinforcing its reputation as one of…

By Samuel Mather-Holgate Why Do So Many People Avoid Making a Will? Let’s be honest—no one likes thinking about death. It feels far off, complicated, and maybe even expensive to sort out. But the reality is that not having a will can cause serious problems for your loved ones. A shocking 54% of UK adults…

By Helen Quayle, Independent Financial Adviser for Mather & Murray Financial- International Women’s Day is on 8th March 2025:  It gives me a real buzz when people reach out to me for my thoughts about women in financial services in the lead-up to International Women’s Day (IWD). It makes me realise that I must be…

By Samuel Mather-Holgate  As we approach the end of the 2024/25 tax year on 5th April, time is running out to make the most of your tax allowances and reliefs. This is a critical period for both individuals and business owners to ensure they have maximised tax-efficient savings, used their allowances effectively, and prepared for…

By Samuel Mather-Holgate As the tax year draws to a close, there’s no better time to review your pension contributions and ensure you’re taking full advantage of the tax breaks and allowances available. Even with upcoming changes to inheritance tax (IHT) on pension death benefits, pensions remain one of the most tax-efficient ways to save…

By Samuel Mather-Holgate For many couples, co-habiting feels like a natural step in their relationship. You share a home, expenses, and perhaps even dreams for the future. However, when it comes to property ownership, co-habiting couples face a significantly different legal landscape compared to those who are married or in a civil partnership. Without proper…

By Samuel Mather-Holgate Living overseas doesn’t mean leaving your UK pension behind. You could be in Malta, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Canada, France Denmark, or anywhere else for that matter, understanding your pension options is essential to secure your retirement. From transfers to benefits, annuities to drawdown, and even inheritance planning, navigating the complexities of UK…