With an ageing population, more people than ever are looking for ways to pay for later-life care. In this article, we will look at the options available and how we can help you with financial planning at what often is a difficult time.

If you are not eligible for State funding you are referred to as “self-funded”. So, the difference between the cost of care and the income of the self-funder is referred to as “the shortfall”.

From our clients and their families, we find that the key concerns are-

• How to fund the shortfall.
• Can the care needs be met for the remainder of the “self-funders” life?
• Preservation of the assets for the future benefit of family and dependents.

The advantages of being independent.

This area of financial planning is specialised. At Anstee & Co we have a team of independent financial advisers who have taken additional professional qualifications in long-term care planning. Being independent means that we will not be influenced by the providers of financial products. Our advice is unbiased. This is unlike some advisers who will only sell their services or work from a limited panel.

What the long-term care plan will cover.

Firstly, we will ensure that all available state benefits that you are entitled to have been claimed.

We will then look at all the options considering cost and risks.

Working with you, we will draw up a cash flow forecast. The forecast will look at the length of time your existing savings and investments will provide the income needed. The financial adviser working with you will also look at all the alternatives. When planning, they will also consider the effects of inflation and investment returns.

How Anstee & Co can help with planning for later-life care costs.

We are a firm of Independent Financial Advisers (IFA’s). This means that the financial planning advice we offer is unbiased. Our experience covers all aspects of personal financial planning, including pensions, estate planning, protection insurance and investments. As previously mentioned, we are a team of Financial Planners who specialise in long-term later-life care funding.

We would welcome the opportunity to discuss how we might be able to provide you with the financial advice and help you require. Why not contact us today? The initial fact-finding meeting is at our cost and is without obligation.

Our Head Office is located at –

• Kettering, Northamptonshire

Our team of financial planner live and make use of meeting rooms in-

• Market Harborough, Leicestershire
• Bedford, Bedfordshire
• Northampton and Wellingborough in Northamptonshire

We also make full use of video conferencing facilities such as-

• Microsoft Teams
• Facetime

We can also arrange a conference telephone call. The choice is yours. There is no need to visit an office as all work can be handled remotely. Meetings can be arranged at a time and in a way that is convenient for you.

If you have any thoughts or comments on this article, “Later-life funding for long-term care.”, then we would love to hear from you.

Finally, the information contained in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. No action should be taken based on this information alone. Anstee & Co is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

First of all, putting a retirement plan in place is key. The saying, “We don’t plan to fail, but we fail to plan”, has never been truer. If you are in your late fifties/early sixties and starting to think about retirement, there is certainly a lot to think about! So where do you start?

Let us plan.

To start with you need to get an idea of what level of income you will need in retirement so that you can comfortably enjoy your well-deserved leisure time.

It is a good idea to take time to detail what you spend now and the same for when you’re retired. So, it is often surprising how many costs you will no longer incur, for example, to name but a couple, commuting expenses and work clothes. Conversely, with more free time, you may spend more on leisure pursuits and travel.

So, what might your sources of income be in retirement? They could include: –

• The State Pension
• A Workplace Pension
• Personal Pension
• Property rental income
• ISAs
• Stocks & Shares
• Equity Release
• Premium Savings Bonds
• Savings you may have accumulated

Of course, these are only some of the options that might be available to you and it is important to assess the ways to utilise your income to your best advantage.

Our team of highly qualified independent financial planners have the experience and planning tools to help you to draw up a detailed retirement plan. Our planning tools can build in the cost of inflation to ensure that you will not run out of money. We can also show you the best time to pass on any wealth to your children and grandchildren in the most tax-efficient way. All steps to help you to secure your financial future

This link will take you to our short video to show you how it works.

How Anstee & Co can help you with your retirement plan.

We are independent financial advisers. This means that we offer unbiased financial planning advice. We look at all the options available to you from the whole of the market. This is unlike some financial advisers who work from a limited panel or recommend only their products. This initial, “getting to know you” meeting is at our expense and is without obligation. So, our experience covers all aspects of personal financial planning, including pensions, estate planning, savings and investments and personal protection insurance.

We would welcome the opportunity to have a coffee with you and discuss how we may be able to provide you with the advice you require. Why not contact us today?

Our head offices is located at Kettering, Northamptonshire.

Additionally, our financial planners live and make use of meeting rooms in –

• Bedford, Bedfordshire
• Market Harborough, Leicestershire
• Northampton, Thrapston and Wellingborough in Northamptonshire.

So, why not take the first step in securing your financial future today?

Finally, if you have any thoughts or comments about this article, “Retirement. Are you ready for it? we can help”, then we would love to hear from you.

The information contained in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. No action should be taken based on this information alone. Anstee & Co. is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

If you are dreaming of retirement, spending some time getting your financial affairs in order is a good idea. This will help you to realise if you can afford to retire with a standard of living that you are used to, or if making a few financial sacrifices will help you achieve your end goal sooner.

We hope these points will help with your initial planning.

Find out your worth.

You need to list your assets. These may be your home after the mortgage is repaid, Savings, Investments and Pensions. You may have several different types of pensions from different employers over the years. So, now is the time to gather this information together.

How much will your state pension be?

Not only how much will it be but when are you likely to receive it. The state pension kicks in at different ages depending on your sex and when you were born. The amount you will receive is also dependent on your National Insurance payment history. To find out more this link will take you to the government’s website for more information.

Consolidate your pensions to reduce costs (with care).

If you have had several employers over your working life you may have many separate pension funds. Consolidating these makes it easier to keep track of them. You may even save on fees as managing one large fund may be cheaper than managing several small ones.

You should always read the small print of these pension policies. Some policies may have guarantees built into them that you may not want to give up. Taking professional independent financial advice is important as mistakes can be costly and could seriously affect your financial wealth.

How much do you need to live on in retirement?

In retirement, your initial cost of living could go up. The chances are that you will want to travel and spend more time on your hobbies and interest. Being at home more could see an increase in your heating and lighting costs.

It is worth undertaking some form of cash flow modelling. This will allow you to see what your finances will look like over a long period. You can build in such things as buying a holiday home, changing the car, or downsizing to a smaller property. The scenarios are unlimited, and they will help you understand what your financial future looks like. Most people live longer than they expect to, so keep this in mind when doing your financial planning.

Do not get scammed.

You have worked hard to build up this retirement fund, so you do not want to lose it now. When taking financial advice, you must know who you are dealing with. Is the company registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)? Check the FCA’s “Scam Smart” website, which includes a warning list of companies operating without authorisation or running scams. Remember if it looks too good to believe the chances are it is.

How we can help you plan your retirement.

At Anstee & Co we are independent financial advisers (IFA’s). This means that we offer unbiased advice. We will look at all the financial options. Some financial advisers only operate from a limited panel or only sell their products and services. Why not arrange a meeting with us today? The initial “getting to know you” meeting is at our expense and is without obligations. The idea behind the meeting is to see how we work and how we can help you. It is about building relationships.

Our expertise covers all aspects of financial planning including pensions, investments, and mortgages.

If you have any thoughts or comments on this article, “Retirement could happen sooner than you thought?”, then it would be great to hear your views.

Finally, the information contained in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. No action should be taken based on this information alone. Anstee & Co is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

By Rachel Efetha, Chartered Financial Planner with Anstee & Co.

A while ago, I visited two sets of completely unrelated new clients who are both in a very similar position. Both the husbands are tradesmen and both the wives run the office for them under a limited company. Both got in touch as their businesses were ticking along nicely and they felt that they needed to focus on pensions and do not know much about them. Luckily for them, I know lots about pensions!

One couple was in their 40s with two teenage children, and the other was in their 30s with two preschool children. They all had little or no pension provision to date.  They would like to employ someone to run the businesses and do the trade and take a nice dividend in retirement but appreciate the need to have a backup plan in the form of a pension.

The recommendation.

I explained to them that a company contribution is better than a personal one, as although you get tax relief on a personal contribution, you as the director and as the employer, both must pay National Insurance contributions on salary, whereas none is paid on company pension contributions.

I also explained to them that they should try to build up equal pension provision so that they are using up both personal allowances during retirement.  There is no tax efficiency for one spouse having a taxable income and the other not even using their personal allowance. It also helps with death benefit planning for each to have their own pot.

Once we had set a budget for pension planning, we moved on to insurance. Both couples have Critical Illness Cover on their mortgages which is good, but there is a better way of doing things. A Critical Illness policy will cover just that, a bad, life-threatening disease. However, Income Protection will cover anything that prevents you from doing your job, for the tradesmen, this could be a dodgy knee or a bad back, for the office person, this could be stress-related. Of course, the critical illnesses are all covered too if they prevent you from doing your job. This cover is essential when both of your incomes depend on the business being a success.

How Anstee & Co can help you and your business with pensions.

Do you run your own business with your spouse? Could you benefit from a free financial health check?

We are independent financial advisers (IFA’s). This means that the financial advice we offer is unbiased. We look at all the options from the “whole of market”. The initial “getting to know you” meeting is at our expense and without obligation. Our experience covers all aspects of personal financial planning, including pensions, estate planning, savings and investments and personal protection insurance.

We would welcome the opportunity to have a coffee and discuss how we may be able to provide you with the advice you require. Why not contact us today to arrange an appointment?

Alternatively, there is no need to visit an office as all work can be undertaken remotely. This may be by –

• Microsoft Teams
• Facetime

We can also arrange a telephone conference call. The choice is yours. Whatever works best for you.

Additionally, our financial planners live and make use of meeting rooms in –

• Bedford, Bedfordshire
• Market Harborough, Leicestershire
• Northampton, Thrapston and Wellingborough in Northamptonshire

Finally, if you have any thoughts or views about this article, “Husband and Wife Owner Managed Businesses. “, then we would love to hear from you.

The information contained in this article is for information purpose only and does not constitute advice. No action should be taken based on this information alone. Anstee & Co. is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

In this article, we will look at what a Lasting Power of Attorney is, what it does and why you should be considering drawing one up.

So, what is a Lasting Power of Attorney?

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), are legal documents that can be used to help you safeguard your financial future. A worry for many is that mental and physical incapacity could strike at any time. This could be as a result of an accident or a debilitating illness such as a stroke, heart disease or dementia. Having an LPA in place ensures that your affairs can be looked after by those you have chosen to appoint.

Why should you have a Lasting Power of Attorney?

With an “ageing population”, many people place LPAs in the same categories as wills by associating them with later life planning. In reality, they are relevant to just about everyone. Unexpected things happen. If you should lose “capacity” for any reason, your assets would be frozen, even joint assets. This means that you would be powerless to control your financial affairs, at a time when your family need help more than ever.

What happens without a Lasting Power of Attorney?

Without an LPA in place, an application would have to be made to the Court of Protection. This can be a process that is long-winded, onerous and expensive. With a valid LPA in place, your attorneys will manage your financial affairs with immediate effect, without the need for frozen assets or a court application.

How Anstee & Co. can help you?

An LPA is a key part of the work we undertake when, “financial planning”, with our clients. Although we will not draw up these technical legal documents ourselves we will work with you and your solicitor to ensure that your wishes are met and that your family is fully protected.

To find out more why not arrange an appointment with one of our financial advisers? The initial meeting is at our expense and without obligation. A meeting can be arranged at your home or at our Head Office-

• Kettering, Northamptonshire

Additionally, our financial planners live and make use of meeting rooms in-

• Bedford, Bedfordshire
• Market Harborough, Leicestershire
• Northampton, Wellingborough, and Thrapston in Northamptonshire.

We can also arrange a meeting online so there is no need to visit an office. The choice is yours.

If you have any thoughts or comments on this article, “Lasting Power of Attorney: Will it give you peace of mind?”, then we would love to hear your views.

Finally, the information contained in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. No action should be taken based on this information alone. Anstee & Co is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

When undertaking a financial planning review with our clients our financial planners often talk about different asset classes.

So what do they mean? Below is a brief overview of what these asset classes do. Some asset classes are better for income while others come into their own when you are looking for capital growth. Some would be seen as high risk while others would be low.

DEPOSITS.

Think of it as a savings account.  Like the one, you may have with a Bank or Building society. You deposit your money with them and in return, you are paid interest. It is seen as low-risk. If interest rates are very low, returns will be low too.

CORPORATE BONDS.

You lend money to a company for an agreed period of time. In return, you are paid a set interest rate. The main risk is if the company goes bankrupt without paying back the loan. Historically, bonds tend to be less volatile than shares and the returns are fairly predictable.

GOVERNMENT BONDS, also known as GILTS.

These are like corporate bonds, but instead of lending money to a company, you are lending to the government. This is generally low-risk because the government is unlikely to go bankrupt. Like corporate bonds, gilts are less volatile than shares and the chances of returns growing are generally better than with deposits.

COMPANY SHARES also known as EQUITIES.

Companies sell shares to raise money. In return, you are paid a share of their profits. This is known as a ‘dividend’. Shares are bought and sold on the stock market. The price changes based on how well the company is doing, what its prospects are or market sentiment. Shares are seen as a long-term investment as they can be too volatile for short-term investing. It’s also worth bearing in mind some overseas stock markets are more volatile than UK shares. In addition, currency exchange rates can affect them. With shares, you can get both income through the dividends as well as capital growth if the shares move up in value.

There are two main types of property funds.

DIRECT PROPERTY FUNDS.

With direct property funds, you are investing in a range of properties. These could be shopping centres, factories or offices. They may not be very liquid as you might not be able to cash in your investment when you want to. The property needs to sell quickly.  An additional downside is that the true value of the investment only becomes clear once a buyer agrees on a price.

PROPERTY SECURITY FUNDS.

With these, you are investing in property companies. These act like shares. The price of these funds can go up or down suddenly. The advantage compared to direct property funds is that you are more likely to be able to cash in your investment when you want to.

SPECIALIST.

These might include foreign exchange or commodities like grain, gold or oil. These are generally seen as high-risk investments.

How Anstee & Co can help you with asset classes.

Finally, many of our solutions are a mixture of these asset classes. Blending shares, cash and property. The aim is that if one asset class is not performing the others do well. That old saying of not “putting your eggs all in the same basket”. A case of spreading your risk.

We are a firm of Independent Financial Advisers (IFA’s). This means that the advice we offer is unbiased.

There are many factors to consider when investing and the process may seem complex and time-consuming. Also, our expert independent advisers will support you at every step and do most of the work for you.  Simply contact us and we can guide you from start to finish.

The initial meeting is at our cost, so why not contact us today. Our Head Office is  located at-

• Kettering, Northamptonshire

Additionally, our financial planners live and make use of rooms in-

• Bedford, Bedfordshire
• Market Harborough, Leicestershire
• Northampton, Wellingborough and Thrapston in Northamptonshire.

Also, we make full use of video conferencing facilities such as-

• Zoom
• Microsoft Teams
• Facetime

We can also arrange a conference telephone call. So, there is no need to visit an office as all work can be handled remotely. The choice is yours. Our expertise covers all aspects of financial planning including pensions, investments and mortgages.

If you have any thoughts on this article, “Asset classes. Do I need to attend them?”, then we would love to hear from you.

Finally, the information contained in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Anstee & Co. is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

If you think that the idea of financial advice and planning is only for the very wealthy, think again.

In this article we will look at the key stages of life where taking independent financial advice can make a huge difference. Having a financial plan can provide you with confidence in your future. In uncertain times an adviser brings with them the ability to help you identify and quantify your key objectives and then to work towards those objectives in a structured and logical way.

Buying your first house.

An independent mortgage adviser will be able to help you work out how much you can afford to spend on a property. They will help you look at your budget and see if the repayments will be affordable. Remember the lowest interest rate mortgage might not be the best overall deal for you. No point in having your credit rating affected by being turned down for a mortgage that you were never likely to get.

Starting a family.

With a family comes responsibilities. An adviser can help you adjust to your changing circumstances. This might include saving money for your children’s future and taking out protection, such as health and life insurance.

Starting to invest.

An independent financial adviser will help you to understand your attitude to investment risk against your financial objectives. They will help you structure your thoughts about your short, medium and long-term objectives. You may have an interest in socially responsible investing which they could help you achieve.

Starting your own business.

An adviser can help you set up your new business on a sound financial basis. They will help you get your family finances into good shape so you can focus on your new venture.

Getting divorced.

Getting divorced is never easy. However, if your life changes significantly, so will your finances. Understand the value of assets such as pensions in any settlement is always key. Undertaking some financial planning will help you see what your financial future will look like.

Bereavement.

When someone close to you passes away there is likely to be financial implications. An independent financial adviser can help you understand the issues. A good adviser will ensure that your finances are flexible enough to change with those unexpected life events.

Coming up to retirement.

We are all encouraged to save for our retirement. The government helps us save through “workplace pensions” and other tax-efficient pension schemes. An adviser can also help you understand how to access your pension in a tax-efficient way. So, why pay more tax than you need? Undertaking some financial planning will help you understand what your retirement will look like. So, you may be able to retire sooner than you think or move to a less stressful part-time role.

For the next generation.

Most of us want to be able to pass some of our wealth on to our children or grandchildren. Undertaking Inheritance Tax planning (IHT), needs expert financial advice. Giving away too much, too soon, can have disastrous consequences. However, passing on too little wealth could mean that your estate ends up with an unnecessary tax bill.

How Anstee & Co. can help you with Financial Advice.

We are a firm of Independent Financial Advisers. This means that the financial advice we offer is unbiased. We will look at all the financial options that are available to you. This is unlike restricted advisers, who recommend only certain types of products or a range from a limited number of providers. Why not contact us today? The initial “getting to know you” meeting is at our expense and is without obligation. Our experience covers all aspects of financial planning, including pensions, estate planning, mortgages and investments.

Our Head Office is located in:-

• Kettering, Northamptonshire

Also, our financial advisers live and make use of meeeting rooms in:

• Northampton, Wellingborough and Thrapston, Northamptonshire
• Market Harborough, Leicestershire
• Bedford, Bedfordshire

Additionally, we also make full use of video conferencing such as:-

• Zoom
• Microsoft Teams
• Facetime

We can also arrange a conference telephone call. There is no need to visit an office as all work can be undertaken remotely.

Furthermore, if you have any thoughts or comments on this article, “Financial Advice. What is it good for?”, then we would love to hear from you.

Finally, the information contained in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. No action should be taken based on this information alone. Anstee & Co. is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Secret Santa goes to Kettering Foodbank.

No office “Secret Santa” again this year. Instead, it was agreed that we would  help a local foodbank charity in Kettering. This is all part of our community programme

The money that we would have spent on often a funny (some would say), but unwanted presents to each other has gone instead to buying groceries for people who are struggling to feed themselves and their family.

About Kettering Foodbank

The Charity was set up in 2009 by a group of friends who discussed the growing need for food support in their local area. In response they started a community foodbank from their homes, providing food to those in need. As awareness and demand grew so did the foodbank, leading to the creation of Kettering Foodbank. The foodbank is located at Unit B, 1 Horsemarket, Kettering.

Kettering Foodbank exists because no one should go hungry. They provide people with food in time of crisis, and help to identify and resolve the underlying issues that cause them to fall into food poverty.

Lacey Thompson, Apprentice Investment and Pension Administrator who helped to co-ordinate this years community project said:

“Jane and I dropped the food bank donation off on Wednesday morning (17th December 2025). Everyone at the foodbank was so grateful for all of our contributions. It really is so nice to give to those in need around the festive holidays!”

The foodbanks dedicated team of volunteers give their skills, time and experience to help those in need throughout Kettering and the surrounding villages.

Each week they post on Facebook which items they are most in need of. Their Facebook link is:

https://www.facebook.com/ketteringfoodbank

To find out more about the charity you can visit their website site if you want any further information.

https://www.ketteringfoodbank.org/

How Anstee & Co can help you with financial planning.

We are a firm of Independent Financial Advisers (IFA’s). This means that the financial advice we offer is unbiased. We look at all the financial option from the whole of the market.

Our head office is based in Kettering.

Our financial planners live and make use of meeting rooms in

• Market Harborough. Leicestershire
• Bedford, Bedfordshire
• Thrapston, Wellingborough and Northampton in Northamptonshire

So, if you work with a charity and feel that we may be able to help, then please let us know.

Finally, if you would like to arrange a financial planning meeting for yourself then please contact us directly. The first fact-finding meeting is free and without obligation.

By John Cossons, Equity Release Adviser.

I have helped several clients who have interest-only mortgages. They planned to repay their existing mortgage by downsizing. This means selling their existing property and buying something less expensive, to clear the mortgage. However, in the current property market, they have had problems selling the property in time and so had found themselves with no means to repay the mortgage.

What is the alternative to Downsizing?

The solution has been to stay put for the time being and release enough equity to repay the loan using a Lifetime Mortgage.

What is a Lifetime Mortgage?

A Lifetime Mortgage is a form of equity release. It allows you to take out a loan secured on your home which does not need to be repaid until you die or go into long-term care. This allows you to free up some of the wealth (equity) that you have tied up in your home. Lifetime Mortgages allow you to continue to live in your home.

Downsizing protection.

Taking out a Lifetime Mortgage may seem counter-intuitive. Indeed, it would not have been good advice in the past due to the potential early repayment charges that would have been incurred. However, there are now several lenders who offer “Downsizing Protection”.

Downsizing Protection means that the lender will not charge any early repayment charges after a set period if the property is sold and the loan repaid. So, the option to transfer some or all the mortgage to the new property is also an option available.

How Anstee & Co can help you with retirement planning.

We are a firm of Independent Financial Advisers (IFA’s). This means that the financial planning advice we provide is unbiased. We will look at all the financial solutions that are available to you, not just Lifetime Mortgages.

Why not arrange a meeting today to see how we can help you. The initial “getting to know you” meeting is at our expense and is without obligation. Only when we have a full understanding of your situation and what you are trying to achieve will we make our recommendation.

We can meet at your home, place of work or our Head Office located at: –

• Kettering, Northamptonshire

Additionally, our financial advisers live and make use of meeting rooms in: –

• Market Harborough, Leicestershire
• Bedford, Bedfordshire
• Northampton, Wellingborough and Thrapston Northamptonshire.

If you have any thoughts or comments on this article, “Trouble Downsizing? How we can help you.”, then we would love to hear your views.

Finally, the information contained in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. No action should be taken based on this information alone. Anstee & Co is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Click on the above image to play the video.

These products are lifetime mortgages or home reversion plans. Equity released from your home will be secured against it.