The Downing Brief: Don’t Let Your Pension Fund Become a Tax Trap

Go back to blogs I know we have to wait a few weeks to see whether the horror change in the last Budget are implemented. I expect they all will be. We should not rush into making changes to our affairs for a little while, until we know these surprising, disturbing...

The Downing Brief: How Buffett Proved the Power of Passive Investing

Go back to blogs I recall back in 2007 in America a well-known hedge fund manager openly and publicly challenged Warren Buffett to a bet that the hedge fund manager would beat any investments that Warren Buffett selected over 10 years.   This bet commenced just before...

The Downing Brief: 30 Years On—Still Ignoring Wills and Pensions

Go back to blogs I continue to be surprised and disappointed to see that so many people when it comes to putting in place the right tax efficient Wills or indeed investing money to build an income, when they retire through pension planning believe they need not do...

The Downing Brief: The Lifetime Mortgage You Might Regret Ignoring

Go back to blogs The real benefits of a Lifetime Mortgage for Equity Release. I want to address the benefits and the fears of this enormous unlocking opportunity. A Lifetime Mortgage can be such a powerful tool particularly for those people who own their own home and...

The Downing Brief: Why Private Medical Insurance Is No Longer a Luxury

Go back to blogs This year I experienced the real benefit of my company having in place a Private Medical Insurance arrangement. It is more costly than having a Group Life Assured arrangement or a Group Income Replacement scheme and the premiums for each employee are...