Financial Fortress

Wow - our latest review (but it was our pleasure really!): I would highly recommend Financial Fortress for any advice sought on pensions. The team are very friendly, operate within a relaxed environment and are extremely knowledgeable whilst illustrating options available. I am finally able to understand in layman terms what a lot of the jargon means and what is available for me. Particular thanks to Wayne for the time taken to help me understand and for diluting the anxiety associated with such a big chapter in my life. Thanks again and best wishes, Gill Campbell

A record £34.2 billion (or £34,200,000,000) was transferred out of pensions according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS) smashing the all-time record! In 2016 it was a much lower £12.8 billion. So why do people do it? Number one reason will most certainly be to access the freedom’s brought in 2015 giving you the ability draw your income and lump sums in the way you want them. [ 109 more words ] https://financialfortressblog.wordpress.c om/…/pension-tran…/

Lovely clients of ours making lovely food in Llay, North Wales!!! Yummy!

According to pension firm Aviva, early retirement (defined as those retiring before their 65th birthdays) will all but disappear to most UK workers in the coming years! Yes - you may panic! Aviva points to employment figures recently published by the ONS (Office of National Statistics) which shows a continued decline in the number of people who define themselves as “retired” before age 65. [ 117 more words ] https://financialfortressblog.wordpress.c om/…/early-retire…/

Wow who would have thought, but not only is this great for the English nation but it has also provided an unexpected boost to the struggling high street! England’s progress also appears to have been great for the economy! Coupled with the un-seasonably fine weather it has seen the nations consumers head for the shops and pubs in record numbers! [ 107 more words ] https://financialfortressblog.wordpress.c om/…/england-are-…/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZIH7WFA6 WM

According to the Prudential, arguably one of the UK’s largest pension and investment companies, 1 in 8 people retire with no pension savings. Whilst this is a horrific number, the trend is actually positive and past research from the Prudential for example shows it was almost 1 in 4 (23%) of retirees just 10 years ago. The survey of almost 10,000 adults also showed that women were more likely to have no independent pension savings (18%) compared to men (7%). [ 90 more words ] https://financialfortressblog.wordpress.c om/…/in-2018-1-in…/

On Thursday, our young apprentice will complete his third swimming lesson so here’s a quick update on his progress. We asked Kieran before day 1 how he felt and he said: “I am very nervous and to be honest and feel like a bit of an idiot for not being able to swim. I am not looking forward to it at-all and feel people reading this and the pool staff will be kind of laughing at me”. [ 169 more words ] https://financialfortressblog.wordpress.c om/…/update-on-ki…/

Well 26% actually according to research by the Pensions Policy Institute (PPI). What a crazy fact, especially as most pensioners rely on the state pension for more than half their total income in retirement and in some cases even more! The research shows that 40% of savers expect their state pension to be less than the correct age and 34% expect it to be greater. https://financialfortressblog.wordpress.c om/…/only-a-quart…/

A financial advice firm in Wrexham may be responsible for almost £2million in compensation following complaints from its client’s. Kingsway Wealth Management appear to have transferred client’s pension funds into what is known as Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPP’s) with the underlying investments being un-regulated according to Money Marketing!! According to a search of the Financial Ombudsman Service, it shows Kingsway Wealth Management, which has 2 advisers, has already received 7 upheld complaints against it since April 2013 with them putting aside £232,000 so far. https://financialfortressblog.wordpress.c om/…/kiss-it-keep…/

Today the Bank of England voted on what to do with interest rates (as they do 8 times per year). Anyone with a mortgage will know that interest rates have been at record lows since the financial crash in 2008 and currently stand at 0.5%. Although the rate has been lower in the recent past (at 0.25%). Given we have had 10 years of low cost borrowing, all the pressure is now squarely on interest rates rising at some point – we just don’t know when! https://financialfortressblog.wordpress.c om/…/mortgage-int…/

Like 1 in 5 adults, our apprentice, Kieran is not able to swim! So, at Financial Fortress we have decided this is not a good thing so we have arranged and paid for Kieran to start the first of 14 swimming lessons this Thursday in work time! Kieran is obviously quite nervous but I am sure you will join us in wishing Kieran good luck and he will be sharing his experiences in the coming weeks! https://financialfortressblog.wordpress.c om/…/our-apprenti…/

We are delighted Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and Meghan Duchess of Sussex have visited our wonderful city today. We hope you have both have a fabulous time and if you happen to be passing Guilden Sutton, we have a selection of biscuits and hot beverages for you to try!

A recent report from pensions big-hitters Hymens Robertson and Vanguard investments shows a savers wealth could be a whopping 5% worse off over 30 years if they don’t consider a “tax optimised wrapper”! What is a wrapper I hear you all scream? Readers of our blogs will have heard of an “ISA” and certainly a “Pension”. Well in plain language these are “wrappers” and dictate the tax treatment of the investments held within them. https://financialfortressblog.wordpress.c om/…/the-cost-of-…/

According to a Which? survey, 66% of recent property purchasers experienced problems with buying their homes before completion! Many of the issues raised can be easily avoided with either some additional knowledge or by using experienced and trusted experts such as mortgage advisers for example. Problems cited in the report included delays with others in the chain (19%), property being left in a poor condition (13%) and problems in obtaining their mortgage (10%). https://financialfortressblog.wordpress.c om/…/problems-wit…/

There are currently around 15,000 centenarians in the UK (people aged over 100), however another stat provided by the UK Government is that 10 million of us Brits alive today are expected to make it to our 100th birthday! Amazing news for most but other figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) also shows that the average Brit may expect to live their last 15 years in poor health and perhaps reliant on social care. https://financialfortressblog.wordpress.c om/…/life-expecta…/

Research from Retirement Advantage shows fourteen percent (14%) of non-retired people aged 50 or over have been approached by potential pension scammers in the past 3 months!! The Government has recently announced a ban on pension related cold-calling with legislation to be proposed by the Pensions Secretary (Esther McVey) by the end of June 2018. Great news I hear you say – that will surely show those pesky scammers! https://financialfortressblog.wordpress.c om/…/pension-scams/

Given the many recent changes to the state pension, with ages already now equalised for men and women to age 65 and increasing further to 67 being phased in over the next 10 years it is no surprise that clients keep asking us if the Government will abolish it? “We do doubt it” is our answer, after all given the “grey vote” is strong in the UK (meaning the mature amongst us tend to use their right to vote more than any other section of society), making it political suicide that any Government will try to abolish it. https://financialfortressblog.wordpress.c om/…/will-they-ab…/

Equity release lending reached record highs of £870million in the first quarter of 2018 having doubled in the past 2 years according to the Equity Release Council. £10million per day was withdrawn from “housing wealth” in the same period! As our population is ageing and our retirees are in better health (so can enjoy themselves more), perhaps it is no surprise that more and more people are turning to their largest asset to fund their retirement!! https://financialfortressblog.wordpress.c om/…/equity-relea…/

Divorcees suffer nearly £4,000 per year cut in pension income! A recent survey from pension provider, Prudential shows the average expected annual pension income of a divorcee retiring in 2018 was on average £17,600 per year compared to a typical £21,400 for those who have not experienced a break-up! Here’s a real shocker... The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (a social research charity) sets a benchmark for retirement income which currently stands at £9,998 per year (or £192.27 per week). https://financialfortressblog.wordpress.c om/…/divorcees-an…/

Malcolm acted as an excellent mortgage advisor. Clear and useful information provided up front, from start to finish. Very responsive communication and will make the mortgage application as easy as can be. Ultimately Malcolm found me a mortgage product that met my financial and personal goals and needs, I cannot reccomend enough.

I would highly recommend Financial Fortress for any advice sought on pensions. The team are very friendly, operate within a relaxed environment and are extremely knowledgeable whilst illustrating options available. I am finally able to understand in layman terms what a lot of the jargon means and what is available for me. Particular thanks to Wayne for the time taken to help me understand and for diluting the anxiety associated with such a big chapter in my life. Thanks again and best wishes, Gill Campbell

I was referred to the company by a friend. Malcolm and the team were very professional, efficient and caring and gave very helpful advice. They were available at all times and made a very trying and difficult time much easier and smoother! I can't recommend or thank them enough!

I was introduced to Malcolm of Financial Fortress when I was seeking to buy an investment property. I found Malcolm extremely knowledgeable and easy to deal with. His focus was always on to source the perfect bespoke solution to my needs.

The best thing for me was his speed of response to me texts and emails,even during so called unsocial hours.

Malcolm even liaised with my accountants & estate agents to make my life a lot easier.



Malcolm will surely be my man to go when it comes to my future property investments !

Malcolm acted as an excellent mortgage advisor. Clear and useful information provided up front, from start to finish. Very responsive communication and will make the mortgage application as easy as can be. Ultimately Malcolm found me a mortgage product that met my financial and personal goals and needs, I cannot reccomend enough.

I would highly recommend Financial Fortress for any advice sought on pensions. The team are very friendly, operate within a relaxed environment and are extremely knowledgeable whilst illustrating options available. I am finally able to understand in layman terms what a lot of the jargon means and what is available for me. Particular thanks to Wayne for the time taken to help me understand and for diluting the anxiety associated with such a big chapter in my life. Thanks again and best wishes, Gill Campbell

I was referred to the company by a friend. Malcolm and the team were very professional, efficient and caring and gave very helpful advice. They were available at all times and made a very trying and difficult time much easier and smoother! I can't recommend or thank them enough!

I was introduced to Malcolm of Financial Fortress when I was seeking to buy an investment property. I found Malcolm extremely knowledgeable and easy to deal with. His focus was always on to source the perfect bespoke solution to my needs.

The best thing for me was his speed of response to me texts and emails,even during so called unsocial hours.

Malcolm even liaised with my accountants & estate agents to make my life a lot easier.



Malcolm will surely be my man to go when it comes to my future property investments !

Malcolm acted as an excellent mortgage advisor. Clear and useful information provided up front, from start to finish. Very responsive communication and will make the mortgage application as easy as can be. Ultimately Malcolm found me a mortgage product that met my financial and personal goals and needs, I cannot reccomend enough.

I would highly recommend Financial Fortress for any advice sought on pensions. The team are very friendly, operate within a relaxed environment and are extremely knowledgeable whilst illustrating options available. I am finally able to understand in layman terms what a lot of the jargon means and what is available for me. Particular thanks to Wayne for the time taken to help me understand and for diluting the anxiety associated with such a big chapter in my life. Thanks again and best wishes, Gill Campbell

I was referred to the company by a friend. Malcolm and the team were very professional, efficient and caring and gave very helpful advice. They were available at all times and made a very trying and difficult time much easier and smoother! I can't recommend or thank them enough!

I was introduced to Malcolm of Financial Fortress when I was seeking to buy an investment property. I found Malcolm extremely knowledgeable and easy to deal with. His focus was always on to source the perfect bespoke solution to my needs.

The best thing for me was his speed of response to me texts and emails,even during so called unsocial hours.

Malcolm even liaised with my accountants & estate agents to make my life a lot easier.



Malcolm will surely be my man to go when it comes to my future property investments !