Welcome to our December edition of Smart Money. Here’s a summary of what’s included in this month’s edition:
On page 6, we outline five practical steps to help your employees reduce tax, maximise savings, and help strengthen their long-term plans. As the 2025/26 tax year end approaches on 5 April 2026, now could be the time for your employees to review their finances and check they are making full use of the allowances and reliefs available to them.
On page 8, we highlight that almost half of UK adults do not know how much they have saved for retirement. We look at why awareness varies so widely across generations, why many people feel uncertain about their retirement prospects, and the practical actions that can help restore clarity and confidence, including tracing forgotten pension pots.
On page 11, we look at the significance of having conversations about inheritance, which is one of the most sensitive yet crucial aspects of financial planning. We investigate why open dialogue is important and provide guidance on how to approach succession planning with clarity and confidence. Many families often avoid conversations about wealth transfer, but with an increasing number of estates subject to Inheritance Tax and a rise in Will disputes, remaining silent could prove to be costly.
On page 12, we explore how one-third of UK adults have recently increased their pension contributions, and that even modest or one-time top-ups can significantly impact long-term retirement savings.
Get in touch
If you want to work with a knowledgeable and friendly team that can advise you on the most suitable benefits, are easy to work with and want to help you engage with your people, then we’d love to hear from you. Email info@second-sight.com or call us on 0330 332 7143.
Secondsight is a trading name of Foster Denovo Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
A pension is a long-term investment not normally accessible until age 55 (57 from April 2028 unless the plan has a protected pension age).
The value of your investments (and any income from them) can go down as well as up, which would have an impact on the level of pension benefits available.
Your pension income could also be affected by the interest rates at the time you take your benefits.
The Financial Conduct Authority doesn’t regulate trust planning and most forms of inheritance tax (IHT) planning.
The financial conduct authority does not regulate tax and trust advice and will writing.
Some IHT planning solutions put your money at risk, and you may get back less than you invested. IHT thresholds depend on individual circumstances and the law. tax and IHT rules may change in the future.
The tax treatment is dependent on individual circumstances and may be subject to change in future.
