The ‘advice gap’ is much discussed in our world; that relatively few take financial advice and those who most need it are least likely to do anything about it. Would it make a difference if they could talk to us, or variants of thereof, for free? No. There are many things which are good for us and are free which many will not use or do. Recycling bins and going for a run, for example. Those who don’t save can’t actually afford to. Those who get into debt more often than not have no choice. ‘Levelling up’, one way or another is, I’d say, the only option.
“Record year for annuity sales driven by advisers”
I was asked this week whether annuities are now ‘a good investment’. They’ve been recommended very rarely in recent years, since ‘pension freedoms’ allowed pretty much unlimited drawdown on pension funds and anything left to be passed on to beneficiaries free of Inheritance Tax.