Informed Choice Radio Personal Finance Podcast

What is money, where does it come from, and who controls it? These are the questions answered in the new book from my guest on the podcast today, leading political economist Ann Pettifor. Ann is a UK-based economist, director of Policy Research in Macroeconomics (PRIME), an honorary research fellow at the Political Economy Research Centre at City University, London and a fellow of the New Economics Foundation. She is also executive director of the consultancy Advocacy International, which advises governments and organisations on international finance and sustainable development. Ann is best known for correctly predicting the Global Financial Crises in several publications including “Coming soon: The new poor”and her 2006 publication “The coming first world debt crisis”. Pettifor’s background is in sovereign debt. She was one of the leaders in the Jubilee 2000 debt campaign, which succeeded in writing off $100 billion of debts (in nominal terms) owed by 35 of the poorest countries. Her new book is The Production of Money: How to Break the Power of Bankers. In this book, Ann argues that democracies can reclaim control over money production and subordinate the out-of-control finance sector to the interests of society, and also the ecosystem. In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Ann about what money really is, the fundamental issues with the money system, what happens if nothing changes, whether we can still trust economists, if women are better positioned than men to control the money system, and the rise in the popularity of gold bugs. Welcome to The Production of Money with Ann Pettifor, in episode 177 of Informed Choice Radio. Click here to get the full episode transcript Some questions I ask: -What is money really? -Are there any fundamental issues with the current money system? -What happens if nothing changes? -How can we use the money system to meet the real needs of society? -Can we still trust economists? -Are women better positioned than men to reclaim control over the production of money? -What’s behind the rise in gold’s popularity and the presence of goldbugs? Useful links mentioned in this episode: –Prime Economics –The Production of Money by Ann Pettifor –Ann on Twitter Thank you for listening! To get new episodes of Informed Choice Radio sent directly to your device as soon as they are published, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Your reviews on iTunes are incredibly helpful and really appreciated. We get notified about each one; please leave a note of your name and website URL so we can mention you in a future episode. Click here to get the full episode transcript

Today on the podcast, I'm talking about what happens to your pension when you die. I know it's a morbid subject, but it's so important. Our pensions are usually the second biggest asset in our lives, after the value of our homes, so from a financial perspective, it's important we take them seriously, both during our lifetime and when planning for our death in the future. I'm talking about this today after the recent Supreme Court ruling on pension death benefits which marks a major extension of unmarried cohabitees’ rights and could affect millions of families. In this episode, I start by talking about that Supreme Court ruling and what it means for unmarried couples, then look at pension death benefits more generally, before finishing with some specific action steps you need to consider to get your own pensions in order from the perspective of death benefits. Personal finance news update -Price inflation has risen to its highest rate for two-and-a-half years. -Wages grew faster than the rate of inflation at the end of 2016, according to the latest official figures. -Average incomes for pensioner households after housing costs now exceed those of working-age people. -UK consumers are leaving over a billion pounds to sit idle in current accounts. -Research from Co-op Insurance has revealed that 91% of homeowners think their house value has increased since they bought it - by an average of £33,125. Get answers to your personal finance questions Do you have a personal finance or investing question for Martin? Email martin@icfp.co.uk or ask on Twitter @martinbamford. You can call our dedicated podcast voicemail line on 020 8144 2745 with your question or visit www.icradio.co.uk/voicemail to leave an online voice message. Aftershow links -Reimagining the Laws of England exhibition at Cranleigh Arts Centre -The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure by Grant Cardone

There's an old saying on Wall Street; Nobody rings a bell at the top or the bottom of a market. As true as this is, many investors have concerns about the risk of a bond bubble bursting. With gilt yields testing historical lows and the threat of rising interest rates, many investors have been questioning the outlook for fixed income. Once interest rates do start to rise in the UK and Europe, what will it mean for the capital value of bond holdings in portfolios? My guest on the podcast today is Curtis Evans, Investment Director - European Fixed Income at Fidelity International. In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Curtis about whether a bond bubble continues to exist, the impact of rising interest rates on capital values, why it's so difficult to call rising rates, steps investors can take to reduce the impact of rising interest rates, whether enough liquidity exists within the bond markets to cope with a sharp sell-off, and much more. Welcome to Outlook for Fixed Income with Curtis Evans, in episode 175 of Informed Choice Radio. To get you started, click here for the complete transcript for this episode (it’s FREE!). Get the transcript here! Some questions I ask: -Is the fear of a bond bubble still relevant? -What impact would rising interest rates have on the capital values of bond holdings? -Why is the timing of interest rate rises so hard to call accurately? -What steps can you take to protect a fixed income portfolio from the impact of rising rates? -How far can investors go within a strategic bond environment before they take on risks equivalent to equity holdings? -Can international bond holdings form part of the solution? -If there was a sharp sell-off, could bond market cope with the necessary liquidity? -Can cautious investors still treat bonds as a cautious holding within their portfolios? Thank you for listening! To get new episodes of Informed Choice Radio sent directly to your device as soon as they are published, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Your reviews on iTunes are incredibly helpful and really appreciated. We get notified about each one; please leave a note of your name and website URL so we can mention you in a future episode. Click here to get the full episode transcript

My guest on the podcast today is Jo Read, author of the new book Suddenly Single. Jo is an experienced Financial Planner, who has a real passion for helping her clients get peace of mind, understanding and clarity around their money. Her clients are typically women who are Suddenly Single through divorce or bereavement. Jo personally has found herself Suddenly Single and when not advising clients she leads a very busy and fulfilling life; travelling, playing sport, keeping fit and having a very busy social life! In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Jo about how her focus on helping suddenly single women came about, the tendency for women to find themselves suddenly single, some of the first steps people should take in light of divorce or bereavement, her three step process for helping people who are suddenly single, and much more. Welcome to Suddenly Single with Jo Read, in episode 174 of Informed Choice Radio. To get you started, click here for the complete transcript for this episode (it’s FREE!). Get the transcript here! Some questions I ask: -How did your focus on working with suddenly single women start? -Why is it women who are most commonly in need for assistance? -What are the first steps people should take in light of divorce or bereavement? -Can you talk us through your three step process when working with people who find themselves suddenly single? -What part do emotions play in the decision making process? -Where is the balance between making financial decisions for the short-term and long-term? -What are the pressing concerns for individuals who are suddenly single? Useful links mentioned in this episode: -Suddenly Single website -Suddenly Single on Amazon -Jo on Facebook Subscribe in iTunes | Click to listen now | Right click to download episode Thank you for listening! To get new episodes of Informed Choice Radio sent directly to your device as soon as they are published, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Your reviews on iTunes are incredibly helpful and really appreciated. We get notified about each one; please leave a note of your name and website URL so we can mention you in a future episode.

This week on the show, I take a closer look at the new government white paper which aims to fix our broken housing market. The housing white paper, ‘Fixing our broken housing market’, was published earlier this week by the Department of Communities and Local Government. In this episode I will take you through the key proposals in this white paper, look at some of the reaction, and then share my own thoughts on how we might fix the broken housing market. There's also a real life case study of a 25 year old who is desperate to get onto the housing ladder, and my suggestions for her. Personal finance news update Our newsreader this week is Informed Choice paraplanner Victoria McNulty. -An unmarried woman whose long-term partner died has won a landmark legal battle that could improve the pension rights of unmarried couples in the public sector.  -Annual house price growth slowed in January, with this trend expected to continue during 2017.  -The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published a new Discussion Paper seeking views on the practice of investing in illiquid assets through open-ended funds.  -Premium Bond holders will have a lower change of winning the biggest prizes from May. -Tax as a share of the UK's income is set to rise to its highest level since 1986. Get answers to your personal finance questions Do you have a personal finance or investing question for Martin? Email martin@icfp.co.uk or ask on Twitter @martinbamford. You can call our dedicated podcast voicemail line on 020 8144 2745 with your question or visit www.icradio.co.uk/voicemail to leave an online voice message. Aftershow links -Unbiased Awards 2017 -Master Investor Show -Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain - for Life, by Dr David Perlmutter

Canna Campbell is a Financial Planner and money vlogger from Sydney, Australia. She's founder of SugarMamma.TV, which serves not only an educational platform for everyone to access her knowledge, experience and information, but to more importantly inspire you to believe in yourself and empower you to step up to the plate. SugarMamma.TV is filmed inside Canna's home in Sydney, often featuring her two dogs, Giuseppe and Sofia, and her cheeky son, Rocco. In her videos, Canna shares everything that you need to know today, which will help you create a future where money is not an issue but a powerful tool which you use and respect to create the future which you deserve and crave. In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Canna about the inspiration behind SugarMamma TV, how to get rid of credit card debt quickly, her $1,000 project to create passive income and financial independence, financial literacy in Australia, and Australia's economic position in the world. Welcome to Sugar Mamma with Canna Campbell, in episode 172 of Informed Choice Radio. To get you started, click here for the complete transcript for this episode (it’s FREE!). Get the transcript here! Some questions I ask: -Have you always had a commercial mindset? -What inspired you to start Sugar Mamma TV? -What steps do you recommend people follow to get rid of credit card debt? -Can you tell us what your $1,000 project involves? -How do handbags play a role in your motivation strategy? -Is buying shares the best way to get started creating a passive income? -Do levels of financial literacy differ between the UK and Australia? -What's Australia's position in the global economy? Useful links mentioned in this episode: -Sugar Mamma website -Sugar Mamma TV on YouTube -Canna Campbell on Instagram -Canna Campbell on Facebook Thank you for listening! To get new episodes of Informed Choice Radio sent directly to your device as soon as they are published, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Your reviews on iTunes are incredibly helpful and really appreciated. We get notified about each one; please leave a note of your name and website URL so we can mention you in a future episode.  

My guest on the podcast today is an investment expert with more than quarter of a century of experience. Trevor Greetham is Head of Multi Asset at Royal London Asset Management. He joined RLAM in April 2015 from Fidelity where, as Asset Allocation Director, he was responsible for implementing tactical investment decisions across a range of solutions including the Fidelity Multi Asset Strategic fund with a strong performance track record. In the newly-created role of Head of Multi Asset at RLAM, Trevor became responsible for managing Royal London’s existing multi-asset solutions and also responsible for driving the development of new asset allocation solutions. Trevor is known for his work on the Investment Clock; an approach linking the performance of various investments to the different phases of the economic cycle. This is just one of a range of tactical asset allocation models that bring science to investment decision making but crucially, it leaves room for good judgement and experience to play its part. In today’s episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Trevor about the current stage of the economic cycle and how long this might last, whether the so-called Trump Rally is significant for investors, what might spook investors as the UK triggers Article 50 in March, whether the Bank of England was right in its decision to cut interest rates again last year, why China is on his investment radar for 2017, and how gold represent a bad choice of safe haven for investors. Welcome to Rock Around The Investment Clock with Trevor Greetham, in episode 171 of Informed Choice Radio. Some questions I ask: -How does the Investment Clock work and where do we find ourselves today in the economic cycle? -Is the Trump Rally significant and can we expect it to continue? -Last year was good for index trackers but challenging for actively managed funds. Is this likely to repeat in the future? -What are you looking out for as the UK negotiates its exit from the European Union? -Was the Bank of England right to cut interest rates following the Referendum last summer? -What other factors should investors be considering? What's on your investment radar at the moment? -Is there too much correlation between the different asset classes? Can investors still achieve effective diversification? -Why is gold a bad idea at the current stage of the investment cycle? Thank you for listening! To get new episodes of Informed Choice Radio sent directly to your device as soon as they are published, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher. Your reviews on iTunes are incredibly helpful and really appreciated. We get notified about each one; please leave a note of your name and website URL so we can mention you in a future episode.    

How much are you paying for financial advice and investment products. In this episode of the podcast, I'm joined by Nick Bamford to chat about fees, charges and the cost of financial advice. The Sunday Times recently published an article which was critical of the charges levied by tied adviser St James Place, with particular criticism of their exit charges of up to 6% on some financial products.  We also hear a lot about the cost of fund management charges, particularly with reference to lower cost index tracker funds. And there's a lot of debate about what financial advisers charge, whether investors should pay a percentage of their money to invest, or a flat fee. Nick and I spend some time in this episode talking about the fees investors typically pay, some of the different remuneration structures offered by financial advisers, understanding value for money when it comes to fees, and the importance of fee transparency. Personal finance news update Our newsreader this week is Informed Choice paraplanner Kelvin Riches. -The Bank of England has kept interest rates on hold at 0.25% whilst increasing its forecast for growth in the UK economy.  -Annual house price inflation weakened in January, falling to its lowest level since November 2015. -Brits lack a plan for passing on wealth to future generations, according to a new survey.  -Widespread confusion over financial terms means millions of people may be taking out important policies or products without completely understanding what cover the product offers. -Savings protection available from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the FSCS, has risen by £10,000 this week. Listener question David Horton from Brisbane in Australia writes in with the following question that we answer in this episode: The rule on 'don't borrow to invest"; does that apply to borrowing to buy a "buy to let" property? Saving to buy outright would be impossible or very slow, and I think would run you up against rule 10, don't pay too much tax. Though I guess such savings pay so little interest the tax would be minimal. Get answers to your personal finance questions Do you have a personal finance or investing question for Martin? Email martin@icfp.co.uk or ask on Twitter @martinbamford. You can call our dedicated podcast voicemail line on 020 8144 2745 with your question or visit www.icradio.co.uk/voicemail to leave an online voice message. Aftershow links -Deep Work by Cal Newport -Martin's book review on Medium -10% Happier by Dan Harris -Being Mortal by Atwul Gawande -Unbiased Awards 2017 Help us spread the word! Thank you for listening to this episode of Informed Choice Radio. Please use the comments section below to share any feedback you have. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it by using the social media buttons on this page. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe in iTunes and write us a review! Reviews really help us stand out from the crowd and reach more listeners.  

Martyna Sroka is Money Saving Girl; a money blogger born in Poland and based in London. She likes finding money saving deals and offers. Martyna tries to test the deals and offers and then shares her money saving tips with you, so you can have more for less and be happier. Martyna’s credo is that nothing is impossible, some things are just a bit harder to achieve but if really want something you will get it. In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Martyna about what first sparked her interest in saving money, how her upbringing informed her attitude towards money, the strategies Martyna used to save £2,400 last year, an introduction to matched betting, areas of spending where people tend to overspend, and so much more. Welcome to Money Saving Girl with Martyna Sroka, in episode 169 of Informed Choice Radio. Some questions I ask: -What first sparked your interest in saving money? -How did you manage to save so much last year when you had some big items of expenditure too? -Can you explain to our listeners how matched betting works? -Are there some areas where it's easier to save money than others? -What are the particular areas where people tend to overspend? -Are there any particular cashback websites you recommend? Subscribe in iTunes | Click to listen now | Right click to download episode Useful links mentioned in this episode: -TopCashBack -Quidco -Latest Free Stuff -Latest Deals -Money Saving Girl -Martyna on Facebook -Martyna on Twitter Thank you for listening! To get new episodes of Informed Choice Radio sent directly to your device as soon as they are published, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Your reviews on iTunes are incredibly helpful and really appreciated. We get notified about each one; please leave a note of your name and website URL so we can mention you in a future episode.  

Have you ever dreamed about moving to the country, living more simply and making the most of life? My guest on the podcast today is Faith Archer. Faith is an award-winning money journalist, who also writes the blog Much More with Less about moving to the country, living with less and making the most of it. Faith was formerly Deputy Personal Finance Editor at the Telegraph Media Group. She’s now a freelance journalist and writer, specialising in personal finance. In today’s episode of Informed Choice Radio, I speak to Faith about how she started her blog, living below the line on just £1 a day, some of the benefits of living a frugal lifestyle, things that discourage frugality, highlights from saving £5,000 in a year, and much more. Welcome to Much More With Less with Faith Archer, in episode 168 of Informed Choice Radio. Some questions I ask: -Your blog is Much More With Less. How did that get started? Was that a natural spinoff from personal finance journalism and when you went freelance, and what was the motivation behind it? -What are some of the benefits of a more frugal lifestyle, of living frugally? -What are some of the first steps that people can take if they want to approach life in a more frugal manner? -What tends to put some people off frugality and trying to cut back a bit? Are there some secret elements which discourage people? -You mentioned on your blog that you want to make 2017 a money saving year, so what steps are you taking to make that happen? -Are there any quick wins when it comes to spending less and saving more money for the future? Where do you get the most satisfaction from saving money? Useful links mentioned in this episode: Much More With Less Faith on Twitter Faith on Instagram Faith on Facebook Much More With Less Thank you for listening! To get new episodes of Informed Choice Radio sent directly to your device as soon as they are published, you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher. Your reviews on iTunes are incredibly helpful and really appreciated. We get notified about each one; please leave a note of your name and website URL so we can mention you in a future episode.