The Meaningful Money Personal Finance Podcast

Listeners dive into complex issues surrounding redundancy payments and pension contributions. The hosts unravel the tricky regulations around employer contributions from personal accounts. They emphasize the importance of ISAs versus pensions for tax efficiency. Misconceptions about trusts are addressed, advocating for emotional benefits in financial planning. The importance of small saving habits for generational wealth is highlighted, along with inspiring success stories to encourage others to start their financial journeys.

Listener inquiries spark fascinating discussions about investment growth rates, with a deep dive into why historical averages might differ from common estimates. The hosts tackle the intricacies of retirement planning, emphasizing the importance of risk management and realistic return expectations. They also explore tax-efficient strategies for 'Save As You Earn' schemes, discussing the balance between aggressive investments and cash buffers. Lastly, they highlight effective withdrawal strategies during retirement, underscoring the impact of market fluctuations on financial stability.

Today I’m joined by my friend Lee Jackson who came to me with a thorny financial/legal problem a few months ago pertaining to Family Protection Trusts. I was able to help him answer one specific question, but the issue he faced is shared by tens of thousands of other people up and down the UK. So, I asked him to come on to the show to discuss it, just in case it would help other in a similar situation. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/session583 

Dr. Daniel Crosby, Chief Behavioral Officer at Orion Advisor Solutions and a leading voice in behavioral finance, shares insights from his new book, *The Soul of Wealth.* He discusses redefining wealth by integrating personal growth and meaningful living. Daniel emphasizes the importance of embracing personal accountability and the psychological aspects of financial well-being. He also explores how our environment shapes financial decisions and reflects on the deeper significance of identity and relationships in the journey towards true fulfillment.

It’s another mixed bag of your questions, taking everything from investing in offshore funds to evening up pension funds between spouses and lots more besides! Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/QA19  00:57  Question 1 Hello Pete & Roger I am a regular listener to you show, love it and keep up the good work. My question is… I have a full 6 months emergency fund, I have no credit card debt or personal loans, I have a mortgage and I have just started investing 5% of my wages every time I get paid into the Vanguard all world tracker fund (keeping it simple) I have a new car every 4 years on PCP (so I basically lease it) as I always chop in for a new car and never pay the balloon payment at the end, this PCP is at 8%. I would like to hear your thoughts on weather investing is still okay to do along side this, the reason for having a new car is that I use it until the warranty expires and then change due to rising repair costs and hassle free motoring. I have brought older cars outright in the past and always ended up costing me more in repairs over the years. I am planning on leasing my cars for the permanent future so if I do not start investing now I will never have a chance to invest, and I do not see leasing at car as a loan as such, more of a permanent lease. Feel free to shorten my message to suit and excited to hear your thoughts, all the best. Adam 10:10  Question 2 Hello Pete and Rog! First of all, a huge thank you for all the valuable content you share – I really appreciate it! Keep up the fantastic work!  I had a quick question that’s a bit technical (apologies in advance!), but I was wondering if you might be able to cover the topic of UK-registered funds when investing in a GIA on the podcast? I’ve heard that non-UK registered funds are taxed at the income tax rate rather than the capital gains tax rate. Is the best approach to check the ISIN against the list of UK-registered funds, even if the investment is made through a non-UK exchange (e.g., Amsterdam or Ireland)? Also, when a new client comes to you with non-UK registered funds, how do you typically address this issue? Thanks again for all that you do – really appreciate it!  Best, your #1 Fan! 14:00  Question 3 Hi Pete / Roger Thank you for your great work with your Q&As. Your cashflow ladder idea is great advice but when I look at graphs of cautious, balanced, growth funds they all go up and down at the same time. Over the last 10 yrs every time there has been a big market fall all the funds I looked at (at all risk levels) recovered with 32 months max. If 2-3 years cash is held on the 1st rung of the ladder why shouldn’t I hold the rest in growth/agg funds? The cash rung will ride out the fall / recovery so I may as well put my money in a fund with the most growth potential? What am I missing? Stephen 19:57  Question 4 Hi Pete and Roger, Thanks for all you do. Your Podcasts and YouTube content has helped me get to retirement early. I have a number of investments in my Pension which are there to continue to grow hopefully over time. I have a well diversified portfolio mainly using trackers. I want to try to drop a particular individual investment from my portfolio that forms part of the Magnificent Seven, and is therefore part of a lot of the trackers I have. Unless I buy the FTSE Global index as individual shares can you see a way I cannot be in this one companies shares? Not sure there is an answer. Much appreciated, Chris 24:11  Question 5 Hello Love your podcast, I thought I was fairly clued up on pensions/finances but I have learnt so much more from your podcast. I recommend it to everyone! Especially my husband, who has so far failed to do so, he leaves the finances to me (which is probably why we are in this position as he has not addressed his pension). My question is: Our pension pots are very unequal, we're both 47.  I have 2 DB pots (combined are due to pay out circa 14k from age 65). I am also on track to have around 750k in a private pension by the time I am 57, and am planning to retire at this point.  My husband currently only has around 18k in a private pension, and is retraining as a teacher so he will only have a small DB pension not accessible until 68. He will therefore need to continue working for a few years after I retire.  I will need around a 2k a month in retirement, but I am thinking I can take up to £67k per year from my pension (so to remain in the 20% tax band). Use 24k for myself, and then we pay the remaining 43k into husbands private pension (or however much his earnings allow). If he is a higher rate tax payer by then, he would gain a 40% uplift on this or if not he will still get the 20% uplift back so we aren't losing out.  One of the main reasons for doing it would be to even the pensions out so that we can both withdraw tax efficiently in future, rather than me having to withdraw from my pension for both of us and so paying more tax. It seems like a no brainer but please let me know if I have missed something really obvious. Thanks in advance! Sarah 29:02  Question 6 Hello gents, If you pay a charity and claim gift aid within a given tax year, does that take your income down when calculating benefit calculations? E.g. if I earn £101k p/a and I give £2k to charity and (gift aid it), does that effectively bring my income below the £100k threshold for child government support like free childcare hours? Thanks, David

Listeners dive into the world of trusts, exploring their role in protecting assets from care costs. The hosts discuss the complexities of estate planning, including safeguards for personal assets in cohabitation. They also highlight the importance of legal advice when dealing with McClose trusts and the nuances of cross-border investments. Additionally, the challenges of French gift tax laws are unpacked, emphasizing informed planning and compliance. It's a rich discussion filled with practical insights for securing financial futures.

This lively Q&A tackles intriguing financial dilemmas faced by listeners in their 30s. The discussion shifts between selling employer-matched shares versus taking out a loan for unexpected expenses. Insights into retirement planning and the importance of adaptability in financial strategies emerge. Strategies for managing mortgages and the complexities of pension options are also covered. There's an emphasis on teaching children about money, demonstrating how parental attitudes shape financial education for the next generation.

It’s time for another Listener Questions session! This week we cover commercial property in pensions, ethical investing, inherited pensions and so much more. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/QA16    01:02  Question 1 Hi Peter / Roger, Many thanks for all the wisdom plus superb book, you two really make my week with the banter. I always hear about DB and DC pensions but wondered if you’d ever cover the following: Many business owners like myself own buildings outright (as a pension) within a Commercial Sipp and then loop back into this rental payments. Also, within this using a GIA for diversified investments including cash lump sums for tax relief when possible. I’m heading North of sixty soon and feel its time to start thinking of the exit plus implications. It would be fantastic to hear your advice on these in the future. Best Regards, Steve 05:47  Question 2 Hello Pete Can ethical investing beat inflation? Myself and my husband are both 63.  We retired at the end of last year, having sold the business we have run for the majority of our working lives. We have some small DC pensions and a SSAS which includes a commercial property.  We both have cash ISAs. I've done some research, helped massively by your podcasts and YouTube videos, so thank you so much for these. From what I have learned I understand that  we need to invest the cash from the business sale in Global Equities.  We also need to look at the investments within the SSAS which, up to now, the SSAS provider has managed.  Cash in the SSAS also needs to be invested. Is there a way of picking a Global Index Tracker which is ethical and will beat inflation and that requires minimal management to keep fees low?  I realise that we need to look at our cash accounts too with this in mind. Many thanks for all your excellent resources and advice, the fog of financial planning is starting to clear and I'm feeling less panicked about being able to manage the money for our future. Kind regards, Rachel 12:52  Question 3 Dear Pete and Rog, Your podcasts have been a real source of steadiness for me over the past few years - a pair of reliable voices amidst the wider financial chaos. I’m writing with a question about nominee (beneficiary) pensions. Sadly, my father passed away recently, and I’ve inherited half of his private pension pot - around £70k from a total of £140k. It’s been set up as a nominee pension, which I understand allows the money to remain invested and grow tax-free, with flexible access at any age. This has been a significant and unexpected legacy, and it’s opened up the possibility of scaling back to part-time work well before the official retirement age. (I’m in my late 30s, so there’s still a way to go, but it’s a big deal for me and brings more options for me) I don’t plan to draw from the pot for many years. My intention is to let it grow. The catch, however, is that the provider, without naming names, (let’s just say three letters, last one P), is expensive compared to what I’m used to (I invest monthly in a Vanguard LifeStrategy ISA). When I’ve done some projections I can see that if leave the money where it is indefinitely, the fees will quietly erode a decent chunk of the long-term gains. There’s a 6-year early exit charge, so for now I’m content to leave it be. I’m still dealing with bereavement and all the admin of being an executor, so pressing pause on any big financial decisions feels like the right call at this early stage. But when that 6-year period ends, I’ll be weighing up whether to stick or twist. My question is: can nominee pensions be transferred to another provider without losing the key benefits, like the tax-free growth and the ability to access the funds flexibly before retirement age? I’ve looked into alternatives- transferring into my ISA would take years due to the annual limit; a general investment account loses the tax perks; and a conventional pension would lock the funds away until age 55+, which undermines the very flexibility that makes this pot so helpful for future semi-retirement plans. I’d be really grateful for any ideas or thoughts you might have on this. All the best, Alan 19:29  Question 4 Hi guys, I am 31 years old and currently investing 15% of my gross income into my retirement. 6.8% via my employer's DB CARE scheme, and the other 8.2% into my SIPP. My wife and I also contribute £200pm  into a S&S ISA for our son. We hope by the time he is 18 (3 months old now) this fund could pay for university, travel, driving - whatever he wants to do (within reason!). By age 60, I would like to be in a position to retire, whether I do that or not is another question, but I would at least like the option to. I often see YouTube videos titled "SIPP vs ISA which is better?" but I don't see much about how to use them in tandem. Do you have any advice on the optimal weighting between an ISA and SIPP given I'd like to retire before State/DB pension age and therefore, should I be splitting the 8.2% with a S&S ISA too? Thank you! John 24:08  Question 5 Hi Pete & Roger, I’m a big fan of the podcast, it’s been a great source of advice for me - thanks for that. I’m currently 55 and probably not looking to draw down anything from my pension until I’m 60 at the earliest. I hadn’t paid into my pension for a number of years and now trying to contribute as much as I can to catch up a bit. My main SIPP is £130,000 with Vanguard in a FTSE Global All Cap Index Accumulation Fund and is 100% equity as I’m looking for as much growth as possible over the next 5-10 years and beyond. I also have £25k in another SIPP, a small NEST workplace pension and approximately £60k in a Stocks & Shares ISA, all of which are in various global tracker funds. My main question is, is it a good idea to have everything in global index funds because of the heavy weighting to the USA, especially in tech stocks? I had considered changing my Vanguard fund to their LifeStrategy 100 fund which has a bit more of a UK weighting. I know you probably can’t suggest specific products, but I wondered what your general advice would be on this, especially with all the uncertainty in the USA under the Trump administration? Thanks in advance, Alex Wilson 30:29  Question 6 Hi Pete and Rog, Love the podcast and I've been listening for a good few years now, so I thought I'd throw my hat into the ring with a question. I was hoping you could give a quick overview of Qualifying Corporate Bonds, what characteristics the bonds need to have to qualify, what the tax treatment is and where to invest etc. I'm in the fortunate position of having made my contributions in full to my ISAs and Pensions and I'm looking for a tax efficient way to invest an extra few £s. I've heard that they are effectively treated like Gilts but was hoping you could illuminate. Thanka, Adam from Skipton, North Yorkshire

Another mixed bag of questions this week, including pension tax free cash, salary sacrifice for electric cars, de-risking a pension and buying gilts! Join us as we answer your most pressing questions! Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/QA15  01:05  Question 1 Love the show, and whilst not all relevant to my own circumstances, find it all very interesting and enjoyable. Question :-You regularly discuss taking the 25% tax free and what to do with the rest (annuity or drawdown) but need advice as I have 4 different pension pots, 3 frozen and 1 existing employer. I am looking to take the 25% from one of the frozen ones to pay off mortgage but not clear on the below: - Can I keep the remaining 75% in the pension scheme and not take either drawdown or annuity until a later date (when I take early retirement)? - More importantly, I am sure I have read that once you start to take your pension, the amount you can contribute is capped.  How does this work if it is a frozen pension I am taking the 25% out of and would this impact on my current employer pension contributions? Thanks as always Paul 05:19  Question 2 Hi Pete and Roger, Absolutely love the show, after listening to yourself for a number of years, I'm 30 and would even go to say I'm financially savvy as a result of everything I've learned over the years I'm wondering if you could help me with a question? My retired dad was looking for an electric car and as I've got a salary sacrifice scheme with work it seemed the best way to get an electric car for him. My father said that he would give me the equivalent of the total rental amount in cash as I pay for the car via Salary sacrifice on a monthly basis. I'm obviously the policy holder, with the responsibility for it but my father would be named as a driver (unsure if this is relevant). This amount is around £35k, and I'm wondering if the worst was to happen (father kicking the bucket under 7 years) how would this be treated for tax purposes? As the money is in effect to pay for a good or service, would drawing up a contract or something of the like allow it to not be treated as a gift and exempt from the estate upon death, the same as if you send a family member money for a holiday or other purchases? Thanks so much for your help! Ruben 10:37  Question 3 Hi guys, love the podcast! I have a workplace pension that’s currently invested in a fairly basic fund, and I’m looking to take more control over it by choosing my own investments. I’m 38, so I still have time before I need to think about de-risking. My plan is to allocate 80% to a global equity fund, 10% to the S&P 500, and 10% to global bonds. I don’t have a huge amount invested, but it’s enough to make me consider whether I should be a bit tactical with my approach. With global index funds near all-time highs, should I wait for a slight market dip before making these changes, or just go ahead and make the move now? Steve. 13:59  Question 4 Hi Pete, Great idea to pause the “new material” and focus on questions. I was thinking that there are only so many ways to skin a cat/re-frame a concept! I would very much like to hear a little more around the concept of a bond or gilt ladders as one approaches/reaches retirement. Despite being a Chartered Accountant and working in financial services, I’m embarrassed to admit that I become flummoxed when thinking about how to set such up. I understand gilts can be purchased individually and held to maturity (as opposed to gilt or bond funds), but where and how do we buy them if our retirement savings are tied up in our employer’s pension scheme - and they certainly don’t offer such! I dare say that the demographic of your listeners/viewers are “of a certain age” where this sort of subject would be of interest. Thanks and all the best Avid listener Peter Coleman 22:22  Question 5 Love your podcast, it's been really helpful since setting up our business. Got a question for you, my wife and I set up the business 3 years ago and it's gone incredibly well so far. After pension contributions at £60k each and paying ourselves a salary/dividend equal to £100k each per year, the business continues to accumulate money. We currently have £750k spread across multiple business savings accounts. However, is there a better way to manage this money? We have considered setting up a housing rental company but we have not looked into this in detail. We have a financial advisor who seems to focus heavily on pensions rather than what we can do with the surplus money. Thanks, Mark C 28:25  Question 6 Hi there, I’ve invested in vanguard index funds for over a decade and have recently begun to actually think what goes on behind the scenes? When we invest in passive funds, like S&P 500, does that money blindly go into the businesses that make up that fund - ie just giving money to them, not knowing how good they are as companies, just because they happen to be part of an index, they get the investor's cash? I read somewhere, for example, there’s billions of dollars invested in Amazon from index funds yet all that money was given by people like me who have no idea about these businesses?  I feel like I’ve totally misunderstood how it works so interested to hear. Thanks, Marc  

In this engaging Q&A, the hosts tackle the merits of the 50-30-20 budgeting rule, examining its relevance today. They delve into the psychology of spending, addressing the difference between true happiness and frivolous spending. The discussion shifts to pension contributions, clarifying tax relief nuances. Listeners also explore the balance between faith and finance, and ethical investing. Practical advice is shared on managing finances for aging parents, navigating scams, and securing assets against fraud.