Financial & Insurance

Freelance Financials: A taxing future for contractors?

Paul Cleworth | Financial & Insurance

 

In conjunction with PCG, Wealth Matters have been running a number of Contractor Seminars this year. When it comes to investing they’ve found quite a few questions keep repeating themselves among the 250-strong contractors in the audience. Today Wealth Matters’ Director Paul Cleworth answers these questions for a wider contractor audience.

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Getting a mortgage: Are lending conditions relaxing for contractors?

Taj Kang | Financial & Insurance

 

Freelance Advisor and Associate Director of Contractor Mortgages Made Easy, Taj Kang, surveys how the mortgage market is looking for contractors and freelancers.

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How does the Pre-Budget report affect Freelancers & Contractors?

Paul Cleworth | Financial & Insurance

 

Freelance Advisor and financial planning expert Paul Cleworth has been analyzing this month’s Pre-Budget report to see if there are any gems for us freelancers and contractors.

We focus on how it affects contractors, the good and bad news as well as what opportunities there are for freelancers and contractors.

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Long term investing for Freelancers

Paul Cleworth | Financial & Insurance

 

Successful long term investment is not just about buying low and selling high. Stock markets rise and fall, and share prices are vulnerable to everything from political news to the weather. Trying to find your way around – particularly during times of high volatility and uncertainty – can feel like negotiating a minefield.

So how can we make sense of such a confusing world? It is probably time to go back to basics – stock markets may rise and fall, but the rules of sensible investment remain constant. Wealth Matters’ Paul Cleworth gives us the low down.

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Tax efficient Death-In-Service benefits for Contractors with a Limited Company

Paul Cleworth | Financial & Insurance

 

Permanent employees often have death-in-service cover as part of their contract of employment with typically ‘3-4 times your salary’ as the benefit, but for contractors who are often the only person who works in their company, there has been little scope to provide similar benefits, until now.

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Freelance news: The End of Self-Certification Mortgages

Michael Rose | Financial & Insurance, News

 

This week the FSA chief executive Hector Sants outlined a radical shake-up in the mortgage market. The new proposals by The Financial Services Authority (FSA) include a ban on all Self-Certification Mortgages.

This is potentially worrying news for Freelancers and Contractors as Self Certification Mortgages were designed for workers who have trouble proving their income in a conventional manner such as freelancers, contractors, self employed, and company directors but Ian Burrows at Freelancer Mortgages Made easy actually welcomes the news…

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Freelance Finance: Are you ready for retirement?

Paul Cleworth | Financial & Insurance

 

You may not be thinking of retirement just yet, but it’s always worth being aware of rule changes that could impact on your pension. Paul Cleworth, Financial Planner and Director of Wealth Matters shows us freelancers and contractors how we can tee up our options…

Are you ready for retirement?

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How to: handle your tax and legal affairs so they don’t come back and bite you

Charlie Bradburn | Financial & Insurance

 

The PCG is a non-profit organisation that fights the freelance corner by lobbying government for better tax and regulation and promoting fair and ethical behaviour among recruiters. It also provides a host of tools and knowledge to its members to help them handle tax and regulatory matters properly.

PCG insider Charlie Bradburn tells us why they could be your greatest ally if you were ever to suffer a tax investigation and how their help-line can help you feel more at ease when confronted by a letter from the HMRC.

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What can IT contractors and freelancers do to survive the current downturn?

James Leckie | Financial & Insurance

 

Here are some ideas from James Leckie from Contract Eye. Although aimed primarily at IT contractors, many of the tips can be applied to freelancers in other industries. 1. Keep an eye on your cashflow The advice is the same for all small businesses in the current economic climate – make sure you preserve cash. IT contractors are vulnerable [...]

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