Investments
Capital sums for investing are acquired in many ways. These include inheritance, maturing savings policies, windfalls and proceeds from many years of saving. Investment types & requirements can be divided into short and long term needs.
Short term investment needs:
These include saving for a car or a holiday. The most suitable investment type is usually a deposit account such as a bank or building society account.
Long term investment needs:
These can be saving for retirement, school fees or providing capital for children as they grow up. You may wish to consider savings other than bank deposit accounts for longer term needs. Whatever the investment type, you'll need to consider a number of important factors including ease of access to funds, charges and any tax implications.
Read Our 10 Step Investment Advice Process document to find out more information on how we help you choose the right investments in order to help you meet your objectives.
The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate National Savings.
The value of your investments can fall as well as rise and you may not get back the original amount invested.
Please contact us, so that we may further assist you in determining an investment strategy best appropriate for your needs and circumstances.
New ISA Saving accounts (NISAs).
From July 1 2014 all ISAs became New ISAs (NISAs). This applies to all existing ISAs and new accounts opened after 1 July. Cash and shares Isas have been merged into single New Isa (Nisa) with annual tax-free savings limit of £15,240. This is to make the system “simpler”. You can use the full limit for either cash, investments or a mix of both.
The value of investments and income from them may go down. You may not get back the original amount invested
Unit Trusts.
A unit trust reduces your risk of investing in the stock market by pooling your savings with thousands of others, and then spreading the money across a wide range of shares or other types of investment.
OEICs.
Open ended investment companies were introduced into the UK in 1997, from Europe. Open-ended means shares in the fund will be created as investors invest and cancelled as they cash in.
Investment Trusts.
Investment Trusts are companies that buy and sell shares in other companies. When you invest in an investment trust company, you become a shareholder of that company. Your shares will rise and fall in value according to supply and demand for the shares.
Unlike a Unit Trust and an OEIC, the number of shares within an investment trust is limited (there are only so many that can be bought and sold at any time).