Blog
Check out our latest thoughts and insights on a variety of financial topics
How will April’s stamp duty increase affect the housing market?
With the start of the new tax year comes a significant change to the UK property market, as Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) rates increase. This might have a major impact on your purchasing decisions and overall property plans.
International Women’s Day with Adele Tiff, Operations Director
This International Women’s Day theme is #AccelerateAction. At Simpson Financial Services, accelerating action is about prioritising recruiting, retaining and developing diverse talent. We’re proud that 2/3 of our board of directors are women and we have a predominantly female firm, with women representing every area of the business. We sat down with our Operations Director, Adele Tiff, and asked her a few questions...
Understanding pensions: the key to a secure retirement
Planning for retirement may not always feel like a priority, but the sooner you start, the more secure your future will be. A well-structured pension plan is one of the most effective ways to ensure financial stability in your later years. At Simpson Financial Services, we believe that understanding your pension options is the first step towards a comfortable retirement.
Another award-winning moment for team SFS
It’s been an incredible start to 2025 for Team SFS! We’re over the moon to announce that our talented Paraplanner, Vicky, has won the Chartered Insurance Institute’s Young Achiever of the Year Award.
4 financial resolutions to reach your goals in 2025
Have you thought about setting financial resolutions for the year ahead to help you reach your goals? With 2025 here, we're all about making simple, achievable changes that will pave the way for long-term success.
2024 wrapped... in numbers
At Simpson Financial Services we’re all about numbers. Whether it’s monitoring changing market conditions to adjust the asset allocations within your portfolio, or calculating how much money you need to retire early, numbers are our thing. So, what better way to summarise our 2024?
National award recognition for Vicky and Milena
We started 2024 by winning the CII's President's Trophy and seeing our Head of Paraplanning, Alex, take home the coveted 'Young Achiever of the Year' award. Now, we're ending the year with incredible pride as Vicky Tolley, Paraplanner, was awarded 'Paraplanner Apprentice of the Year' and Milena Damjanovic, Paraplanner, was awarded 'Financial Services Administrator Apprentice of the Year' at the CII & PFS Apprenticeship Awards last night.
Simpson Financial Services named Top 100 IFA firm by New Model Adviser
We’re excited to announce that Simpson Financial Services has been named one of the Top 100 Independent Financial Advice firms in the UK for 2024 by Citywire's New Model Adviser.
The Autumn Budget was BIG - but does it affect you?
Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ first Budget was a significant one in all senses.
“…this Budget delivers a large, sustained increase in spending, taxation, and borrowing.”
‘Do One Thing’ for Talk Money Week... but what thing?
It’s officially Talk Money Week; the annual reminder that building financial conversations into your everyday life can have a real impact on you and those around you.
What might be coming in October's Budget?
Many chancellors ago, in November 2016, Philip Hammond announced an end to spring Budgets and their replacement with autumn Budgets. At the time it seemed a sensible idea to allow changes in tax to be legislated before the start of the new tax year. In practice, it did not go to plan...
The cost of pension tax relief
HMRC has updated its estimates for the cost of pension tax relief. Rachel Reeves will have taken note ahead of her first Budget on 30 October.
Should you help repay a student loan?
Are student loans something to avoid?
With the 2024/25 academic year on the horizon, student finance is again a hot topic for many parents. How hot differs slightly for the UK’s four nations as each has a subtly different way of funding students and, outside Scotland, their tuition fees. However, the broad principles are the same:
Save money on tax by helping charity
Tick the 'Gift Aid’ box to boost your donation to charity and save some tax.
The number of national and international calls on our goodwill to donate to causes has grown in the last few years. You are probably familiar with the tick the 'Gift Aid’ box, or a request to sign a declaration, when you donate to charity. As a rule, it makes sense for you and the charity to do so. This simple step could mean a £100 gift costs you only £40 (or £32.50 in Scotland).
The new government's pension decisions
Autumn won’t leave much time for the new government to settle before important pension policy decisions need to be made.
When MPs return to work after the summer recess, many areas of policy will require attention. Some are inheritances from the last government, while others are of the current government’s own creation. The pensions arena provides good examples of both...
