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NorthStar Blog

Welcome to the NorthStar Blog. The place for the latest news, information and opinion from the NorthStar team helping you stay on top of what's going on in the world of finance.
Tag: "retirement"
How to Become a Pension Millionaire

How to Become a Pension Millionaire

Becoming a ‘pension millionaire’ might seem like a pipe dream, particularly in view of the cost-of-living pressures many people are facing. But it may be more attainable than some people think when you combine regular and cost-efficient investing with…

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How to Boost Your Pension Pot When Money Is Tight

How to Boost Your Pension Pot When Money Is Tight

The cost of living crisis is forcing many of us to cut back on important things. In most cases, non-essential expenses such as holidays, takeaways, and nights out are being sacrificed. But for some of those really feeling the pinch, retirement goals a…

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Four Questions to Ask Before Buying an Annuity

Four Questions to Ask Before Buying an Annuity

With rates at 14-year highs, the annuity revival is in full swing. But there’s lots to consider before trading your retirement savings for a lifelong income. We’ve all been there at some point. We buy something which, at the time, we’re more…

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Scrooge’s Christmas Pension Plan

Scrooge’s Christmas Pension Plan

Herein lies a tale in which a youthful gentleman of casual bearing has an unsettling encounter with an irascible festive spirit, which in its wisdom enlightens the young fellow with useful and practical pension advice. Sitting comfortably? Then let us beg…

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How to Plan for Retirement at Different Life Stages

How to Plan for Retirement at Different Life Stages

As the retirement savings journey often spans several decades, it can be helpful to separate your plan into stages. This will help you achieve the right blend of enjoying today and funding tomorrow. Here we outline the key retirement planning consider…

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How Much Money Do You Really Need for Your Retirement?

How Much Money Do You Really Need for Your Retirement?

It’s tricky to know how much money you need stashed away to retire and live a lifestyle you’re happy with. While the amount will vary from person to person, we’ve put together some rough estimates, as well as the question you shoul…

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Pension Triple Lock: What Is It and Why Is It Changing?

Pension Triple Lock: What Is It and Why Is It Changing?

The government has confirmed its plan to suspend the ‘triple lock’ for annual state pension increases for a year. A key part of previous budget commitments since its introduction in 2010, the triple lock ensures the UK state pension continues to rise…

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Pensions Warning for Generation X

Pensions Warning for Generation X

As Covid disrupts pension saving for millions of workers, one generation in particular may see its best-laid retirement plans going awry. But are these latest findings just another reminder than we should all be trying harder to save for old age? Ask…

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Your Chance to Enhance Your Annuity

Your Chance to Enhance Your Annuity

If you have a health condition or certain lifestyle issues, you may be entitled to more money in retirement. Currently around 1 in 5 who buy an annuity manage to get this ‘enhancement’ – but there’s evidence that three times as many people may qualif…

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Why Retiring Early May Be Harder Than You Think

Why Retiring Early May Be Harder Than You Think

Many Brits still have unrealistic expectations of when they’ll be able to retire – and it’s a worrying sign of how little they think seriously about their pensions. We compare the dreams with the realities and explains how to bring them closer together…

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Has COVID-19 Changed Your Retirement Plans?

Has COVID-19 Changed Your Retirement Plans?

One of the pandemic’s lesser effects is how it has upset many long-term plans. Many Brits have been forced to reassess their retirement choices and perhaps make snap decisions. But if your planned retirement looks suddenly in doubt, what should you d…

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Are You in a Pension Savings Risk Group?

Are You in a Pension Savings Risk Group?

The self-employed, home renters and those from ethnic minorities have been identified as most at risk from insufficient pension savings, according to a new report. We take a deeper look at who is more likely to be retirement-ready, and who may need t…

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Is Your Annual Allowance Endangered by the Taper?

Is Your Annual Allowance Endangered by the Taper?

You can normally pay up to £40,000 into a pension each year and receive tax relief on it – this is your annual allowance. But you need to beware of not one but two big risks to your allowance, which could cost you a lot in tax. When you first heard a…

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One in Six Over-55s Have No Pension Savings

One in Six Over-55s Have No Pension Savings

Research reveals that a fifth of Brits still have no pension savings at all, and people near retirement aren’t doing much better. But it’s never too late to benefit from pensions. One in six Britons who are within sight of their retirement still have…

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Why Retirees Must Take Extra Care with Pension Withdrawals

Why Retirees Must Take Extra Care with Pension Withdrawals

People taking income from their pension pots are being unusually cautious at the moment, according to new figures. Economic uncertainty has prompted pensioners without a guaranteed income to spend less and take a prudent approach. A significant drop…

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Women Lag Behind Men in Pension Planning

Women Lag Behind Men in Pension Planning

Nearly half of women in the UK haven’t thought about how much income they want in retirement, or how much they need to save to get it. New research suggests that women may be less pension-conscious than men – but why? Around four in 10 women in the UK…

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Surge in Demand for Pension Advice Amid COVID-19 Confusion

Surge in Demand for Pension Advice Amid COVID-19 Confusion

Nearly twice as many people are seeking pension drawdown advice as pension withdrawals hit a new high in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. But those acting without independent advice risk making some big mistakes. The UK has seen a rapid rise in the…

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Cost of Divorce Following Couples into Retirement

Cost of Divorce Following Couples into Retirement

People who divorce may face an ongoing financial hit from it throughout their retirement, according to new research by Prudential. Younger divorcees and women especially are making potentially very costly mistakes by under-valuing their pensions. The…

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Are You a 40-Year-Old Pension Virgin?

Are You a 40-Year-Old Pension Virgin?

You may be well on the way to middle age, but some of life’s most important mysteries still remain unexplored. It’s natural to be shy about discussing it in public – but in this new era of pension freedom, practically everyone’s doing it. Shouldn’t y…

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Self-Employed? Don’t Forget Your Pension

Self-Employed? Don’t Forget Your Pension

They say ‘Don’t ignore the workplace pension’ – but that’s exactly what many self-employed people are doing. If you are your own boss, saving into a pension is easy to forget about – but if anything, it’s even more important to remember. Thanks to a…

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Over £19 Billion ‘Lost’ in Forgotten UK Pensions

Over £19 Billion ‘Lost’ in Forgotten UK Pensions

UK workers have lost track of up to 1.6 million workplace pension pots, according to the latest estimates. A lack of understanding of how to manage pension savings could result in many people being substantially worse off in retirement. Failure to ke…

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How Your Child Can Retire a Millionaire

How Your Child Can Retire a Millionaire

For the truly patient parent, there’s a little-known trick for setting your child up for life – later life, that is. A Junior SIPP may offer the most affordable long-term route to a millionaire’s retirement for your daughter or son. Starting a pensio…

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Pension Contribution Hikes Spell Good News Long-Term

Pension Contribution Hikes Spell Good News Long-Term

The mandatory minimum contribution into workplace pensions is set to increase in April, as part of the government’s bid to prevent a future pensions crisis. Consequently, millions of workers who are paying the current minimum will see their take-home…

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Awards, Accreditations & Trade Associations

NorthStar is proud to be a member of the leading financial planning trade associations. Through a continued commitment to work to the highest professional standards and deliver real value to all clients, our work has been rewarded with a number of awards and professional accreditations.

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Chartered W
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VouchedFor W
Google Review w
Top Rated W
Trustpilot w
Unbiased W
CISI w
Ecologi w