Fairstone Group

09/09/2026

Are Budget rumours influencing your financial plans?

In his latest column, Chief Financial Planning Officer, Russell Bignall explores why reacting to Budget speculation could lead to rushed financial decisions - and why it’s better to focus on facts rather than headlines.

Russell looks back at the pension lump sum rumours ahead of previous Budgets, highlighting how speculation contributed to a significant increase in tax-free pension withdrawals, despite the anticipated changes ultimately not being introduced.

His key messages are:
💷 Don’t let Budget rumours and media speculation derail your long-term financial plans
📈 Tax-free pension withdrawals increased by more than 60% in 2024/25 following widespread speculation
🧾 The tax-free pension lump sum remained unchanged, highlighting the risks of acting on unconfirmed information
📅 Several confirmed pension and tax changes are coming over the next few years and should be factored into your planning
🤝 Financial advice can help you separate fact from speculation and understand what changes could mean for your individual circumstances

Financial planning is about making informed decisions based on your goals, circumstances and the facts - not reacting to the latest headline.

Read Russell’s latest column to discover why staying focused on your long-term plan could be more valuable than trying to predict the next Budget.

https://www.fairstone.co.uk/guide/russells-view-september-2026/

08/09/2026

This week, colleagues from our Fairstone Aberdeen Hub came together for a volunteering day at AberNecessities, helping to support children and families across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

From cleaning and preparing prams and cots to checking toys and books ready for delivery, the team got stuck in and helped prepare essential items for families who need them most.

AberNecessities has a simple but powerful aim: “No Child Should Go Without.”

Since 2019, the charity has supported more than 20,000 children, providing essential items that help families feel safe, comfortable and supported.

It was a great opportunity for our colleagues to step away from their day-to-day roles, work together as a team and contribute to an organisation making such a meaningful impact in the local community.

We’re proud to have played a small part in the incredible work AberNecessities does, and we hope to continue supporting initiatives that have a positive impact on the communities in which we live and work.

A huge thank you to the team at AberNecessities for having us, and to our colleagues, Kirsty Forsyth, Sarah Callaghan, Klaudia Schab, Kara Edwardson, Diane Duncan, Ashton Forde and Hannah Stewart for giving their time and making a difference. 👏

04/09/2026

What is an MPS, and how can it help investors?

For many investors, managing a portfolio can feel complex - particularly when markets are constantly changing. That’s where a Model Portfolio Service (MPS) can provide a helping hand.

In this short video, Fairstone Portfolio Manager Harry Scargill explains how our investment team builds and manages model portfolios around different levels of risk tolerance.

An MPS brings together a range of asset classes within a structured portfolio, with professional investment managers monitoring markets and making adjustments when appropriate.

Investment decisions should always reflect your individual circumstances, objectives and attitude to risk.

Watch the video below to hear Harry explain how our MPS approach works.

03/09/2026

Understanding investment risk: why it matters and how it changes over time

When it comes to investing, it’s natural to focus on potential returns. But understanding the level of risk you’re taking - and whether it remains appropriate as your circumstances change - is just as important.

In our latest blog by Investment Director, Oliver Stone, we explore what investment risk means, how it can be managed and why the right level of risk can look different at different stages of your financial journey.

https://www.fairstone.co.uk/guide/understanding-investment-risk/

Highlights include:
📈 Why potential returns and investment risk are closely linked
🌍 How diversification can help manage investment risk
⚖️ The importance of finding the right balance between risk and reward
⏳ Why your investment timeframe can influence the level of risk that’s appropriate
🎯 How your goals, circumstances and financial plans can affect your investment approach
🔄 Why regular portfolio reviews are important as your circumstances change
🤝 How a financial adviser can help you understand and manage investment risk

Investment risk can’t be eliminated entirely, but with the right approach, it can be understood and managed as part of a long-term financial plan.

02/09/2026

What’s the best way to save for your children?

Fairstone Chartered Financial Planner Elliot Shaw outlines how Junior ISAs work, and explains the tax advantages to opening a Junior ISA account for your children.

He also talks about who manages the account and what happens when your child becomes an adult.

For more information on Junior ISAs and how they could help your children or grandchildren, check out our blog at https://www.fairstone.co.uk/guide/junior-isas-how-to-save-for-your-childrens-future/ or get in touch with an adviser today.

01/09/2026

For many people, building a pension is something that happens over 30 or 40 years.

But it can be surprisingly easy to undo some of that good work with a few decisions that seem completely harmless at the time.

In our latest Fairstone Group Ltd blog, we explore 5 of the biggest pension traps to avoid when planning for retirement, based on common mistakes we’ve seen over more than a decade of helping people plan for their financial future.

https://www.fairstone.co.uk/guide/the-5-biggest-pension-traps-to-avoid-when-planning-for-retirement/

Highlights include:
💷 Why you shouldn’t start with your salary when working out how much you need in retirement
📅 Why your retirement age doesn’t necessarily need to match your State Pension age
🔎 What you could lose by consolidating old pensions without checking the benefits first
📈 Why becoming too cautious with investments at retirement can create its own risks
🧠 How emotional decisions during market volatility can become expensive

We also look at how cashflow planning can help you understand when you can afford to retire, how different sources of income can work together, and why having a plan can give you greater confidence when markets become difficult.
Retirement planning isn’t simply about building the biggest pension pot possible.

It’s about understanding what you need, when you can retire, how your pensions work and how to make your money support the life you want.

Planning for retirement? Discover pension traps to avoid, including tax mistakes, pension transfers, investment risk and emotional decisions.

28/08/2026

Living longer changes more than just how long our retirement lasts. It changes how we need to think about investing.

As Nick Stebbing, Fairstone’s Chief Product & Proposition Officer, explains in this short video, longer life expectancy means we could be relying on our investments for much longer than previous generations.

That creates two important considerations:

💷 Saving more: If retirement is likely to last longer, we may need to put a greater proportion of our income towards our future.
📈 Investing for the long term: Earlier in life, taking an appropriate level of investment risk can provide greater potential for growth and help build a larger retirement pot.

Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. How much we save, the level of risk we take and when we start drawing on our investments all need to reflect our individual circumstances and goals.

The longer we live, the more important it becomes to plan for the life we want - not just the retirement we expect.

Watch Nick’s full thoughts below.

26/08/2026

Around two-thirds of a typical pension pot could come from investment growth.

That’s one of the standout findings from recent research highlighted by FT Adviser - and a useful reminder of the power of long-term investing.

https://www.ftadviser.com/content/a3d298a7-8a11-405d-b181-8db7f69c6c3e

📈 65% of a £100,000 pension pot could come from compound investment growth
💷 18% from individual contributions
🏢 13% from employer contributions
💰 4% from tax relief

Yet only one in four people believe investment growth is the main driver of the value of their pension.

It’s a useful reminder that pension saving isn’t just about how much is paid in - it’s also about giving money time to grow.
And that’s why staying invested matters.

Market volatility can make it tempting to step back, move into cash and wait for things to settle. But trying to time the market is incredibly difficult, and missing some of the strongest recovery days can have a meaningful impact on long-term returns.

At , we believe in taking a long-term, disciplined approach - focusing on your goals, maintaining diversification and allowing compounding to do its work.

Read more in our latest guide by Chief Product & Proposition Officer, Nick Stebbing 👇

https://www.fairstone.co.uk/guide/why-staying-invested-matters/

The takeaway? Time in the market can be far more valuable than trying to predict the market.

25/08/2026

How much money do you need to retire comfortably?

Fairstone's Chartered Financial Planner, Nishan Balasingham, outlines the key factors people need to take into consideration when it comes to funding their retirement.

From spending levels to retirement age, you’ll need to think about a range of different things when planning your retirement.

The good news is that working with an expert financial planner can help to make the picture much clearer.

To start your retirement planning journey, get in touch with an adviser today 👇

https://www.fairstone.co.uk/match-me-to-an-adviser/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=financial+advisers&utm_term=fairstone%20financial&msclkid=f43650ba2d6f16954fd13a37b72568e3

24/08/2026

Inheritance tax receipts are continuing to climb, and the message for families is clear: it's time to take action.

New HMRC figures, reported by FT Adviser, show that Inheritance Tax receipts reached £3.2bn between April and July 2026, with June seeing the highest monthly IHT take on record.

And this is unlikely to be a short-term trend.

https://www.ftadviser.com/content/7b8d9d25-788f-487b-ad52-306fb5cf50bc

With tax-free thresholds remaining frozen, rising asset values and significant changes to agricultural and business reliefs already taking effect, more families are finding themselves within the scope of IHT.

There’s another important change on the horizon too: from 6 April 2027, unused pension funds will generally be brought within the value of an estate for IHT purposes.

For many people, this means that estate planning can no longer be something to think about later.

The good news is that there are steps families can consider now - from making the most of available allowances and lifetime gifting, to reviewing trusts, pensions and life insurance as part of a wider estate planning strategy.

At Fairstone, we believe good estate planning isn't simply about reducing a potential tax bill. It’s about making sure your wealth passes to the people and causes that matter to you, in the way you intend.

Our latest guide by Chartered Financial Planner, Callum Tyrrell, explores some of the key considerations and strategies available when planning for IHT 👇

https://www.fairstone.co.uk/guide/avoiding-inheritance-tax-uk/

Learn about avoiding inheritance tax in the UK. Discover allowances, gifts, trusts, pensions, and strategies to protect your estate.