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Banks competing for ex-pat money

Skipton International has launched an 18-month fixed-rate bond just a few weeks after Permanent Bank International produced its 18-month deal. The Skipton deal just beats Permanent on the interest rate, plus the minimum deposit required is smaller.  The new Skipton International deal is 1.75pc on a minimum of £10,000.  Permanent International’s 18-month version is 1.69pc on a minimum £20,000.

The interest rate from Skipton International also beats the Permanent Bank International three-year rate and comes close to the Nationwide International three-year deal of 1.85pc.  It makes the current crop of one-year fixed-rate deals look less attractive. You can get 1.45pc from Nationwide International or 1.4pc from Permanent International fixed for one year; the former on a minimum investment of £50,000, the latter on £20,000. Santander also offers monthly income on its fixed-rate bonds.

These rates can easily be beaten, and coming to Blacktower for advice could save you losing a small fortune, as independent advisers we can tailor our recommendation to suit you, we would be looking to gain between 4 and 10% depending on your circumstances.  Monthly income can be received to boost your spending power and your capital can grow at the same time.

Given how confusing this can all be we are urging people to take advice before deciding what to do from a reputable regulated adviser.

This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, investment advice, investment recommendations or investment research. You should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this communication is correct, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions.

Other News

Auto-Enrolment increases number of savers, but are they saving enough?

Piggy bankStatistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have shown that a record number of savers are now members of workplace pension schemes.

The figures show that the proportion of employees who are contributing to a company pension has risen significantly in the five years since Auto-Enrolment (AE) began.

AE was introduced in 2012 and makes it compulsory for employers to automatically enrol all eligible employees into a pension scheme unless the employee actively opts out. An employee is eligible for AE if they are aged between 22 and the state pension age and have a salary of more than £10,000.

In 2012, prior to AE, 47 per cent of UK employees were enrolled on a company pension scheme. This figure has now risen to 73 per cent in 2017. In other words, there are over 9.5 million more people saving for their retirement than there were five years ago, and it’s mainly thanks to AE.

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The value of local advice for South African expats

Manuela RobinsonOver the years, the trend for South African nationals to seek out new lives and experiences in Portugal has continued to grow and grow; I myself made the move back in 1988 as a fresh-faced economics graduate from Witswatersrand University in Johannesburg, and I’ve never looked back. It’s easy to see the appeal for South Africans – the year-round sunshine and vast expanses of Atlantic coastline are a familiar part of daily life, just as they are back home – but the secure location and easy access to the rest of Europe is something really special. Being as there’s over 11,000 KM of distance between the two countries, a mere 12 hrs by plane give or take, there are going to be some big differences in the way of life, even if there are those obvious similarities. It’s probably advisable for any emigrant to arrive armed with a willingness to accept how things are done in their new home country rather than try to carry on as before and hope for the best. This is never more true than when dealing with your finances.

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