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Income or Lump Sum? The Life Plan Conundrum

Life plans are an investment opportunity whereby part of the monthly premium buys life insurance and the balance is invested by the provider into various vehicles to, hopefully, grow the savings portion of the plan. Once the plan reaches maturity, the savings are paid out to the investor. If the customer dies before maturity, the life insurance will provide a lump sum to family.

There are many types of insurance policy to help provide essential financial protection for investors whether they reside in the UK or as an expat in the EU or elsewhere. Such policies offer various benefits to individuals and families, which is, surely, the point of any wealth management strategy, regardless of whether it is growth or preservation-focused.

Protection policies include:

  • Life, Critical Illness & Family Protection Plans
  • Income Protection & Accident, Sickness & Redundancy Cover
  • Whole of Life Cover
  • Private Medical Insurance
  • Long Term Care Cover

Your choice of insurance policy or regular savings plan should be carefully considered and it is always wise to seek regulated financial advice before signing on the dotted line. Your financial adviser should be able to answer all your questions about any product they recommend and explain the key points from the outset before you sign any agreement.

Finding the right balance of growth and protection

Blacktower Financial Management can help you achieve the right balance of growth and protection so that you can have confidence your assets are safely working towards your personal wealth management goals. We can also help you decide which products, including those which pay an income or a lump sum, are right for you.

For more information contact us today.

Other News

Petition to abolish “unfair” expat retirement transfer tax takes shape

The Houses of ParliamentAs it stands, its been nearly a year that expat retirement transfers of pensions have incurred a charge when moving to or between Qualifying Recognised Offshore Pension Schemes (QROPS), with only expats living within the European Union or a select group of 13 other countries immune to this charge.

However, British expats across the world have recently joined forces to question the fairness of the charge and to lobby parliament for its removal.

It’s easy to see why they have taken this course of action – the charge for overseas expat retirement transfers comes in at 25% of the value of the pension fund; plainly a crippling and punitive amount for people who have already worked hard and paid their taxes in order to prudently fund their retirement.

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Assurance Vie and Fonds En Euro/Sterling

Simon VerityMany clients have sensibly opted to invest in Assurance Vie (Investment Bonds) type arrangements in France for the huge income tax and inheritance advantages offered though these products for French residents. A large selection of clients have also taken the option of using the Fond en Euros or Sterling funds preferring the guaranteed rates of return offered and the invested capital’s security.

Indeed so used are the Fond en Euros funds within Assurance vie “wrappers” that often clients believe that they are one and the same. The Fond en Euros main principles are that your capital’s value is guaranteed and you are given an annual rate of interest. The assurance vie ensures your funds grow free of French taxation due to the code of law relating to Life Insurance products. This combination has been so used in France and so much money tied up in these arrangements that the Government want to bring in a statute to limit the percentage invested into Fond en Euros per investor portfolio as they see this type of fund as stagnating the French economy and restricting investment into industry via the purchase of “actions” or shares. 

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