Insights and opinions
Expert opinions on markets, trends and financial planning.
The objective of this page is to present users with objective news, information, data and guidance on personal finance topics drawn from a diverse collection of sources including affiliated and non-affiliated financial services publications. Content is not intended to provide tax, legal, insurance or investment advice and should not be construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any security or investment by any Fidelity entity or any third-party. Please note that the views expressed may no longer be current.
Pensions and IHT – should clients’ Expression of Wish be updated now?
Pensions and IHT changes are coming. Discover why Expression of Wish reviews matter now and how advisers can avoid pitfalls.
Paul Squirrell Head of Retirement and Savings Development - 29 Jul 2026
Why the 4% rule shouldn’t be ‘the tail that wags the dog’
The recent FCA thematic review of retirement advice questioned whether a single rate, that doesn’t reflect individual circumstances, is appropriate.
Paul Squirrell Head of Retirement and Savings Development - 17 Jun 2026
Sequencing risk – the silent threat to retirement plans
Unsurprisingly, strategies have been developed to combat this danger.
Paul Squirrell Head of Retirement and Savings Development - 17 Jun 2026
Return of the ‘unretired’
Whatever the reason, the ‘unretired’ are just one part of a fluid movement towards a more progressive concept of retirement.
Paul Squirrell Head of Retirement and Savings Development - 17 Jun 2026
Counting the cost of comfort in retirement
Here we examine the financial planning required for a comfortable retirement, highlighting the importance of savings, safe withdrawal rates, life expectancy, inflation, and investment returns.
Paul Squirrell Head of Retirement and Savings Development - 16 Jun 2026
Are annuities puzzling?
The ‘annuity puzzle’ hints at a gap between economic theory and economic reality where annuities remain less popular than drawdown.
Paul Squirrell Head of Retirement and Savings Development - 16 Jun 2026
Is a ‘comfortable retirement’ affordable?
‘I have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something.’ That quote by the American comedian Jackie Mason sums up the dilemma facing many retirees: Do they have enough financial resources to last for a lifetime?
Paul Squirrell Head of Retirement and Savings Development - 16 Jun 2026
Is there a missing asset class for retirees?
Conventional wisdom is that bonds and equities are negatively correlated. When equities rise bonds fall and vice versa, but this is a relatively recent phenomenon.
Paul Squirrell Head of Retirement and Savings Development - 16 Jun 2026
What do global trends mean for UK retirement advice?
Retirement insight from Fidelity's Global Sentiment Survey
Elizabeth Ryan Global Thought Leadership, Fidelity International - 10 Jun 2026
Pension Schemes Bill finalised by Parliament: what employers and trustees should focus on now
The Pension Schemes Bill has now finalised by Parliament confirming the direction of major UK pensions reform
Sarah Webster Associate Director, Policy & Oversight - 03 Jun 2026
You are the target: how cybercriminals exploit people, not systems
Protecting your firm starts with you. Discover why human risk plays a critical role in today’s cyber threats.
Katie Beecroft Risk and Security, Fidelity International - 18 May 2026
Much has evolved over the last 20 years, and so have smoothed funds
Technology, investment, and financial planning have all moved on over the last couple of decades. And that could also be true of smoothed funds.
Andy Brown Head of Fund Solutions at Standard Life - 05 May 2026
Rewriting the rules: pensions and inheritance tax
The conventional wisdom for clients with significant assets has traditionally been to leave the pension untouched and use other assets for income.
Paul Squirrell Head of Retirement and Savings Development - 29 Apr 2026
Smoothed funds evolved – time to challenge the myths
What springs to mind when you think of smoothed funds? If it’s any of our common smoothed fund myths, it may be time to take a fresh look and see why today’s smoothed funds are worthy of closer consideration.
Sam Pardoe Senior Investment Development Manager - 08 Apr 2026
AI in financial advice and FCA expectations
A clear, practical guide to what the FCA expects from firms using AI – and the steps advisers should take now to ensure compliant, safe and accountable adoption.
David Smith National Platform Consultant - 30 Mar 2026
The LTA replacement regime explained
The new regime came into force on 6 April 2024 and introduced three new allowances.
Paul Squirrell Head of Retirement and Savings Development - 03 Mar 2026
How does the UK State Pension measure up globally?
Comparing the generosity and the cost of State Pension provision globally, highlights the need for individual responsibility for retirement planning, with the State Pension as part of the solution.
Marianna Hunt Fidelity International - 26 Feb 2026
Pensions: The regulatory runway
What pension changes are coming?
Marianna Hunt Fidelity International - 25 Feb 2026
Are your clients’ Expression of Wish forms ready for the 2027 IHT shift?
Having an up-to-date Expression of Wish form is vital when it comes to succession planning. However, this is often not the case.
Jon Hale Head of Platform Consultancy, Fidelity Adviser Solutions - 16 Feb 2026
Evolving stability: smoothed funds reimagined
Trying to shield policyholders from the extremes of market volatility isn’t a new idea. It’s been around for at least 200 years, since the advent of traditional with-profits funds in the early nineteenth century.
Andy Brown Head of Fund Solutions at Standard Life - 28 Jan 2026
Inheritance tax - Give while you live
Using pension savings to sidestep inheritance tax
Paul Squirrell Head of Retirement and Savings Development - 21 Jan 2026
Tax increases reignite the bonds versus collectives question
Tax hikes on savings and dividends from 2026 and 2027 slightly shift rates but don’t fundamentally change the need to tailor investment wrapper choices to individual circumstances, allowances, and expected returns.
Paul Squirrell Head of Retirement and Savings Development - 21 Jan 2026
Does saving into a pension still make sense?
This article explores the impact of the 2027 IHT rules, busts common myths, and shows why pensions remain one of the most tax-efficient ways to plan for retirement.
Paul Squirrell Head of Retirement and Savings Development - 19 Jan 2026
Labour’s ‘no choice’ tax-raising Budget
What the measures mean for your clients’ finances.
Tom Stevenson Fidelity International - 26 Nov 2025
Sourcing a report-writing tool – the eight questions to ask providers
Report writing for clients can be a time-consuming task for advice practitioners. Thankfully, there are numerous tools on the market, often using Artificial Intelligence, or AI for short, which can help streamline the process.
David Smith National Platform Consultant - 28 Oct 2025
AI and Cybersecurity – understanding the potential security risks
With AI becoming increasingly prevalent in both the professional and personal spheres, it is essential to understand the potential security risks, alongside the very real advantages associated with this innovative technology.
Katie Beecroft Risk and Security, Fidelity International - 02 Oct 2025
Unmask the threat – how to spot scams that compromise Multi-Factor Authentication
It isn’t uncommon for scammers to steal someone’s credentials and attempt to bypass this security measure.
Katie Beecroft Risk and Security, Fidelity International - 01 Oct 2025
The silent threat of social engineering
Cybercriminals are always looking for different ways to gain access to client information. Social engineering focuses on human emotions.
Katie Beecroft Risk and Security, Fidelity International - 29 Sep 2025
Triple Lock: what will the State Pension be in the future?
Are future increases to pensioner payments under threat?
Ed Monk Fidelity International - 05 Sep 2025
Top concerns for consumers and advisers about their retirement
What were the top concerns mentioned by consumers and advisers in the last AKG survey?
Paul Squirrell Head of Retirement and Savings Development - 02 Sep 2025
Autumn Budget: inheritance tax and other possible changes
A round up of potential changes and how they could impact you and your clients.
Marianna Hunt Fidelity International - 26 Aug 2025
Pension freedoms and the road ahead
What key opportunities for advice firms may be going forward?
Paul Squirrell Head of Retirement and Savings Development - 19 Aug 2025
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