Helen Williamson Financial Planning

14/10/2024

I got to do a pretty special thing tonight.

Alongside financial planning, I am currently volunteering as the secretary for Moray Business Women, a great network of brilliant business women in my local area.

At the moment, we are preparing for the 2024 Awards Ceremony, and my role for this has been the administration behind the applications. Tonight we announced the shortlist for Member of Inspiration, and I was able to contact each of the 13 individuals nominated to pass on the comments made by other members when nominating them. And inform the top 5 that they had been shortlisted.

The comments included: 'her positive energy is contagious'; 'she is kind, caring and a great vibe to be around'; 'I think it is phenomenal what you have accomplished'; 'Her energy and enthusiasm is just infectious'; 'she has a genuine interest in people and their business and will cheerlead for you'; 'she's an entrepreneur with a heard'; 'Always got your back and caring for others offering brilliant and creative ideas'; 'I love her positive attitude to life and business'.

It is truly amazing and humbling to read so many positive comments written about others. We don't do it enough. Lets continue to celebrate those amazing people in our lives, and tell them what we think. Lets be more upfront with positive feedback, write testimonials and reviews. Lets keep motivating, lifting each other up, and celebrating the inspirational people in our lives.

19/08/2024

'Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable'. This is a quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower. It was said in relation to planning battles, but I think can be related to many areas of life.

During my time in the military, coming up with a plan was a vital part of every exercise. But, inevitably, the staff teaching us always through in 'injects'- unexpected and unforeseen things, to test our ability to adjust the plan and react appropriately, as the same thing is likely to happen in real life too.

It is no different at home, if you are heading for a day out, you plan what you might need for the day, a rain coat or sun cream (definitely the former most of the time in Scotland!). You may not need it, but if you hadn't planned you could get very wet!

You may have a plan to save towards a house deposit. But then your car breaks down and you have an unexpected bill to pay.

However, if you have done some planning, you would likely have an emergency fund to help you pay the unexpected bills. You would have worked out your usual expenditure, so would know if it is possible to make some savings to compensate, or if you need to adjust the amount you are putting towards your future house for a short period.

Planning helps prepare you to deal with change and ensures you are fully informed of the situation, so whilst you can't forecast the future, a plan can ensure you are in a better position to manage whatever comes up!

14/07/2024

This month, the amazing Helen from Helen Williamson Financial Planning has provided us an article on building Strong Financial Foundations.

This is something that I think is so important! Especially with the worry that a lot of us are feeling in the current climate, it is sometimes easier to bury our head in the sand instead of looking at where we really are with our finances. Helen covers 3 points in this article - budgets, savings and protection - click on the link below to read the article in full.

I also think it is such an important thing for us to teach our kids - we have money talks with George to try and build a healthy relationship with money - for him to understand that it doesn't grow on trees - but also to make sure that he doesn't build a negative relationship with money.

Yesterday, we got him his first proper wallet so that he can bring his own money out when we do things. He get's money from doing chores around the house and saves it now - where as at first, he took it straight to the shop to buy a lolly lol but yesterday he got to buy himself a £7 balloon - the look of happiness on his face was just amazing! He did that! He saved up and bought himself something and then put his change back in his little wallet like such a big boy!

Do you have conversations about money with your kids? I promise you, it isn't a taboo subject!

https://goingtocounttofive.co.uk/articles/b/building_financial_foundations

11/07/2024

05/07/2024

A couple of months ago, through the Milspo Business Community UK I came across a new Parenting magazine called 'I'm Going to Count to Five'. As a parent of a 9 year old and a 1 year old, I loved the ethos and mission, which is 'to remove the image of a perfect parent, one story at a time'. I subscribed to it (which is free!) and have found the articles insightful, realistic and helpful.

I reached out to Lisa, the editor, to see if she was interested in some articles around Financial Education for families, which is something I am passionate about. The result is my first article in their latest issue!

It is about Building a Strong Financial Foundation. I hope you find it interesting and useful. Please share the magazine and article with anyone you think might find it interesting. Would be great to hear feedback as I work on my next articles for July and August!!

https://goingtocounttofive.co.uk/articles/b/building_financial_foundations

03/07/2024

What subject areas do Financial Planners cover?

Most things to do with money can be covered! Some choose to specialise and work within niche areas, others do a little bit of everything and help with holistic financial planning for any type of person.

I consider myself a generalist, kind of like a GP. I work with my clients on holistic planning, working out where they are and where they want to get to. If any specialist input is needed, the partnership I am part of provides me access to whichever areas I need support with.

If you aren't sure who is best for you, just ask! It is most important that you work with a Financial Planner or Financial Adviser who you trust and has access to the information relevant to you.

26/06/2024

Do you have, or are you interested in having an Investment and want to understand it better?

This post looks at what an Investment Fund is.

I'll be writing some more posts coming up to try and explain some other financial terms that may have you confused!

24/06/2024

Have you heard lots about ISA's but aren't actually sure what they are and if you should have one?

Take a look at this post for a short summary!

22/06/2024

Should you pay to top up your State Pension?

I have been asked this question several times by clients in meetings. You need 35 qualifying years to get the full State Pension. If you don't think you'll get this, you can get a boost to your annual State Pension by paying to 'top up' these years.

But is it the right thing to do? As with most things in finance, it depends. Firstly, have you claimed all your qualifying years? If you have had children and taken a step back from work for a while, or cared for grandchildren, or been ill for a period of time you might be entitled to credits that you haven't correctly claimed.

First thing to do is check how many years you have. Next, work out how many years you have left that you expect to work. If these 2 are more than 35, you should be fine. If not, are there any years you should have receive credits for? If so, try to claim for them.

If you will still have a shortfall, consider your other income in retirement. Will additional State Pension push you into the higher tax band? If so, its important to consider how much of the additional income you will receive after tax as it will take a few more years to get your moneys worth.

If you aren't sure, just ask. A Financial Planner can help with a Holistic Financial Review to assess your personal circumstances and help you make the best choice for you.

More info is available at the link below, also available through the insights page on my website!

https://partnership.sjp.co.uk/article/detail/sjpp/should-i-pay-to-top-up-my-state-pension.html?j=681987&sfmc_sub=912215825&l=238_HTML&u=24071737&mid=510006270&jb=10009

21/06/2024

A lot of my meetings with clients start with one question, but when we dig down into what they are looking for the priorities change.

The first question can be one symptom, with the solution working on several others that they weren't always aware of.

This is applicable in many walks of life, not just finances. How often do you think you have one problem, but when solving that many others come to light?

Involving an impartial professional can help you dig down to the roots, and ensure that you aren't just putting a sticky plaster on a broken bone.