Sunday, 23 January 2011

Regular Savings - Essential Investors Guide


How to open a regular saving account
A regular savings account is just like any other type of investment account, in that all a person needs to do is approach any of the banks, building societies or other financial organisations that offer them.
The best possible way to decide on which type of account to open is to look at not only the interest rate paid, but to also examine the amount of bonuses the specific institution will pay to its regular investors. Nearly all of the accounts will have a tax free allowance of £25 per month, with anything over being taxed by the Government depending on your tax bracket - meaning that this issue does not need considering by the consumer.
There are no real restrictions regarding who can open a regular savings plan, although many places often have a minimum and maximum age limit, with 16-55 being the most popular. Although it is partially tax free, it also will not affect the standing of any Individual Savings Accounts or ISAs that the customer already has.
Paying money in to a regular saving account
With most regular saving plans there is a minimum amount to be invested per month, although this is usually only around £15. Although this is only a small amount, failure to pay it will have significant impacts on the amount of bonuses the account may receive. While there is a minimum, there is no maximum amount that can be paid in per month, although only the first £25 will be tax free.
The advantages of a regular saving account
The main advantage of this type of savings and investments is that there is a guaranteed lump sum payable at the time at which the account matures, which is set when the account is created. This provides the insurance that should the institution invest the money poorly, it will not be lost - meaning that there is virtually no risk associated with this type of account.
Another advantage is when saving for children, child savings accounts can provide an excellent kick start to their adult life. If a parent starts saving just £40 per month for ten years, they can expect a minimum return of £5,220, with most actually coming in at more than that. Aside from Government sponsored schemes, there is no more effective way that a parent can save for their child.
If you are interested in reading more information about regular savings and investment plans then please visit the following links:
Scottish Friendly - mutual societies such as Scottish Friendly supply financial services products. Mutual societies are owned by customers, or members. As a result they have no shareholders to pay dividends to, or to account to, so they can concentrate on delivering products and services that meet the needs of their customers.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6401834

Thursday, 6 January 2011

Child Trust Funds - Essential Investors Guide


There are some situations in which it is used to generate a better future for a loved one. That is certainly the case when one is investing in a child trust fund. A child trust account can be used for investing money that will later be used to pay for some expense in the future. Typically, the money in the trust fund is used to pay for a higher education or for a first home. Regardless of what exactly the money is being used for, it is apparent that it is being used by a loved one for something that is important.
The primary reason to set up a children trust fund is to give the money you put in it time to grow to much larger sum. It is for this reason that you set up children trust funds when the person is still a child. You might have a couple of decades or so to allow that money to grow before they are going to use it. When doing this, you are giving them a much better gift than just saving the amount that you would have invested. If you are interested in how to set up child trust funds at this point, it is vital that you know some of the basics. The primary thing to know is that you are going to need to speak to an investment broker to set this up. For this kind of an account, it is important to speak to an actual investment broker.
Trying to use an online broker will not be able to get you the results that you are looking for. A child trust fund account is a special type of investment. It is not something that you are likely going to go into and mess with that much. What this means is that you are not likely to change the types of investments that are contained within the child trust fund account that much. As such, it is important that you have the right investment company handling this account.
Start searching for the right company and the right type of account for your child. This research can easily be done on the internet. You just need to look up any number of different comparison websites. They will lay out the options that each and every broker has to offer. From there, you just need to select the plan that you believe will be the best for your child in the future.
If you are interested in reading more information about child trust funds and investment plans then please visit the following links:
Financial Services Authority [http://www.moneymadeclear.fsa.gov.uk/] - this is a useful site that provides unbiased money advice to help you manage your money better.
Scottish Friendly - mutual societies such as Scottish Friendly supply financial services products. Mutual societies are owned by customers, or members.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6401702