What's your financial plan for 2019?

This year, it's time for us all to think about planning for the next 20 years rather than just on the year ahead when it comes to planning for our retirement. At this time each year, I would usually write nine things to do better in 2019…

Tax Relief through Pensions

For most people, paying less tax is desirable. Paying less tax through tax relief schemes is possible and it's a great way to help yourself in the future. It’s that time of the year again when financial advisers and accountants are focused…

The Need to Defuse the Pension Time Bomb

What is the pensions time bomb? In a short, it's the unavoidable shortfall between pension requirements and the State's ability to pay it. Excluding public sector workers, who have close to full pension coverage, the private sector figure…

The need for mandatory pensions in Ireland

If you follow my regular advice column in Construction Magazine, you’ll note that there is a heavy bias towards retirement planning.  As a Financial Advisor for the construction sector, I meet many members of the sector’s two big schemes,…

A Guide to Key Person Cover

Did you know that if you are a business owner, there is a way to protect your business in the event of the death or serious illness of an important member of your team?

Irish Construction Industry Awards 2018

The team in Milestone Advisory are proud to be Gold Sponsors at the Irish Construction Industry Awards held in City West on Thursday 14th June 2018. The Irish Construction Industry Awards recognises and rewards companies who strive for excellence.…

The construction sector is ahead of the game

Covering workers for pension, sick pay and death in service Many of you may already be familiar with the Sectoral Employment Order (SEO), for the construction industry, this was the first SEO announced in October 2017 and written into law by…

Is Life cover important?

“I have mortgage protection anyway, sure that’s the same thing right?” Yes, and No Mortgage Protection is indeed Life Cover. It will pay off any outstanding balance on your mortgage if you die and it is designed to decrease as your mortgage…

The need for mandatory pensions in Ireland

If you follow this regular advice column you’ll note that there is a heavy bias towards retirement planning. As a Financial Advisor for the construction sector, I meet many members of the sector’s two big schemes, CERS and the Construction…

Are you covered for sick pay?

Self-Employed now entitled to sick pay With effect from December 2017, self -employed people in Ireland have finally became entitled to long- term sick pay. This is great news for this cohort of people, who typically have been treated unfairly…

Building Pension Equality

By the time you are reading this piece, the third flagship #BuildingEquality campaign event from the Construction Industry Federation will have taken place on International Women’s Day. The purpose of this is to recognise the women that already…

Reviewing Your Finances in 2018 - The Doom and Gloom

I do not want to start 2018 off on a gloomy note, so I will start with the good news! With effect from December 2017, self-employed people in Ireland finally became entitled to long-term sick pay. This is great news for this cohort of people,…

At a Glance - Budget 2018

Tax Cuts in 2018 In this year's budget the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, has announced €1.2 billion in new spending and tax cuts, split on roughly a 2:1 basis in favour of spending. CPAS has reviewed the details of Budget 2018 to…

Avocado Toast

You may have recently heard of Grant Sabatier, a 31 year old apparently self- made millionaire – who blames avocado toast for the reason millennials can’t save money. Grant’s theory, when read properly actually makes a lot of sense, he…

Are Pensions too complicated?

Well.. No.. and Yes I’ve penned a few jargon busting articles here over the last few years as I’ve assumed (yes, I know what they say about assuming) that it is only the language around Pensions that is complicated. In talking to people…

Top tip for improving your finances in 2017

Ship Shape In trying to compile my annual top tips for the coming year, I researched far and wide for pearls of wisdom that I might not have already thought of myself....this was my favourite: “Get Your Finances-and Body-in Shape". One…

At a Glance - Budget 2017

Budget 2017 in Review We reviewed the details of Budget 2017 to provide you with the relevant information relating to pensions and your personal finance. Normally our focus is on pension matters and over the last number of years there has been…

Finance - Busting the Jargon

Post Retirement Planning As a financial advisor with specific focus on the Construction Sector, I find myself frequently discussing business on this basis. In recent years, terms such as BIM and Lean and Augmented Reality have crept into the…

Are you protected if you become ill?

Longevity When we talk about pensions we often talk about longevity - the fact that people are living longer and the increased need for income in retirement. From age 65, men can expect to live an average of 23.8 years, while women can look…

Pension Timebomb

Pre - Brexit Prior to Brexit dominating our news flow and social media world, the phrase “Pension timebomb” had been getting a lot of coverage. I asked many of my friends if they have been reading these pieces, but it seems that the “P”…