Fingerprint Financial Planning

Fingerprint Financial Planning FingerprintFinancialPlanning are Truly Independent Financial Advisers based at the Historic Dockyard

The 2026/27 tax year is just a few months old. However, some significant tax changes are being brought in from April 202...
16/06/2026

The 2026/27 tax year is just a few months old. However, some significant tax changes are being brought in from April 2027, and it’s important to understand whether they might impact your personal finances.

Read on to find out about three upcoming tax changes, what they could mean for you, and how to mitigate any liability where possible.

Preparation is key to factoring tax changes into your financial plan

When the chancellor announces new financial legislation, there is usually a period of time before any changes are implemented. Aside from emergency measures which need to come into force almost instantly, changes usually take effect at the start of a tax year.

This period of grace also serves as a good time for you to assess your personal wealth and how your financial strategy may need to be tweaked in light of the changes.

While you may take notice when Budget changes are announced, this lead-in time can also mean that what was headline news is almost forgotten by the time the changes are actually implemented.

At Fingerprint, we always keep you up to date with what lies ahead to make sure that we’re optimising your financial plan in line with current and imminent legislation.

With this in mind, here are three significant changes coming into force in April 2027 that you need to be aware of.

To be continued.......

3. Focus on quality, not quantitySetting yourself a hard target of 52 books a year, for example, can start to feel stres...
12/06/2026

3. Focus on quality, not quantity

Setting yourself a hard target of 52 books a year, for example, can start to feel stressful. You may start choosing shorter books simply to tick them off your list or find yourself speed-reading rather than absorbing the narrative.

Rather, give yourself more gentle targets, such as 10 minutes a day or a certain number of pages. Don’t be hard on yourself if you don’t finish a book: you could set yourself a 50-page limit, for example, and if it’s still not grabbing you, move on.

4. Expand your horizons

Your challenges to yourself can be anything you want: the whole point of the National Year of Reading is simply that you’re reading for enjoyment.

You could try reading the back catalogue of a favourite author, challenging yourself to try a new genre, or even reading in a different format. Audiobooks and e-readers are still ways to enjoy books, or you could treat yourself to some new magazines.

At Fingerprint, we read up on all the finance news, leaving you free to enjoy your own favourite genre of books. If you’d like to talk to us about your finances, we’re always happy to help.

The Team at Fingerprint Financial Planning have done a sweepstake for the world cup. Some people look like they will do ...
11/06/2026

The Team at Fingerprint Financial Planning have done a sweepstake for the world cup. Some people look like they will do better than others!!!

Are you doing a sweepstake where you work?

Who do you think will win???

1. Start smallRather than trying to ditch your screen time altogether, start by replacing one session with reading. If y...
08/06/2026

1. Start small

Rather than trying to ditch your screen time altogether, start by replacing one session with reading. If you’re prone to scrolling just before you go to sleep, try setting yourself a reading target of, for example, 20 pages a night.

Using a screen just before going to sleep can trick your mind into staying awake and disrupt your natural sleep-wake cycle, so you might find reading also helps you to enjoy a better night’s sleep.

2. Track your progress

There’s a certain irony here, but there are some ways you can harness your smartphone to support your reading goals. Apps like Goodreads and StoryGraph can help you track your progress, giving you a sense of achievement.

You can also share recommendations and progress with like-minded communities, giving you a more focused use for your smartphone.

Look out for tips 3 & 4...

Fingerprint Financial Planning are so excited to be part of Medway Business & Skills Showcase again this year!The show i...
04/06/2026

Fingerprint Financial Planning are so excited to be part of Medway Business & Skills Showcase again this year!

The show is being held at No 1 The Smithery The Historic Dockyard Chatham and being hosted by Brilliant Businesses open from 10am to 3pm Fingerprint are stand 40 and we have cupcakes again!

Pop along and have a chat with one of our wonderful Team we hope to see you there!

Reading a good book is one of life’s simple pleasures. But you might struggle to find time in your busy life to sit and ...
03/06/2026

Reading a good book is one of life’s simple pleasures. But you might struggle to find time in your busy life to sit and read.

Smart technology also means that more and more people are spending their free time scrolling, with short, bite-sized content diminishing attention spans and making it harder to concentrate on the more focused task of reading.

The Department for Education (DfE) and the National Literacy Trust have launched a campaign, the National Year of Reading 2026, with the aim of getting people to enjoy reading for pleasure.

If you’d like to reduce your screen time and get back into a love of books, read on to find out how.

Reading has been replaced by screen time, but you can reverse this trend

In our age of distraction, it’s all too easy to pick up a phone or tablet and spend a few minutes here and there online. But when those few minutes start to stretch into hours, you might find yourself wondering if there is a more productive way to spend your time.

Research from SQ Magazine found that people aged 55 – 64 spend just over five hours online a day, while those over 65 reported just over three hours of screen time daily. While these figures were lower than those of the younger age groups, they still represent a significant portion of free time spent scrolling.

And it seems that time spent reading is being neglected in favour of this screen time. The Reading Agency reports that 55% of UK adults read less than they plan to, and 61% of lapsed readers struggle to read because there are too many distractions.

While some screen time might be useful and productive, if you find yourself “doomscrolling”, it could mean your attention span needs some work. Retraining your brain to enjoy longer, more focused periods could restore a love of reading. To be continued....

The pros and cons of cash savingsAs we’ve already outlined, it can be a good idea to have some cash reserves as an emerg...
01/06/2026

The pros and cons of cash savings

As we’ve already outlined, it can be a good idea to have some cash reserves as an emergency fund, and other benefits include:

Tax efficiencies: If you choose to save into a Cash ISA, you can put in up to £20,000 for the 2026/27 tax year. Any interest you receive is free from Income Tax and CGT.
Protection: Cash savings are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which automatically guarantees up to £120,000 per person if your bank or building society goes out of business.

However, it’s a good idea to be aware of some of the limitations of cash savings.

New threshold for Cash ISAs: If you’re under 65, from April 2027, you’ll be limited to an annual £12,000 allowance for a Cash ISA, with the remainder of your £20,000 allowance needing to be spread across other ISA products. If you’re over 65, however, your £20,000 allowance can be allocated however you wish.
Limited growth: Although your cash savings will receive some interest, this is unlikely to match the potential returns you could make by investing in the markets.

Cash is often considered a “safe” option, but it’s always a good idea to take financial advice to make sure you’re choosing it for the right reasons.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or other loans secured on it.

Talk to your financial planner about the pros and cons of investing versus cash savingsIf investing or making cash savin...
29/05/2026

Talk to your financial planner about the pros and cons of investing versus cash savings

If investing or making cash savings is more appealing to you, again, there are some pros and cons to bear in mind before making your decision.

It's always a good idea to talk to us at Fingerprint before you make any firm decisions, as we can talk you through your options based on your personal circumstances.

The pros and cons of investing

Investing can bring its own set of potential advantages, such as:

Long-term growth: If stock market returns are higher than your mortgage interest rate, then you could be better off investing.
Tax efficiencies: You can invest up to £20,000 a year into a Stocks and Shares ISA without paying Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on any returns.
Pension tax relief from the government on private pensions: This is automatically applied at 20%, but if you’re a higher-rate or additional-rate taxpayer, you can claim further tax relief back through your Self Assessment form.

There are also some possible disadvantages associated with investing, including:

Potential losses: Past performance isn’t an indicator of future gains, and you always need to understand the potential risks involved with investments. Some investments carry a higher risk than others.
Lack of accessibility: Investments generally work best when left alone, so plan for long-term investments of at least five years. Market volatility is common, and leaving your funds invested can often allow them to ride through these periods of unrest and navigate drops in the market.

Always remember, there are never any guarantees where investments are concerned.

If you find yourself in the fortunate position of having some surplus cash, you might be wondering how best to use it.Fo...
27/05/2026

If you find yourself in the fortunate position of having some surplus cash, you might be wondering how best to use it.

For example, if you’re still paying a mortgage, this could be an opportunity to overpay and clear some of the debt.

On the other hand, you might be considering putting the money into cash savings or investing in the markets

While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, there might be certain options which work better with your personal circumstances. Read on to discover the pros and cons of paying into your mortgage versus growing your cash savings or investments.

Clearing credit card debt and loans is a key consideration before paying off your mortgage

A mortgage can often feel like a financial trap, and the idea of paying it off or reducing it can be very appealing if the option presents itself.

If you have some extra cash, either as a lump sum or an increased monthly income, this could well be one of your considerations. Of course, there may be something on your bucket list you’d like to spend the money on, such as a longed-for trip or a particular luxury.

But if paying off debt is your priority, before you think about paying extra on your mortgage, it’s a good idea to clear any other outstanding payments, such as credit cards or loans, as these tend to be high-interest debts.

The pros and cons of overpaying your mortgage
Making extra payments on your mortgage could lead to you:
Repaying your loan more quickly, as reducing your balance will lower the number of repayments you’ll need to make
Reducing the total amount you pay, as a smaller balance will incur less in the way of interest
Improving your remortgage options, as having a lower loan-to-value (LTV) can make you a more likely candidate for lower interest rates when it’s time to renew. The LTV is the ratio of your current remaining mortgage balance to the market value of your property.

However, there are some drawbacks to be aware of:
Penalties and charges sometimes apply, so check what these are before overpaying.
You can’t easily access your wealth, as your money will be tied up in your property. To release cash, you’ll usually need to either sell your house or take out another mortgage.

Its a good idea to keep some cash reserves for emergencies, such as boiler repairs or other maintenance work.

Some of the Fingerprint Financial Planning team have been nominated for Professional Adviser Awards this year...Cassie M...
24/05/2026

Some of the Fingerprint Financial Planning team have been nominated for Professional Adviser Awards this year...

Cassie Millington - Financial Adviser of the year - South East
Evelyn Woodard - Woman of the Year - Paraplanning
Sia Etheridge, Lauren Harvey, Rebecca Munkton and Clare Tapsell Women of the year - In house Adviser Support

We would like to wish them all good luck

Address

Admirals Offices, The Historic Dockyard
Rochester
ME44TZ

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9am - 5:30pm
Friday 9am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+443452100100

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