Spectrum sponsor the DFAS event – Costa del Sol
By Charles Hutchinson
This article is published on: 16th December 2016
The Spectrum IFA Group again co-sponsored an excellent DFAS (Decorative & Fine Arts Society) lecture on 14th December at the San Roque Golf & Country Club on the Costa del Sol. We were heartily represented by one of our local and long-serving Advisers, Charles Hutchinson, who attended along with our co-sponsors Richard Brown, Lewis Cohen and Harriette Collings from Tilney Bestinvest. Tilney Bestinvest also very kindly hosted a lunch afterwards for selected potential clients, the DFAS Chairman and the Lecturer.
The National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Society (NADFAS) is a leading Arts charity which opens up the world of the arts through a network of local societies (such as DFAS in Spain) and national events throughout the world.
With inspiring monthly lectures given by some of the country’s top experts, together with days of special interest, educational visits and cultural holidays, NADFAS is a great way to learn, have fun and make new and lasting friendships.
At this event, over 120 attendees were entertained by a talk on Dutch Genre Painting by Lynne Gibson who is one of the UK’s top experts in this field. She was excellent and kept the audience gripped and entertained with her knowledge and humour – especially the hidden saucy side to the art which she revealed to great effect!
The talk was followed by a drinks reception which included a free raffle for prizes including CH produced Champagne, mince pies and a lovely coffee table book on Dutch Genre Painting. Tilney Bestinvest also supplied a wooden permanent calendar designed and beautifully crafted by Viscount Linley, the Queen’s nephew, which caused a further stir after their last year’s prize!
All in all, a great turnout and a very successful event at a wonderful venue. The Spectrum IFA Group were very proud to be involved with such a fantastic organisation and we hope to have the opportunity to do so again.
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The Importance of Protecting and Protecting What’s Important
By Pauline Bowden
This article is published on: 1st December 2016
Life Assurance is not the most popular of topics, as no-one wants to think about dying!
Most people have mortgages, loans, household bills, perhaps education fees, the payment of which is totally dependant on the income of the “bread winner”. Most Life Assurance policies are taken out to replace that income should the bread winner die or where there are children in a family to cover the life of the housewife/husband.
If your partner died, would you give up work to look after your children? A Life Assurance policy can provide the funds necessary to employ a carer/housekeeper.
Business partners too are financially dependant on each other. Should one of the partners in your company die, Life Assurance can provide a lump sum payment to buy the shares from the widow/er and help with the costs of finding new staff.
So, how much life cover do you need?
Employer schemes generally provide 4 times the annual salary but in order to provide sufficient capital to fully protect the financial future of a family, most Financial Advisers would recommend between 5 and 10 times the annual salary.
And how much will it cost?
The cost of Life Assurance varies according to age, medical history and family history etc. To find out more about this or other financial planning subjects call Pauline Bowden now on 95 289 0383 for a free confidential and personal consultation.
The Spectrum IFA Group co-sponsored NADFAS lecture
By Charles Hutchinson
This article is published on: 25th October 2016
The Spectrum IFA Group co-sponsored an excellent NADFAS (National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies) lecture on 19th October at the San Roque Golf & Country Club on the Costa del Sol. The Spectrum IFA Group was represented by one of our local advisers, Charles Hutchinson who attended along with our co-sponsor Paul Ellis from Currencies Direct.
The National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies is a leading arts charity which opens up the world of the arts through a network of local societies and national events.
With inspiring monthly lectures given by some of the country’s top experts, together with days of special interest, educational visits and cultural holidays, NADFAS is a great way to learn, have fun and make new and lasting friendships.
At this event, over 130 attendees (all our target market) were entertained by a talk on The Life and Work of Henry Murphy, one of Britain’s best but most neglected Goldsmiths. The presentation was given by John Benjamin of Antiques Roadshow fame, who kept the audience gripped with his knowledge and humour. We were fortunate enough to have him agree to private valuations of attendees’ jewelry and especially any Fabergé items before the lecture.
The talk was followed by a Spectrum sponsored drinks reception which included a free raffle for prizes including a CH obtained (very difficult to find, as out of print) glossy coffee table book on Henry Murphy and his works by John Benjamin himself which he gladly signed for the lucky first prize winner. Also bottles of Champagne and Cava. Currency Direct supplied a bottle of fine Brandy and a very useful car sunshade.
All in all, a great turnout and a very successful event at a wonderful venue. The Spectrum IFA Group are very proud to be involved with such a fantastic organisation and we shall be sponsoring the December lecture and drinks reception after, when we will have Tilney Bestinvest as co-sponsors.
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Timing the markets
By Pauline Bowden
This article is published on: 29th August 2016
Staying the course
Every market cycle has both up days and down days. Often, a few very good days account for a large part of the total return. Staying the course ensures that investments will be “in” the market on the good days. Some people try to time market movements by selling stocks when they think the market is about to decline and by buying stocks when they think the market is about to rise. Resist being a market timer. By trying to time the market, you potentially miss out on market rallies that could substantially improve your overall return and long-term wealth. Thus, what’s most important is not timing the market, but rather time IN the market. Staying the course when confronting difficult markets may prove very rewarding in the long run. Consistently predicting which days will move in which direction, though, is virtually impossible and can be very costly.
Diversifying your portfolio
Diversification may reduce the overall volatility of your entire portfolio, thereby helping you achieve greater long-term returns. It is important to remember, however, that diversification does not protect against loss in broadly declining markets. Like markets in general, different investment styles come in and out of favour in Cycles Rather than trying to predict which investment is likely to be the best performer in the future, investing in a well-diversified portfolio can help you to seek returns whilst managing for volatility. Diversification strategies may be especially important in a volatile market environment, when sector rotations and market fluctuations happen continuously.
The Importance of Protection and Protecting What’s Important
By Pauline Bowden
This article is published on: 25th August 2016
Life Assurance is not the most popular of topics, as no-one wants to think about dying!
Most people have mortgages, loans, household bills, perhaps education fees, the payment of which is totally dependant on the income of the “bread winner”. Most Life Assurance policies are taken out to replace that income should the bread winner die or where there are children in a family to cover the life of the housewife/husband.
If your partner died, would you give up work to look after your children? A Life Assurance policy can provide the funds necessary to employ a carer/housekeeper.
Business partners too are financially dependant on each other. Should one of the partners in your company die, Life Assurance can provide a lump sum payment to buy the shares from the widow/er and help with the costs of finding new staff.
There are two main types of Life Assurance:
- Term Assurance. This pays a lump sum on death or diagnosis of terminal illness within a set period of time. Often used for mortgage protection/family protection.
- Whole of Life. This pays out whenever you die. Often used for Inheritance Tax, funeral expenses or for family protection.
So, how much life cover do you need?
Employer schemes generally provide 4 times the annual salary but in order to provide sufficient capital to fully protect the financial future of a family, most Financial Advisers would recommend up to 10 times the annual salary.
And how much will it cost?
The cost of Life Assurance varies according to age, sex, medical and family history etc.
To find out more about this subject call Pauline Bowden now on 95 289 0383 for a confidential and personal consultation.
Where there’s a Will
By Pauline Bowden
This article is published on: 7th June 2016
Many people avoid drawing up wills because it requires them to contemplate their own mortality. If you are a foreigner with property and/or other assets in Spain, you should make a Spanish will.
You should also have a will for each jurisdiction within which you hold assets. For example, if you have a bank account in Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Jersey etc, you also need a will in that country.
Each of these wills needs to clearly state that they are for the disposal of assets in that country only and that you want your will to be governed by UK/ other EU country law. Only if you state this, will that disposal of assets be governed by your own national law and not that of Spain.
It is now possible to have your Spanish will made out in two columns. One side in Spanish and the other in English. This is checked by a Notary Public and signed by you, the Notary and your interpreter, if your Spanish is insufficient for you to read the Spanish side of the document yourself. The Testamento Abierto (Open Will) is kept by the Notary, an authorized copy will be given to you and the Notary will send a notification to the Registro Central de Ultima Voluntad in Madrid.
It is important to discuss with your legal or financial adviser in Spain, details of the heirs named on your Spanish will. The more direct descendants that are named in your Spanish will as heirs, the less the Inheritance Tax you should have to pay.
Unlike the UK and many other countries, in Spain it is the person receiving the inheritance that is taxable, NOT the deceased person’s estate.
There are many differences between the UK law and Spanish law on Inheritance and Gift tax and although the UK and Spain have many reciprocal arrangements for double taxation, there is no such arrangement for Inheritance Tax.
To die intestate (without a will) in Spain, makes the process of sorting out the deceased’s estate much more time consuming and costly. For the sake of a small amount of money and an hour of your time, you can leave your affairs in order, to help those left behind.
Retirement Benefits
By Pauline Bowden
This article is published on: 21st April 2016
For people in all walks of life, retirement can be an uncertain prospect. At the very least it raises all kinds of questions concerning personal financial stability and the maintenance of living standards.
For those whose work takes them to a number of different countries during their career, the uncertainty is increased.
Until recently, retirement plans have traditionally offered a restrictive and inadequate package which was expensive to implement and complicated to arrange.
Most people require a simple yet flexible retirement benefits package, offering the possibility of a secure and prosperous retirement. An investment programme that allows you to decide exactly what you want and when you want it, how much and which type of protection you feel is appropriate for your own personal circumstances.
A plan where you can have the flexibility to take it with you from employer to employer and country to country, where you can increase or decrease or even temporarily suspend payments. You want to choose at what age you wish to retire and choose how you wish to receive your money upon retirement.
Flexibility and choice are the key words to most people when they start a retirement plan. Gone are the days when you worked for one company for 40 years, religiously paying into the company pension scheme. It is each individual’s responsibility to make sufficient provision for their retirement and which route to take to achieve future financial security can be a complicated search of bewildering facts and figures when comparing products available.
To get personal and confidential advice regarding your retirement provision, it is necessary to discuss your own individual future financial needs, together with your full financial planning objectives.
Spectrum sponsored DFAS lecture – Costa del Sol, Spain – Wednesday 16th March.
By Charles Hutchinson
This article is published on: 7th April 2016
The Spectrum IFA Group co-sponsored an excellent NADFAS (National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies) lecture on 16th March at the San Roque Golf & Country Club on the Costa del Sol. The Spectrum Group was represented by our local adviser, Charles Hutchinson, assisted by his wife Rhona who attended along with our co-sponsor George Forsyth from Prudential International.
The National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies is a leading arts charity which opens up the world of the arts through a network of local societies and national events.
With inspiring monthly lectures given by some of the country’s top experts, together with days of special interest, educational visits and cultural holidays, NADFAS is a great way to learn, have fun and make new and lasting friendships.
At this event, around 150 attendees were entertained by an immensely interesting and informative historical talk on the Russian royal family and Fabergé’s Easter Eggs made for the Imperial Russian Court, by Toby Faber of the publishers Faber & Faber.
The talk was followed by a drinks reception which included a free raffle for prizes including CH produced Champagne and a coffee table glossy book on Fabergé. Prudential also supplied a presentation bottle of 12 year old malt whiskey and smaller gifts.
All in all, a good turnout and a very successful event at a wonderful venue. The Spectrum Group were very proud to be involved with such a fantastic organisation and we look forward to next season this Autumn.
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Spectrum sponsors the NADFAS event in Costa del Sol
By Charles Hutchinson
This article is published on: 24th February 2016
The Spectrum IFA Group co-sponsored an excellent NADFAS (National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies) lecture on 17th February at the San Roque Golf & Country Club on the Costa del Sol. The Spectrum IFA Group was represented by our local adviser, Charles Hutchinson, assisted by his wife Rhona who attended along with our co-sponsors Ignacio Ortega & Tricia Anderson from Currencies Direct.
The National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies is a leading arts charity which opens up the world of the arts through a network of local societies and national events.
With inspiring monthly lectures given by some of the country’s top experts, together with days of special interest, educational visits and cultural holidays, NADFAS is a great way to learn, have fun and make new and lasting friendships.
At this particular event, over 100 attendees were entertained by a fascinating talk on Indian Textiles Art & Design by Jasleen Kandhari, Head of Department, Oxford University.
The talk was followed by a drinks reception which included a free raffle for prizes including CH produced Champagne and a coffee table glossy book on Indian Fabric Design. Currencies Direct also supplied a presentation box of Cognac and Chocolates and desk diaries.
All in all, a good turnout and a very successful event at a wonderful venue. The Spectrum IFA Group were very proud to be involved with such a fantastic organisation and we shall also be sponsoring next month’s event on the subject of Fabergé’s Imperial Easter Eggs from the Russian court.
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Decorative & Fine Arts Society event
By Charles Hutchinson
This article is published on: 18th December 2015
The Spectrum IFA Group co-sponsored an excellent DFAS (Decorative & Fine Arts Society) lecture on 9th December at the San Roque Golf & Country Club on the Costa del Sol. The Spectrum Group was represented by two of our local advisers, Jonathan Goodman and Charles Hutchinson, who attended along with our co-sponsors Richard Brown and Lewis Cohen from Tilney Bestinvest.
DFAS is an overseas branch of The National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies which is a leading arts charity which opens up the world of the arts through a network of local societies and national events.
With inspiring monthly lectures given by some of the country’s top experts, together with days of special interest, educational visits and cultural holidays, DFAS is a great way to learn, have fun and make new and lasting friendships.
At this event, over 150 attendees were entertained by a talk on Art Deco by Eric Knowles of Antiques Roadshow fame, who was simply brilliant and kept the audience gripped with his knowledge and humour.
The talk was followed by a drinks reception which included a free raffle for prizes including CH produced Champagne, a presentation wine box and a coffee table glossy book on Art Deco. Tilney Bestinvest also supplied an art deco style money box designed and crafted by Viscount Linley, the Queen’s nephew, which caused quite a stir!
All in all, a fantastic turnout and a very successful event at a wonderful venue. The Spectrum Group were very proud to be involved with such a fantastic organisation and we hope to have the opportunity to do so again.
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