Unbiased.co.uk urges consumers to plan their finances in 2010
· Unbiased.co.uk launches new Financial Calendar to help consumers plan their payments and spending
· IFAs can use this tool to help clients with their financial planning
Unbiased.co.uk, the professional advice website, announces the launch of its new Financial Calendar tool, designed to help consumers create their own personal finance calendar and help them keep track of their key financial dates.
Users can add in all of their important financial dates and create their own financial planner, enabling them to see when future payments are due throughout the year and giving helpful reminders. The calendar can be hosted on desktops to be revisited and updated at any time with the option to transfer dates in to a Microsoft Outlook calendar.
There is also the option to automatically update the Financial Calendar with important general financial dates, such as the end of the yearly ISA limit or the deadline for self assessment tax forms.
Karen Barrett, Chief Executive of Unbiased.co.uk, comments: “The new Financial Calendar gives consumers an easy to use tool to plan their finances and keep all of their financial dates in one place. The Microsoft Outlook calendar function, automatic updates and reminders ensure this tool offers an accessible and effective way for consumers to keep track of all their important financial dates.
The Financial Calendar complements the range of financial planning tools already available for consumers at www.unbiased.co.uk/financial-tools and partner sites such as ThisisMoney, FT.com, Telegraph.co.uk and Guardian Unlimited. Existing tools include:
· Tax give and take calculator allows consumers to assess their tax incomings and outgoing on their income, savings and pension contributions
· Tax waste calculator enables consumers to work out how much they could save on their overall tax bill
· Cost of Delay tool to calculate the affect of delaying saving for a pension on retirement
· Savings planner to calculate the savings you could make on your regular payments
· Thrifty calculator to calculate how much you could save by cutting down on your day to day spending
· Debt Freedom Day Calculator to enable people to discover how many days they need to work just to pay the interest on their debt
· Financial Age tool gives consumers a short test to see what they age is when it comes to their personal finances- whether they be a rebellious teenager or more of a cautious OAP
· Advice decision tree allows consumers to follow a set of questions to find out which type of advice will be best suited to their needs
· Protection tool asks consumers a series of questions to find out what level of protection they need
Karen Barrett continues: “The new Financial Calendar tool will fit in well with our existing tools range. We aim to provide consumers with useful financial tools which they can use to help them assess their personal finances. While these tools can go some way to help with planning your finances, only an independent financial adviser can take a holistic view of your finances and recommend the best solutions for you. Only IFAs can source products from the whole market, rather than just a selection of providers, giving you a choice of how you pay for this valuable advice. In order to find an independent financial adviser, you can go to Unbiased.co.uk to find an IFA close to where you live or who specialises in the area of advice you are looking for.”
ENDS
For further information on Unbiased.co.uk, the professional advice website pleases contact:
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Karen Barrett, Chief Executive |
Anna Schirmer/Jennifer Comerford/ Anna Moulds |
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Unbiased.co.uk |
Lansons Communications |
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020 7833 3131 |
020 7294 3682 |
Sign up to Unbiased.co.uk’s unique Professional Connections service, allowing IFAs, mortgage brokers and solicitors to find and link up with other professional advisers across the UK to expand their current business network.
For expert commentary or case studies from over 150 media-friendly IFAs, journalists should visit www.unbiased.co.uk/bluebook to search the Blue Book Media IFA database.
Top tips for journalists when using Blue Book online:
1. List and store all your IFA contacts in one place. As well as having access to the whole Media IFA database on the Blue Book, you can also separately list your favourite Media IFAs. You can add confidential, personalised post-it notes with extra details to Media IFA profiles. These will be saved and always appear every time you log back into your account.
2. Email broadcast Media IFAs. The Blue Book allows you to email individual favourite Media IFAs for personal commentary or alternatively email a group of your favourite Media IFAs for a collection of opinions on a topic. You can use the Blue Book online to conduct a straw poll on a specific topic for instance.
3. Online coverage generated by Media IFAs. Each Media IFA profile contains links to their most recent online coverage. This allows you to see what topic Media IFAs have been commenting on recently, allowing you to make a more informed decision as to which Media IFA you wish to speak to.
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5. Journalist recommendations. The Blue Book gives helpful suggestions as to which Media IFAs other journalists have on their list of favourites. Each Media IFA profile has suggestions as to other Media IFAs you may find useful.
6. Broaden out your contact list of Media IFAs. Overall, the Blue Book online is designed to help you widen the pool of Media IFAs you can contact for commentary or help with articles you are writing. Sign up to the Blue Book now in order to take advantage of all these features.
Notes to Editors
Unbiased.co.uk, the professional advice website
Unbiased.co.uk is the free and confidential UK-wide search service matching consumers with the most appropriate local professional advisers for their needs. In 2008, Unbiased.co.uk fulfilled over half a million searches for local, professional advice.
The portal currently houses three professional advice searches: ‘find an IFA’, ‘find a mortgage adviser’, and ‘find a solicitor’, and is inviting accountants to sign up for its ‘find an accountant’ service. These searches enable consumers to find relevant professional advisers by postcode, area of specialism and payment method, amongst other options.
IFA Promotion, the organisation behind Unbiased.co.uk, is now in its 20th year, and was set up to promote the benefits of independent financial advice to the consumer.
Unbiased.co.uk’s product provider sponsors
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AEGON Scottish Equitable |
Lockton |
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Alliance Trust |
Lutine Assurance Services |
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Aviva |
MetLife |
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AXA Life |
National Savings & Investments |
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Bright Grey |
Opinium Research |
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Canada Life Ltd |
Prudential |
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Cardif Pinnacle |
Royal London 360° |
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The Children’s Mutual |
Scottish Life |
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Clerical Medical Investment |
Scottish Widows Plc |
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Friends Provident |
Standard Life Assurance Company |
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Invesco Perpetual |
Sun Life Financial of Canada |
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J.P. Morgan Asset Management |
Zurich Intermediary Group |
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Legal & General |
Registered Office: Unbiased.co.uk is the consumer brand of IFA Promotion Ltd, 90 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow G2 5UB. Registered in Scotland: No. 114606