Headsup On Money

In this episode Benjamin is joined by guest host Fabrizio Zumbo, MBA who joins us from Vanguard. Fabrizio is an expert in behavioural biases and investment management and shares the main behavioural mistakes that nearly all investors make. He explains why many investors don't receive the returns they are entitled to and your behaviour is to blame. Resources mentioned in the episode: SPIVA - Here are the market insights that Fabrizio mentioned in the podcast, which demonstrate that active management and trying to outperform the markets rarely works out in practise. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

Benjamin shares the wisdom from Morgan Housel's new book, "The Art of Spending Money". There are eight laws to live by when it comes to looking after your wealth and  yourself. See how many resonate with you; how many you are living by and how many you are you failing to practise? Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

In this, the follow-up episode to last week's episode on Wills, Benjamin reinforces the importance of having a Power of Attorney (POA) and why this matters for your financial plan. Nailing this stuff down now will offer spades of peace of mind. Yes, it's not fun to think about. But nailing this stuff down now will free you to enjoy the really important stuff.The costs of not having these documents in place are simply too great to ignore. Good luck, money nerds. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

In this episode, Benjamin shares the importance of having a Will when it comes to your financial plan. You've spent years carefully building your wealth and creating a solid financial plan, but without a Will, it can all be undone extremely quickly on your passing. Wills can help avoid costly tax mistakes and legal costs in the future.In next week's episode, Benjamin will cover off the importance of a Power of Attorney (POA) arrangements. Nail these things down, money nerds, and then focus on what really matters in life. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

Benjamin explains the key differences between defined contribution and defined benefit pension schemes and how they use up the annual allowance. By the end of this episode, you'll understand the intricacies of each scheme and be able to estimate how much of your annual allowance you are using and help to avoid nasty tax charges that many people are sleepwalking into. Knowledge is power, money nerds. This stuff is a tad complex, but once you've mastered it, it really is nailed down. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

In this episode Benjamin covers everything you need to know and do when it comes to saving and investing for your child or grandchild. There can be a lot of contradictory noise out there, but in this episode you'll understand that whilst the rules of the game differ slightly for minors, the important aspects of sound financial planning still apply. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

Turning 75 plays a significant role in your financial plan, and more specifically the tax efficiency (or tax inefficiency) of your affairs. Whether this applies to you or someone close to you, following this episode you'll understand and appreciate the nuances of why turning 75 matters and impacts: Pension tax relief on your contributions,Death income tax benefits pre and post age 75 and, Considerations around Inheritance Tax planning, and how the changes due to come into effect in April 2027 muddy the waters somewhat. It's a complex one money nerds, but arming yourself with this knowledge could save you, or a loved one, £000's in unnecessary and often avoidable taxes. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

When seeking financial advice, it can appear very overwhelming to understand the various qualifications that financial advisers have. How do they compare? What's 'good' and what's 'bad?'In this episode Benjamin tries to debunk some of the stress and confusion so that you can go into this with your eyes and ears open. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

In this episode Benjamin explains why these funds, despite often sounding very sophisticated and bespoke, are in fact a dead-end to financial independence. Knowledge is power, money nerds. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

With the end of the 2025/26 tax year now only a few weeks away, now is the time to make use of your freebies and allowances and focus on paying as little tax as possible. Knowledge is power money nerds and by strategically timing income, making thoughtful and considered gifts, and viewing your financial picture in its entirety, the tax savings can be huge. As with many things in financial planning, it's a case of use it or lose it and/or do it before it's too late. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

It was in the news last month. Women Against State Pension Inequality. Women who argue they were not fairly notified about a rise in the State Pension age will not be paid compensation. But what can we learn from this when it comes to our own financial plans and our own retirement planning? Nobody else has your back, and so the onus to create a dignified and comfortable retirement is very much on you. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

Income protection insurance is often thought of as too expensive and surplus to requirements, but this couldn't be further from the truth. It's not as complicated as it may seem and is absolutely vital for most people's financial plans. Without it, your financial plan carries an insurmountable amount of added risk, far greater than any stock market risk you're worried about. Don't be financially ignorant to the valuable role this planning can play. In 25 minutes Benjamin will help you to understand the fundamentals, sans jargon as always. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

Benjamin reflects this week on the subject of when wealth stops being just about you. In early life we focus on saving, investing and insuring primarily for our own benefit. But there comes a time in most people's lives when they have enough and the focus suddenly shifts to the needs of others. Embracing this change of planning need can help you to remain engaged and invested in your financial plan. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

The word 'Trust' brings many things to mind, and often the truth of what a Trust is, and what they can be used for, is lost in translation. In this episode Benjamin explains the role of Trusts in financial planning so that you can understand some of the scenarios in which they may/may not be required. Jargon free and straight to the point as always. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

Benjamin takes a step back from the heavy finances this week and focuses instead on the heavier questions that we all need to ask ourselves from time to time. We're all aware of the finitude of time, but continue to 'plod on' with our financial plans, often with no clear end in sight. It's time to ask yourself these questions and re-focus on what really matters. Your finances should then be used to fit into that, not the other way around. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

We've all been there... You tick a certain option on a pension form because you don't really understand it and surely it can't make that big an impact, can it? ...Fear not, in this episode Benjamin shares the £M pension tick-box mistakes so you can avoid them and go into these seemingly unimportant tick box opportunities with your eyes open. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

Without a cash flow model you are simply planning blind. How do you know if you have 'enough' if you don't start with the end in mind and work backwards? In this episode Benjamin describes what a cash flow model is, and explains why a cash flow model is so important within your financial planning. You can run one of these yourself within your plan in a few, simple steps. This episode will help to lay the foundations. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

Fear not money nerds, this isn't a generic run through of the dreaded financial new year's resolutions. Nobody ever sticks to those anyway. Financial planning is dull and sticky, and you want low effort, maximum reward steps to improve your financial picture. This episode should provide you with all you want and more. Benjamin summarises the easy steps you can take to power your financial plan, without you needing to even leave the comfort of your sofa. What could be better than that?!Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

In this, the final episode of Headsup on Money for 2025, Benjamin builds on last week's discussion on how much you should target in your 'retirement pot' to achieve a comfortable retirement. Achieving a £1.5M portfolio may seem challenging and almost impossible, but getting there isn't as hard as you may think. Benjamin brings this to life with various real life scenarios and looks at how timeframes, growth rates and monthly investment amounts can have a huge impact on the longer term picture. You'll be pleasantly surprised with the results! Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

Planning for retirement can be hard when you don't know how retirement will take shape. How much do you need to afford a good standard of retirement? The answer is higher than you think it is. Probably much higher. Which reinforces the need to plan early and invest in the right asset classes to help take you there. Here's the resource Benjamin mentioned at the end of the episode. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

With the Never Ending Worry Service (news) all around us when it comes to our money it can be hard to know what to do. However, in this episode Benjamin challenges the normal convention that we should focus our attention on what we should do, or what we should buy. What if instead we focused on what we should avoid and what we in fact shouldn't do? Avoiding financial mistakes can have a far greater impact on the success of our financial plans. This episode discusses why. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

As promised, in this special episode Benjamin summarises the main takeaways from the 2025 Autumn Budget. Rachel Reeves delivered her second Budget a little over a day ago, and everything you need to know and do is contained in this summary episode. Benjamin summarises the waffle:Changes to cash ISAsFreezing of income tax thresholdsNew income tax rates on property, interest and dividendsSalary sacrifice changesInheritance TaxAnd more. Finally we have some clarity and the rumours and confusion can come to an end (well at least for another year). Enjoy. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

If you're earning over £100,000 a year, or are closing in on that level then this is the episode for you. For every £2 of income above £100,000 you lose £1 of your personal allowance, which means previously tax-free income is now subject to tax. This can result in a whopping tax rate of 60% south of the border, and 67.5% north of the border. Fortunately, there are ways you can plan to avoid this tax charge from occurring. Benjamin outlines the main strategies in this week's episode. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

In this episode Benjamin is joined by our first international guest, Rob Macdonald to chat about mastering your financial health. Rob brings a wealth of knowledge and experience on the subject of behavioural finance and why investors struggle to achieve the financial returns they deserve. Together they discuss: Why topics like clarity and confidence are so important when it comes to your money. The merits of partnering with a professional adviser to help you meet your financial life goals.The behavioural biases that result in most of us achieving poor investment outcomesThis episode gets to the heart of what it means to be human and examines the complex relationship we have with our money. You can follow Rob on LinkedIn here, and more information on his book can be found here. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

In this episode Benjamin discusses a new way to think about diversification when it comes to your financial planning. For once, we're not talking about investment diversification, rather tax diversification, and spreading your wealth appropriately across taxable, tax-deferred and tax-free wrappers. This episode should give you some food for thought to help you feel less worried about changes in tax rules. It's inevitable that changes will come (pensions and IHT in 2027 are proof of that), but your financial plans needn't suffer. Enjoy. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

Welcome to a Halloween themed episode of Headsup on Money. In this episode Benjamin shares some ghoulish commentary on the most common mistakes we make with our financial planning. By the end of this episode you'll know how to transform these tricks into treats.  Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

In this episode Benjamin shares some financial learns from the mighty Morgan Housel. Thinking about the big things in a little way can help us to digest what initially appears scary and overwhelming. It can also help us to recognise our limitations and biases and make us more successful investors and happier humans! Here's a link to more on this topic by Morgan Housel. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

In this episode Benjamin is joined by Ruth Sturkey, former Chair of the Institute for Financial Wellbeing. Together they discuss how to live a rich and rewarding life and where financial wellbeing fits into the bigger picture. Can money make us happy? Here's the link to Ruth's website, and her LinkedIn account. She also has a great mailing list which can be signed up to here. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

In this episode Benjamin discusses investment market noise and how you can apply two simple tests to check whether you need to pay attention, or tune it out. Why are so few of us successful investors? This episode helps explain our often flawed best intentions. Jargon free as per! Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

The UK financial planning and tax planning landscape often isn't very fair. Small incremental changes to your income and/or asset position can result in punitive tax charges and loss of wealth. Loss of personal allowance Loss of child benefit Loss of your Residence Nil Rate BandLoss of tax free child careLoss of Personal Savings Allowance...In this episode Benjamin summarises these 'cliff-edge events' so that you can go into this with your eyes open and actively plan to avoid them. Doing so can result in huge tax savings and more money in your pocket. What's not to love. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

With Rachel Reeves' budget on the 26th November fast approaching, the storms of speculation are circling!In this episode Benjamin reviews the current rumour mill and provides a take on what you should do in light of the media speculation frenzy. The short answer is: not much money nerds. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

In this episode Benjamin (somehow) manages to link marshmallows with good financial planning. Delayed gratification is an important concept when it comes to your personal finances. Perhaps an experiment involving marshmallows from the 1970s can help us to better manage the trade off.Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

In this episode Benjamin is joined by Lars Kroijer, former hedge fund manager to discuss Lars' journey from believing he had an 'edge' when it comes to investing, to recognising our limitations. Together they chat aboutActive versus passive fund managementWhat does 'risk' really mean? How to structure a basic - but mighty - portfolioWhy as human beings we tend to disregard simplicity? Where does property fit into your financial plan? Financial armageddon and planning for the unthinkable. You can find out more about Lars by visiting his website here. His YouTube videos are also incredibly informative and well worth a watch too. Enjoy money nerds! Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

Seems absurd doesn't it? Why on earth would you choose to pay into a pension when you are already retired? Isn't the whole point of a pension to take you to retirement? Benjamin challenges the normal way of thinking in this episode and by the end you'll appreciate how pensions can still play a relevant part in your financial plan, even after you've retired or achieved 'financial freedom'. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

In this episode Benjamin discusses the FIRE movement (Financial Independence Retire Early) and cautions why relying on this may mean you're missing the entire point. Financial freedom is another way to approach your financial planning. And for finite human being such as ourselves this is surely the only way to sensibly plan. For more information on the amazing work of Oliver Burkeman check out his website here. At the very least it's worth signing up to Oliver's fantastic mailing list - 'The Imperfectionist' - which you can do so using the above link. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

What can we learn from recent market volatility? Benjamin climbs back onto his financial soapbox in this week's episode and shares his musings on why short-term market wobbles have no relevance to the underlying financial strength of your portfolio. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

As a small business owner in the UK you likely wear many hats, and accountancy is one area that few business owners admittedly have an interest in. We're never really taught the fundamentals of good business accounting. So in this week's episode we are delighted to welcome Dan Heelan from Heelan Associates to offer his valued insights on how much should Ltd company business owners pay themselves in 2025/26? Dan is somewhat of a celebrity in accountancy circles. He's likely to be one of the first friendly faces you see on YouTube when looking for guidance as a business owner, and so having him appear as a guest on the podcast was a real privilege. He shares with us valuable hints and tips on:how to remunerate yourself tax efficiently within your businesshow to extract money from your business in a tax efficient wayhow to consider yourself and your business as two separate legal entities (if you're running a Ltd company). You're sure to get lots of value from this one. Sit back and enjoy! Dan's - AMAZING - YouTube channelYou can check out more of Dan's amazing content on YouTube here. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

Overwhelmed and don't know where to start? If you have no idea whether you're on track, or completely off track, then this is the episode for you. Benjamin shares the 'rules of thumb' you can adopt to help guide your financial planning. How much can you withdraw every year without running out of money? How much do you need in your portfolio to be financially independent? This episode will give you a starting point. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

In the UK we have an inherent phobia of investing. Cash is best, cash is king, cash is safe. This 'savings over investing' attitude is costing us our financial independence and control over our financial futures and put simply: more needs to be done. The sooner we all realise this the better. As money nerds, you're already aware of why this matters, but this episode reinforces why. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

You've likely never heard of him, but Ronald Read's story is a testament to the best principles for successful financial planning. In this episode Benjamin shares the story of how Ronald turned a modest income and asset position into a sizeable estate worth over $8M. The recipe for his success is nothing surprising, but did he live life to the max and sufficiently enjoy his wealth? Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

This is a very special episode of Headsup on Money. We're delighted to welcome The Reverend Matthew Hutton, who shares with us the key takeaways from his best-selling book Your Last Gift: Getting Your  Affairs in Order and outlines actionable and simple steps on how to die 'well'.It's not the most cheerful of subjects, but this stuff needs to be thought about.  Matthew brings valued insight from his 35 years as a former tax and trusts lawyer, but as you'll see, the advantages of sorting this stuff out extend far beyond legal and financial benefits. You'll leave this episode with a whole new perspective on how to think about this stuff and what it can mean for your loved ones. Here's the link to Matthew's website where you can pick up a copy of his book. You won't regret it. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

'Markets in turmoil''S&P 500 experiences record losses' 'FTSE crashes on market opening'. How can you remain focused on your financial plan in the digital age we are in? With notifications of financial armageddon seemingly always around us, there are some simple steps you can take to tune out the noise and remain true to your financial plan. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

In this episode Benjamin outlines the '3 Ps' of financial planning and how you should direct your focus to maximise your chance of financial success. It's not as complicated as it may seem. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

The Mansion House Accord has worrying implications for your pension and your retirement planning. Fortunately, you can do something about this and don't have to accept the changes that are now due to come in to effect. If you have a workplace pension scheme and you've never bothered to review the fund you're invested in within that workplace pension then this is the episode for you. As always, free from financial jargon, guff and waffle that you don't need. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

Headsup on Money is 100 today!In this special episode Benjamin reflects on the key learns over the last 100 episodes of the podcast and shares some personal stories to help you get to know him better. Thank you to the money nerds out there for your support. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

Wondered what would happen to your bank account savings in the event your bank was to default? Heard of the FSCS? Benjamin explains everything you need to know in this week's episode. Here's the link referred to in the show. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

What lessons can we take into our financial planning from the regrets of the dying? Good financial planning should always just be the means to the end; the financial plumbing underpinning your financial goals. In this episode Benjamin reflects on the top 5 regrets of the dying from Bronnie Ware's highly regarded memoir from her time as a palliative carer. You can find out more about Bronnie here. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

Is your financial plan based on sound evidence and a rigorous plan, or arbitrary numbers and dates that you've convinced yourself are correct? I need to retire at age 62. I need £500,000 in my pension to afford a good retirement. Are these statements based on fact, or fiction? Benjamin discusses why it matters in this week's episode. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

Increased complexity doesn't mean better in personal finances. Whether you have a £100k pension pot or £1m, the underlying investment principles should hold consistent. Benjamin explains why in this episode. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.

It's one of the most common queries posed by retirees. Surely getting your hands on 25% of your pension tax free is an absolute no brainer, right? In this episode Benjamin discussed the pros and cons to taking your pension tax free cash straight away and hopefully gives you food for thought that it's not as black and white as it may seem. Join Benjamin Mitchell (themoneyscot), serial hater of financial jargon, as he helps make your finances clearer and ensures you never make another financial mistake. Getting on top of your personal finances doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Arm yourself with the only knowledge you need to transform yourself from money novice to money nerd!  Take my 5 minute retirement assessment (can you already afford to retire?) 🚀Disclaimer - please note that nothing in this podcast can be relied upon as financial advice and the content is provided purely for information and guidance purposes. Please seek independent, regulated financial advice relevant to your situation.