Seven things to do that can improve your financial health
Platinum Business Magazine Issue 118February’s Issue of the Platinum Business Magazine features William Martin, Managing Director, Southover Wealth’s top seven tips for optimal financial health.
Many people have the basics covered: a steady income, some savings, a pension, and maybe a few old investments they’ve forgotten about. What’s often missing is a sense of order.
Decisions made years apart don’t always fit together, and some things get ignored because they seem boring, complicated, or a bit uncomfortable.
Improving your financial health doesn’t mean you have to find the next big idea.
It can be as simple as fixing the small things that get overlooked. Here are seven steps to improve your financial health…
1 ACTUALLY USE YOUR ISA ALLOWANCE
The ISA is one of the most generous parts of the UK system, but many people don’t use it enough. You can put in up to £20,000 each tax year (a £12,000 limit for Cash ISAs comes in from April 2027 for those under 65), and it’s protected from any further liability to Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax. If you don’t use your allowance, you lose it.
Many people are surprised by how flexible ISAs can be. With the right setup, you can move money in and out without losing the tax benefits. This makes ISAs helpful for more than just long-term investing. They can help when your cash flow changes, you get a bonus, or your plans shift.
Putting off moving money into your ISA is a small delay that can end up costing you more than you think.
2 SORT YOUR WILL BEFORE LIFE SORTS IT FOR YOU
Writing a Will isn’t enjoyable, which is exactly why many people put it off. If you don’t have a Will, your estate will be handled by intestacy rules. These rules are basic and don’t consider modern families, second marriages, stepchildren, or business interests. They often don’t match what people really want.
Having a Will doesn’t mean you are expecting the worst. It just means you stay in control. It clears up confusion when your loved ones need it most. If you already have a Will, review it. Changes like marriage, divorce, children, property, or business growth can all affect what makes sense.
Updating your will costs little compared to the problems an outdated one can cause.
3 PUT POWERS OF ATTORNEY IN PLACE WHILE YOU CAN
If you lose the ability to make decisions and don’t have a lasting power of attorney, no one can easily help. Your accounts might be frozen, decisions get delayed, and your family could end up in the Court of Protection, which is slow, stressful, and costly.
People often think, “It won’t happen to me.” But illness and accidents can happen to anyone, at any time.
Putting a power of attorney in place while things are calm is one of the most responsible steps you can take. You might not need it, but when you do, it is extremely important.
4 CHECK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOUR INCOME STOPPED
If you couldn’t work for a year, what would be affected first? Your mortgage, rent, school fees, lifestyle, or savings? Often, it’s all of them.
Specialist insurance isn’t exciting. No one wants to talk about specialist insurance at a dinner party or social event. Yet it is the foundation that supports everything else. Life cover, income protection, critical illness cover, and family income benefit are all options. You may not need all of them, but having the right mix for your situation is important.
People often say, “We’d cope.” But when you look at the numbers closely, that confidence usually fades. Paying a steady monthly amount to avoid a major risk is usually a smart choice.
5 LOOK HARD AT OLD SHARES YOU’VE INHERITED OR BEEN GIFTED
Individual shares often come with stories. Maybe a parent worked at the company or a grandparent invested years ago. Stories may be interesting, but they don’t reduce risk.
Holding a lot of shares in one company is risky. One resignation, a regulatory problem, or a scandal can wipe out years of value. It’s understandable to feel loyal, but not reviewing your risk isn’t wise.
This doesn’t mean you should sell everything right away. It means setting aside emotions and thinking about how those shares fit with your overall finances. Diversification is important, and there are tax allowances that let you make changes without extra cost.
6 MAKE SURE YOUR PENSION GOES TO THE RIGHT PLACE
Pensions don’t automatically become part of your estate as many people think. Trustees usually have the final say, and they follow your expression of wishes.
If you haven’t filled out an expression of wishes, or if it’s outdated, you’re leaving decisions to someone who may not understand your family situation.
Things can change such as changing partners or who may have their own children. The paperwork rarely keeps up. It only takes a few minutes to review and update this, but it can save months of uncertainty in the future.
7 FEED YOUR PENSION STEADILY OVER TIME
Gradually increasing your contributions is one of the easiest ways to improve your long-term results without much effort. A small yearly increase can be barely noticeable in your monthly pay, but it adds up over the years.
Waiting for the “perfect time” to start or increase your contributions usually means you start later than you should. It’s better to start now, even if it’s not perfect.
SEVEN SIMPLE STEPS
Your financial health gets better when you take care of the basics and check in on them from time to time. The best plans I see aren’t complicated. They are organised and thoughtful. And they are updated as life changes.
The value of an investment with St. James's Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds you select and the value can therefore go down as well as up. You may get back less than you invested.
The levels and bases of taxation and reliefs from taxation can change at any time. Tax relief is generally dependent on individual circumstances.
Will writing and Powers of Attorney involve the referral to a service that is separate and distinct to those offered by St. James's Place and are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
SJP Approved 02/04/2026
