Blog

We cover a wide range of personal finance topics for expats. Useful reading that's easy for you to dip into!

Breast Cancer Awareness – The Facts
Women's Finance Writer Vicky Bizzell writes:  Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a global campaign to raise awareness about breast cancer research, education, and treatment. Every October, wear pink to show…

Where to buy abroad as an expat?
Expats: where should you buy a second home?  Perhaps, like many expats who work and live overseas - enjoying career success and a new expansive and international lifestyle - you…

Your UK Passport – Important 2018 Update
Rules affecting your UK passport changed - October 2018 A change affecting the renewal of UK passports was introduced on September 10th, but not formally announced by the Home Office.…

Why only 1 in 10 protected with home insurance?
Most of us wouldn’t consider driving a car without insurance, or purchase a home without protecting our investment from losses incurred through fire, flood or damage - yet new research…

What insurance should I get vs. breast cancer?
Women's Finance Writer Vicky Bizzell writes ... Many women (and men) know a loved one whom breast cancer has touched. Just last week, breast cancer finally claimed BBC Presenter and…

How does critical illness insurance work?
Critical illness insurance gives you financial options when you need them most. And stats show that the policies DO pay out. Although there's sometimes stories about insurance companies being picky…

Open Banking – Opportunity or Threat?
Open Banking is a UK scheme to give consumers more choice and better deals on their banking. But there's big concerns over data security. What's more, most Brits haven't even…

How to rent in Dubai
Are you an expat looking to rent in Dubai? It's a tenant's market. With 2018 Q2 rental figures just out, property experts Asteco report a drop in apartment rents of…

How to Get a UK Mortgage when Living Abroad
It is easy to get a mortgage in the UK from the UAE – provided you don’t go jumping in unprepared. There’s plenty of hoops to get through: waiting for…

Brit expats demand more paperwork from EU (!)
Post Brexit White Paper, British expats living in the EU face fresh anxiety over their right to stay put - with EU member states accused of being slow to support…

International schools just got 19% dearer!
International schooling is a must for expat kids. But prices are rocketing. Expatfinder's International School Fees 2018 survey of almost 700 international schools across almost 30 countries "reflects a startling…

Stellar: a top crypto gains Sharia compliance
Top 10 cryptocurrency Stellar (XLM) has received Sharia Certification from the Shariyah Review Board licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain. Ethereumworldnews.com reports that, "Stellar has become the first distributed…

UK Summer 2018 – hot like 1976?
The miserable British weather is the reason why many British expats left Britain in the first place – but right now the UK is enjoying a scorcher of a Summer…

Women investors 2018 – wily, but why?
Women's Finance Writer Vicky Bizzell writes: While women have more to invest than ever before, they are less likely to do so than men - but, when they do invest,…

London’s City told to tackle “alpha male culture”
UK government ministers have told London’s financial sector to shape up and end the “alpha male culture” that predominates especially within "the City of London" - the square mile of…

Why expat kids have better careers
Are your children "Third Culture Kids"? The answer's YES if you are an expat. And the news is all good for Third Culture Kids (or TCKs, as they are known).…

When will I get my UK State Pension?
Are you, like many British expats and UK citizens alike, confused about the age at which you can claim your UK State Pension? Are you wondering exactly when you’ll be…

Brit expats in EU under HMRC fire
“British expats have been urged to ensure that their tax affairs are in order,” reports the Telegraph this week, “as HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) escalates efforts to target those who…

Crypto Heists Triple in 2018
A cybersecurity company has said that crypto-crime in 2018 is already three times up on 2017's figure. Start-up Ciphertrace said that $761m had already been stolen and laundered from cryptocurrency…

How does Etoro online trading work?
What is Etoro? Etoro is an online broker and investment platform with over 6m users. Etoro allows you to get involved in real-time in Forex, Cryptocurrencies, Stocks, Indices, Commodities and…

Holistic Personal Finances Part II
"Holistic finance" – what is it? "Holistic finance" is a sensible, integrating approach that combines your life goals and your financial goals into a seamless and pragmatic plan for your…

Dubai Property Sector 2018
What’s happening in the UAE property market in 2018? The buzzword continues to be Affordability. As we move towards Q3 2018, landlords in Dubai need to do better to attract renters,…

Top 5 Personal Finance Blogs
Keeping on top of your personal finances can seem like a chore – perhaps you find yourself consistently running over your monthly budget, or perhaps you just feel as though…

Dubai Expats £50 a tank better off than Brits back home
New UK petrol price punishment ... Motorists in the UK are facing the biggest rise in petrol prices for 18 years in what the RAC described as a “hellish” price hike.…

Snapshot: Trustpilot
What is Trustpilot? By offering customers authentic reviews of brands online, Trustpilot is acknowledged to be the foremost global online review community, with over half a million reviews published each…

The Bank of Mum and Dad
How your child could cost you £85,000! More and more young (and sometimes not so young!) people are relying on the financial help of their parents to gain a fair…

Should you be paying National Insurance as a UK Expat?
In a fix with your NICs? Ahoy Brits Working Abroad! If you want to check online your National Insurance Contributions Record, UK expats need to know that - direct from the…

Most Expensive Wedding?
What's the most expensive wedding ever? With the average cost of a UK wedding peaking last year at £27,000, getting hitched is not a cheap option by most people’s standards.…

£80m up for grabs?
Who's in the money thanks to the 2018 Royal Wedding in the UK? Financial experts are expecting a welcome boost to the UK economy – with some experts putting the…

Shall I Buy To Let in 2018?
Buy To Let (BTL) could be big in the UK in 2018. After the attacks last year by the UK Government on mortgage relief, it looked like the end was…

Do marriages save money?
Can getting hitched help your personal finances? With the 2018 Royal Wedding between UK Royal Prince Harry and US actress Meghan Markle just days away, eyes are focused on what…

Ten Ways To Invest Better
Investment Do’s Do know why you are investing What big Life Goals do you want to support in the future? Any marriages, expensive schooling or retirements on the horizon? Of…

TSB Crisis enters Week 2
"I don't want to b with TSB!" Thousands of angry TSB customers have taken to social media to vent their frustration over the bank’s botched IT migration last weekend, and…

Halifax says UK Mortgages now as cheap as 1990s
Figures released by mortgage giant Halifax reveal that mortgages in the UK are now more affordable than at any time since the mid 1990s. This is welcome news indeed for…

The Crypto Factor
There's been more good news for Bitcoin investors as the Head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, sang the global praises of cryptocurrencies. There was an immediate reaction on…

Dubai docks the QE2 for good
The famous British ocean liner QE2 has found a new permanent home in Dubai as luxury floating hotel. In a fantastic new lease of life, the Queen Elizabeth 2 (as…

UK Housing Market looking better than ever
New figures released in leading UK estate agent Savills’ annual report reveal that the value of the UK housing stock has reached an all time high of £7.14 trillion. With…

Cryptos come back fighting!
Expat investors will be relieved to hear that cryptocurrencies are still very much in the running as powerful investments - after coming up smiling from a serious run in with…

Shouldn’t we all be working in Mumbai instead?
Shouldn't we all be working in Mumbai instead? Expats living in Asia's most populous city top the global earnings table, according to HSBC’s influential Expat Explorer survey. Dubai expats rank…

What do I need to know about moving abroad?
Are you considering a permanent move abroad in 2018? Have you thought about everything you need to know about an international relocation of your home and family? What about moving…

New British offender in gender pay gap
Here at Holborn we keep a keen eye on women’s finances, reports Holborn Finance Writer Vicky Bizzell, and the stubborn issue of the gender pay gap is one that just…

The Best Digital Banking 2018
How can digital banking in 2018 work for you better? You've probably already got a digital current account at the least. But what else is on offer - perhaps with…

State Pension Top-up Trauma for Brits
Brits are facing troubles making top-up payments to their UK state pension after a new system was brought in last year and has failed to deliver. The disturbing problem is that…

“Luck of the Irish” – revealed!
St Patrick’s Day celebrations are all about the Shamrock and 4-leaf clover - the luckiest of Irish charms. Here at Holborn, when it comes to your finances, we prefer to…

Your UK pension: got lucky?
Expats should double-check their pension arrangements after leading UK insurer Royal London offered 33,000 savers “large cash boosts” as an incentive to surrender high interest rates on annuity payments locked…

International Women’s Day: March 8th
Our focus on women and their finances continues under the spotlight of Holborn finance writer Vicky Bizzell, who reviews the triumphs and tragedies of today’s International Women’s Day (IWD) from…

Forbes 2018 Billionaire’s List
There’s a record 2,208 billionaires on the planet, according to the annual Forbes World’s Billionaire’s List published yesterday. And “the gap between the really rich and the merely rich continues…

Dubai 2018 Property Market
Has the Dubai property sector turned a corner in 2018? It can be notoriously difficult to get a firm fix on property predictions, and the Dubai property market in 2018 is…

Investing Beginner’s Guide
At Holborn, we encourage first-time investors to look beyond the jargon and see through the myth that investing is the domain of the super-rich or risk-hungry. Maybe your idea of…

Multiple interest rate hikes set for 2018
Expats looking to buy property back in the UK pricked their ears up last week as Bank of England (BoE) economists were unusually clear in their warnings of expected interest…

Snapshot: Life Insurance
Here at Holborn, we believe that insurance is the foundation of your financial planning pyramid – the solid base from which all of your other financial plans are made possible. …

Holistic Personal Finances
PRINCIPLE #1: Get a 360° review of your finances Control the Big Picture so it doesn’t control you! This point may be beginner’s material for some clients, but it’s always worth…

4 Steps: Retirement Planning
Don't panic about your retirement planning if you haven't started yet. It may be that you are near the start of your working life and retirement seems like a distant…

What is equity release?
"What do I need to know about getting an equity release loan?" Latest figures in The Telegraph reveal that in 2017 more than £3bn was released from British properties, up…

UK: Open Banking
“What is Open Banking?” Results from a recent Which? survey indicate that over 90% of people asked did not know the answer to this question. The Guardian (8th Jan 2018)…

2018: VAT in the UAE
In UAE, a new Value-Added Tax (VAT) of 5% has been a reality since the beginning of 2018. But what spending areas are affected by the new UAE VAT and…

Personal finances 2018
How's your 2018 personal finances looking? Dared to look yet? Getting straight down to investment and portfolios, our Holborn media expert Keren Bobker reports that, "with all that is going on…

2018: UK property market predictions
What to watch out with UK property prices in 2018? The one thing practically to watch out for is rising interest rates; many buyers of UK property are focussed on…

Hong Kong Millennials on the money
Both Dubai and Hong Kong are recognised centres of excellence in delivering personal financial services to expats. On the face of it, you would expect young people in both cities…

Fed up of giving up?
We've put together a strategy for making New Year's Resolutions stick. You’ve probably heard of SMART goals, and we recommend them as a great way to make your New Year’s…

UK house prices to freeze in 2018
British expats in the UAE will welcome the news from the prestigious Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)  that UK house prices in 2018 are likely to flatline. A similar prediction from…

Billionaires: The Big-Spenders and The Saver-Scrooges!
With Christmas just round the corner, spending money is what we are all doing. Often it feels like we have no choice but to splash out – it is Christmas,…

5 Tips for Women’s Finances
Is it important for women to think differently from men about their finances? Below we review some juicy stats – what’s your verdict? It seems that women face different financial…

“Open Banking” – fresh choices for consumers?
“Open Banking” is the way banking is going over the next few decades. Open Banking is designed to change the way we choose, use and consume financial services like booking…

From Dubai to the 2018 FIFA World Cup – what’s the cost?
Football fans the world over waited with baited breath at the 1 December draw for the group stage of next summer’s FIFA World Cup in Russia. England are through (as you may…

Top Tips To Ace Property Investment in the UK
Buying property anywhere is a huge step – so make sure you start by having a thorough look at the investment options available to you. Property is so important to…

Top 10 Most Outrageous Wills
Writing your Last Will & Testament can be a daunting endeavour. So it’s no surprise that less than half of UK adults have drawn up formal instructions upon their deaths.…

3 Ways to Boost your Business Networking in Dubai
British expats in the UAE often end up running their own business. Are you a one-man band yourself? If so, here are three tips from an experienced Dubai networker on…

Recap: UK Winter Budget 2017
With Christmas less than a month away, the bustle of the festive season means that for many of us we’ve already forgotten all about the UK Winter Budget (delivered by…

Top Saving Tips for Singletons!
Living alone means you might have better financial options than in a family/partnership set-up – but sometimes more choices = more confusion! So here are four tips on how you can…

How far are your pounds and your dirhams going?
As expats or simply holidaymakers, we are all part of the $5 trillion dollar-daily industry that is global foreign exchange – so it’s wise to stay informed on what currencies are…

The Paradise Papers – like the Panama Leaks?
For the second time in eighteen months, offshore tax havens have been in the public eye – this time with “the Paradise Papers”: Back in 2016, more than 11 million…

UK Budget today: Stamp Duty slashed for first time buyers
Possible investors in UK property are on high alert today after the UK Chancellor reduced stamp duty to 0% for first-time buyers of houses valued up to GBP 300,000. The…

Medical Tourism in Dubai – the Good and the Bad
Medical tourism has a key role in making Dubai one of the top global travel destinations. We are well set up to offer private medical care here with a thriving…

Q4 2017: still a good time to invest in UK property?
Three weeks after the Bank of England (BoE) raised its interest rates by 0.25% – for the first time in more than 10 years – the UK property market still…

Is it too late to invest in Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is an exciting investment prospect – but maybe too exciting? Bitcoin has put on 700% since the beginning of this year  and is currently recovering from a 25% dip…

Unemployed in Dubai? Useful tips
Dubai boasts the lowest unemployment rate in the world – but that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot of firing going on! It’s a competitive marketplace. So what happens if you do…

What are ETFs?
ETFs – what are the basics? An ETF – or ”Exchange-Traded Fund” – is a fund that allows consumers to invest in stuff that they wouldn’t be able to normally.…

Rising UK interest rates and your Personal Finances
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee last week announced it would raise its base interest rate – the first hike in more than a decade. What does this mean…

5 financial must-knows for Canadian expats in the UAE
Around 45,000 Canadians are estimated to be living in the UAE. Here are 5 potential tax and visa considerations you need to get on top of – especially if you are…

How do I save money when I give to UK charities?
A lot of kind-hearted folk in the UK give to some charity or another. In fact, as Brits we’re getting more charitable. Charities Aid Foundation found that 89% of respondents in its…

Bulletin: Q3 2017 Dubai & Abu Dhabi property stats
Property prices and rents continue to fall in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as we move into November 2017 – including a 12-month slide of more than 7% for some Dubai…

5 beginner tips for UK Buy-To-Let
Buy-to-let mortgages for the UK are easy enough to arrange from the UAE (and elsewhere). And it may be a good time to have another look at the sector, now…

Just out: new UAE law ends Will worries for expats
UK expats in Dubai were relieved when just yesterday the UAE Government confirmed the right of non-muslim residents to register a Will under internationally-recognised Common Law. That makes it a…

How’s the UAE Dirham doing vs. other currencies?
As an expat in Dubai, knowing where the dirhams stands against other currencies is vital if you’ve still got links back home, wherever that might be. And, if you’re looking…

New pension threat for UK self-employed
Millions of self-employed Brits risk falling through the pension net even as the government looks to bring them into employers’ schemes – highlighting the need for decent pension planning. Government…

4 Ways to Fund Long Term Care
To help you find the best Long Term Care funding approach for you or someone in your family, we have compiled a list of the most common and reliable ways…

Portfolio: what are infrastructure funds?
What are infrastructure funds? Infrastructure funds derive their income from infrastructure stocks: Infrastructure stocks relate to companies whose service offering includes the provision of civil and private infrastructure: construction, power and…

Dubai lifestyle: where to go away for the weekend?
There’s little let-up in Dubai. Other than the multi-week holidays at the head of the year, falling around Eid, we are working hard (and playing hard!) full pelt most of…

UK Property Investment up 10% in 2017
Investment in UK real estate reached £25.9 billion in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2016 – up 10% - according to Jones Lang…

Snapshot: the new UAE VAT law
The new excise on energy drinks and cigarettes came in on October 1st, and shops are still trying to catch up with changing prices; but what is to come in…

UAE makes top 10 for best 2017 expat destinations
The United Arab Emirates has made it this year into the top 10 global destinations for expatriates, according to HSBC’s influential Expat Explorer 2017 annual survey published this month. The…

Bank of England to put £££s on UK mortgages?
Talk of a raise in interest rates by the Bank of England should spur UK expats as well as domiciled UK clients to look into their mortgage options back home…

Gold – Old News or Bold News?
Investing in gold is a popular way of spreading risk in an investment portfolio. For all the glamour that comes from its scarcity and unique metallic qualities, gold remains on…

Four Dubai start-up companies to make your life easier
Expats living in Dubai are spoilt for choice when it comes to start-ups offering handy services. Here we tip our hats to new companies blazing a trail in four different…

Pension payouts in jeopardy for Euro expats?
British expats in the UAE have got it easy compared to their counterparts in Europe - that's the verdict this week after the British press revealed this week that UK pensioners…

Crackdown on UK Care Home Fees – where do you stand?
UK expats in the UAE have not been surprised to learn this week that qualifying for State aid with UK care home fees remains a patchy old business – not…

10 Brainy Budgeting Tips
Budgeting for personal finance as an expat is tough when you live in dynamic Dubai, boasting the biggest shopping malls in the world and alluring away-break options to four continents.…

Expat Aussies set for property tax sting back home?
Australians living in the UAE, UK or elsewhere may need to be on their toes following recent budget details that could see them taxed as foreigners when selling their residences…

Should I get an equity release loan?
Equity release loans are becoming popular as part of the retirement strategy of many UK homeowners. Equity release loans (also known as "lifetime mortgages") can fund a change in lifestyle…

Bahrain best expat destination for 2017
We love being expats here in Dubai - but it is Bahrain that ranked as the top expat place in the world to live and work, according to a massive ExpatInsider…

Taxing time for UAE’s South African expats?
South African expats in the UAE fearing a potential end to their tax-free status have remained on tenterhooks during 2017, as a sovereign tax saga unfolds with three letters: DTA.…

How does Takaful Life Insurance work?
Takaful, Islamic life insurance, is available to non-Muslims (so that means us expats in the UAE) and can often offer better deals than conventional insurance - as well as more…

2018: Should I invest in UK property or UK stocks?
As a UK expat in the UAE, the weak pound makes investment in the UK look tempting. But do you go for UK property or UK stocks? That's the big…

Where do I network in Dubai?
Networking in Dubai? Lucky you. It's a great place to get yourself known as a professional. Holborn Assets reviews four networking hotspots in Dubai 2017/18: Dubai Wine Club Wine tasting…

The UK Pension Deficit: what about my pension?
"UK Pension Deficit." What does it mean for the UK expat? What are you going to do about your UK Final Salary pension? The biggest UK companies continue to struggle…

Buy-To-Let in the UK: Snapshot 2017/18
Buy-to-Let in the UK remains a viable investment for expats in the UAE because UK rents will continue to rise. Why? Demand for rental property continues to rise but the…

Back To School Dubai: what to buy on a budget!
It's Back To School for the new school year in Dubai in less than two weeks away. You’d be forgiven for thinking: haven’t I spent money the whole summer keeping…

Should I buy Dubai property in 2018?
Should I buy Dubai property in 2018? Supply in the Dubai property market has been ahead of demand - but fears in the business capital of the UAE of an…

UAE Dirham up 15% on British Pound since Brexit
Since the Brexit vote last year, the British Pound has taken a beating from every single currency in use amongst the world’s sixteen top economies (according to leading research firm…

Which UAE Will should I get – DIFC or Dubai Courts?
Expats in the UAE who need a Last Will and Testament can get a DIFC Will with the Wills and Probate Registry (WPR) or go through the Dubai Courts. Got…

A History of the US Dollar
As the reserve currency of the world, the history and behaviour of the US dollar is key to understanding many markets. So how did the dollar get going as a…

Get your facts straight about life insurance
For the expat in 2017 Dubai, the fact is that life insurance can solve all sorts of problems. Ask your IFA how - or read more about the ins and outs…

Education planning: 6 things to ask your IFA
Education planning in the Dubai of 2017 – it’s not a time to be shy when it comes to asking questions of the experts! We’re past the mid-point of summer,…

How much does it cost to adopt a child from abroad?
If you're based in the UK, adopting a child from abroad requires an extensive and costly process which we outline below. If you're based in the UK and looking to…

How to talk to your parents about their Last Will and Testament
There's a tricky conversation about estate planning we all should be tackling with our parents: the one where we ask our parents whether they've got a Last Will and Testament. The…

FCA to help UK consumers with banking charges crackdown
UK savers have received another boost from the financial regulator as it seeks to reduce the detrimental impact of high-cost loan products. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has said there…

Half of UAE workers still with no medical insurance?
According to a new survey, 48% of UAE workers are still not receiving medical insurance as part of their employment package — more than three years since a government decree…

Interested in interest-only mortgages in the UK and UAE?
Looking at getting a mortgage in the UK or the UAE? Here Holborn Assets reviews key strategies to make an interest-only mortgage work for you. When you take out a…

Just set up an SME? Your staff need a pension solution
Over recent weeks here at Holborn Assets, we've weighed up both personal and workplace pensions. Now let’s look at pensions from the point of view of the workplace pension provider. If…

11 Tips to save cash in Dubai this Summer 2017
We all know that Dubai can be expensive. But this coming 12 months is going to be especially hard on the wallet. It's a great time to save cash where…

UK State Pension Age rise to cost Brits £10k each
If you are in your late 30s or early 40s, you are going to have to wait a year longer to receive your State Pension - as the UK Government…

Powerful alternatives to Final Salary pension schemes
Are Defined Benefit (DB) pension schemes really becoming a thing of the past? It seems so. A Telegraph article last year used JLT Employee Benefits data to show that only…

UK Government bans “rip off card charges”
  On 18 July 2017, the UK Treasury announced that British consumers would finally see the back of ALL "rip-off card charges." The Telegraph confirms that, “all consumer-facing credit and…

Holborn Assets – 5 money tips for singletons
It’s a cliche for older folk to implore the young to treasure their youth. Perhaps this could be adapted to those single. For those of working age with no spouse…

The asset management industry crackdown… and you
Last week’s publication of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) final report on the asset management industry should have beneficial ripple effects to consumer savers, even if a timeline to that…

Keep cool as UK credit card market overheats!
Just weeks ago in June 2017, The Bank of England called on UK banks to hold more capital because, amongst other things, the credit card market was “dangerously overheating.” Too…

Holborn Assets Reviews : Pensions – the DC drawdown latest for 2017
July 2017 is an interesting point in the year, as the overhaul in defined contribution pensions started back in 2014 to hand more flexibility to savers continues to develop. It…

5 Conversations about Money a Couple should have
Marriage is like the Bible, Oscar Wilde quipped - it starts with a man and a woman, and ends with revelation. Money can be the big eye-opener. It is the…

Getting a British Residency for non-UK Spouses
With such a mix of countries represented, it is not uncommon for expatriate-heavy hubs such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore and Hong Kong to be the backdrop for match-making of…

7 Key Questions to be More Financially Savvy through Online Trading
If there is one product advertised everywhere in the last few years, it is online trading accounts. You have probably noticed. The message put forth to promote DIY wheeler-dealing varies:…

Condemnation to compensation: where are we post financial crisis?
It is almost ten years to the month since a financial crisis stunned the global economy. It’s perhaps ironic that it was news from Europe - not the United States…

Holborn Assets Reviews – Should I invest in Gold in 2017?
Gold as an investment is highly contentious. That’s because as both a commodity and a currency it is used in many investment roles: as a hedge against inflation, as a…

How to avoid personal banking fraud – update
Ever heard of “Authorised Push Payment” (APP) scams? APP scams are a type of bank account fraud that so concerns leading UK watchdog Which? that it submitted its first “super…

Shock UK inflation news puts consumers under cosh
UK inflation hit its highest level for four years in May 2017. The figure stands at 2.9%. And this shock rises comes at a time when UK workers are already…

Holborn Assets UK Financial News Roundup – What does a Hung UK Parliament mean for your personal finances?
The 2017 General Election has ended in a Hung Parliament. The Tory Party failed to secure a winning majority, and has allied with the DUP. What, as a Brit, does…

UK Launches New Pensions Dashboard Prototype
The Association of British Insurers has in April 2017 launched the prototype of the new online Pensions Dashboard due for release as a government package to all UK citizens in…

Financial shocks for UK motorists
It has been an eventful year for UAE motorists with new insurance laws expected to hit the average driver with shock extra cost. And in the UK too, motorists in…

Holborn Assets Tips – 3 reasons to steer clear of Premium Bonds
The interest rate offered by UK Premium Bonds has been reduced from 1.25% to 1.15%. But is this enough to give Premium Bonds a swerve? The Premium Bonds issued by…

Holborn Assets Industry Watch – UK fraud by impersonation up 45%
Things move fast in the world of scams. Holborn Assets Scam Watch recently had a good look at detailed scam statistics for the UK, from fraud experts Cifas. And now this…

Holborn Assets Five “far-out” Investment Assets
As a private investor, you can put your portfolio together how you want. We do not, here at Holborn Assets, recommend that you take an adventurous approach to investment; you…

Holborn Assets- 10 Tips To Ace Travel Insurance In 2017
Nearly one in five Brits go on holiday without travel insurance. Wow! Why risk getting stranded without medical cover in a country when you are desperately ill and you can’t…

Holborn Assets Reviews The Pensions Gap
Here at Holborn Assets we noticed that “Be Bold for Change” was this year’s theme for International Women’s Day 2017 (March 8th). Well, some fairly bold statistics have been published…

New Tax Year Investment Insight From Holborn Assets
The beginning of the UK tax year brings personal finances into focus for all of us – as well as a changing cost landscape, with UK inflation rising in February…

UK identity fraud figures at their highest ever
Identity fraud in the UK is at its highest level ever, according to figures from leading UK fraud prevention service Cifas. 172,919 cases of identity fraud were recorded in the…

Warning! It’s Malware Monday for Microsoft users!
Since Friday, more than 200,000 victims across 150 countries have been hit by the “WannaCry” computer virus attack that freezes computer files and demands a ransom payment. And Europol Director…

The UK politicians and the pensions triple lock
The pensions triple lock is looking like valuable political property as the UK General Election approaches. That’s because Theresa May has failed to give a Conservative undertaking to keep the…

Holborn Assets Tips – 5 Tips To Ace International Relocation
International relocation – if you are an expat, you will have already moved your home half-way around the world. You made it happen; you know the pitfalls. But if you…

Microsoft designed a computer font specially for Dubai
Dubai is the first city to be honoured with its very own font from computer giant Microsoft. On Sunday 31st April, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed launched the “Dubai” typeface as…

Why do we have Bank Holidays?
Today May 1st is one of two Bank Holidays in the UK which fall in May, with Brits looking forward to another day off work on May 29th. How did…

Holborn Assets Reviews – An Antidote to Fake News
An antidote to “fake news” was earlier this year proposed by a professor from Cambridge University. See below for the full story. But fake news continues to be news in…

Holborn Assets Industry Watch – April 2017
Holborn Assets industry Watch – a look at how to stay safe in the world of personal finance and beyond. Would you be fooled by a pension scam? In research…

Holborn Assets News – Don’t forget St George’s Day 2017
What is St George’s Day? St George’s Day is England’s national day celebrated on April 23rd every year. Who celebrates St George’s Day? In the UK, the focus for St…

Are you ready for a Brexit Diet this summer?
Brits face a summer of shrinking deals in the UK supermarket as the weak pound and Brexit price uncertainty continue. So if you are planning on dieting to get that…

Holborn Assets News : Weekly financial highlights from the UK
Holborn Assets News reviews four snippets of UK personal finance news from this second week of April that highlight the need for expats (and their families) to keep their financial…

Average size of UK pension pot soars to £50k
The average UK pension pot has rocketed in value in two years to £50,000, according to research from financial providers Aegon. Behind the surge in saving is a new awareness…

April 2017: Holborn Assets reviews HMRC tax changes for UK
Here at Holborn Assets, the new tax year in the UK (beginning April 6th) is a time to take stock. The accounting clock has started again and, with it, come…

How to find a great financial services provider in a world of fake news
In the beginning, there was news. Then there was “breaking news”. Then “viral news”, then “trending news” – and now we have “fake news.” “Fake news” has always been with…

Controversial new £1 coin comes out today in UK
The controversial new UK £1 coin comes into circulation today (March 28th 2017). With 3% of old £1 coins being counterfeit, the Royal Mint calls the new hi-tech £1 coin…

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on UK Long Term Care
Recently, we reviewed the UK Care Home Sector 2017. With this article we hope to answer your Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Long Term Care. The Biggest Question is –…

2017 UAE Motor Insurance Rules – New
There’s all sorts of goodies that insurance companies will now have to provide to UAE motorists – but it remains a fact that new rules from the UAE Insurance Authority…

Holborn Assets Reviews the UK Care Home Sector 2017
So have you got “The Big Dilemma” or “The Big Problem”? For most people, there are two giant practical issues with Long Term Care: Care Home vs. Home Care –…

Electronically Traded Fund Bitcoin – Denied
There was great excitement in the world of cryptocurrency Bitcoin, with a big decision being made on the first attempt to launch a Bitcoin ETF (Electronically Traded Fund). The US…

Holborn Assets Reviews the UK Spring Budget 2017
What’s big? The main news is a “2% stealth tax” on self-employed Brits, with changes to the National Insurance Contribution system coming in next tax year. Personal Finance Income Tax…

Top 10 Questions your SME should ask about Insurance
There’s a lot of talk about how SME insurance can be expensive. But look at it this way: On top of everything else an SME has to pay every month,…

New UK Probate sliding scale – 58% of Brits to pay nothing
The UK Government this week announced changes to the way that “probate” is charged, with a new sliding scale coming in from April 2017 to replace the old flat fee…

Elite tips for buying a UK property
With all the signs of a softening UK market for 2017,  Holborn Assets IFA and Mortgage Expert Jo Philips gives a whistle-stop tour of the procedure for buying a UK property.…

Altmann’s final word on cashing your final salary pension?
by Michele Carby Former Pensions Minister Baroness Altmann has been part of what the Financial Times has called a “stampede” to cash in defined benefit pensions. After the value of…

UK Government Proposes Final Salary Pension Rise Freeze
Are you one of the 11 million plus Brits with a Defined Benefit pension? Defined Benefit – or “Final Salary” – pension schemes could pay out less in the future…

Trump Determined to Axe Dodd-Frank Act
Trump takes executive action against Dodd-Frank Act It hasn’t taken long for President Trump to follow through on a campaign promise “to dismantle the Dodd-Frank Act and replace it with…

New Pension Advice Allowance – Don’t Miss Out!
The UK Government has just tripled the amount you can take from your pension pot before retirement to pay for professional financial advice – from £500 to £1500. This is…

The Business of Valentine’s Day
It’s Valentine’s Day this coming Tuesday. And— outside of certain Muslim jurisdictions in which it is not celebrated —the annual day of romance is going to be big business, as…

The Best Way to Plan for your Retirement
Joe Capaldi, Senior Managing Partner at Holborn Assets targets the Pensions issue at the heart of the retirement planning challenge - and delivers the solution you need for peace of mind. Will…

Top 5 Holborn Assets #AlternativeFacts
In this article we would like to highlight some of the little known facts about Holborn Assets. Please note we mean “little known” not “alternative”, a term in use since…

The Lesson We Can Learn From 2016’s Celebrity Deaths
2016 was the Year of the Reaper as far as celebrities were concerned. We lost hosts of actors, musicians and artists at the top of their game. Many of the…

Santa Claus In Shock £8Bn Debt
Brits back home will have typically spent 44% of their December salary on Christmas, according to the Nationwide Building Society’s Christmas Spending Report. One in three pay for Christmas by taking…

How the FCA is Helping to Keep Your Pension Safe
FCA shows teeth with hefty fine for pensions boss The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) weren’t mucking about when they said this year that they would be cracking down on investment…

5 Tips to Pick a Decent Independent Financial Adviser (IFA)
IFA stands for Independent Financial Adviser. The job of an IFA is to advise normal people on the best way to manage their personal finances across all products, including mortgages,…

Investing? You need to know about “Open” and “Closed” investment architecture
“Open” and “Closed” what? We’re talking about “Open” and “Closed” investment. These are types of investment “architectures” — the way, in other words, that the whole business of you buying…

Holborn Assets Tips – Three Financial Tips for a Worry-free Festive Season
The winter festive season will be here before we know it,so now’s the time to give your personal finances the once-over. How are you fixed? Are you ready for what’s…

Holborn Assets on Life Insurance — it’s about your family, not you
The Life Insurance sector in the UAE is growing at a rate of 11% a year (according to data experts timetric.com). And it’s about time this sort of growth was…

Holborn Assets Reviews UK Courtroom Blow for BTL Landlords
There was bad news for Buy-To-Let (BTL) Brits yesterday (October 6th), with defeat in the legal battle against the onset of harsher tax legislation for private landlords beginning next year.…

The seven benefits of “whole of life” insurance
“Whole of Life” Insurance - Never heard of it? Most people don’t take out “Whole of Life” (or “Whole Life”) Insurance, so it’s not very well known. Far more popular…

Tax Implications of Financial Planning for South African Expats Living in UAE
The bitter economic reality of South Africa in terms of virtually non-existing GDP growth, increasing crime rate, and allegations of “reverse discrimination,” have promoted a large number of young and…

Living Wills Just Got a Little Livelier
A new UAE law might make it possible for expats to specify in a Living Will that they do not want to be resuscitated in certain circumstances. But lawyers have…

Holborn Compares Living in Abu Dhabi vs Dubai
United by Growth Where would you rather live? Abu Dhabi or Dubai? The backwaters of the UAE or the front strip? Or is that putting it a little too simply?…

Holborn Retirement Planning: Defined Vs Contributed Pensions
There are two main types of workplace pension: Defined Benefit (DB) schemes. These are also known as Final Salary schemes. Defined Contribution (DS) schemes. These are also known as Money…

Holborn Financial Advice: Can Pensions be fixed in the UK?
Holborn Assets Reviews the present state of the pension system in the United Kingdom. We look at the relevance of these broken and burdened systems and how, if at all,…

Holborn Assets Explains the Wells Fargo Scandal
Since its formation in 1852, Wells Fargo has established itself as one of the most iconic companies in the United States. The banking giant has survived two world wars, the…

Top 5 investment books you need to read by Holborn Assets
Spend just a little time reading up on investing and you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes to your confidence with your whole financial picture. After all, you stand to…

Heritage Day, the South African Way
Wherever in the world South Africans may find themselves on September 24, they will probably take a moment at least to acknowledge Heritage Day, even if they are unable to…

Structured Notes – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Here at Holborn Assets, over the years we have witnessed a lot of controversy in the personal finance industry about a financial product known as a “Structured Note.” Whether a…

Effects of FATCA on Financial Planning for US Expats Living in UAE
The liberal living environment compared to some of the other Gulf countries in the region, has attracted a large number of Western expats to the United Arab Emirates. Historically, the…

Holborn Assets Hosts Potential Future IFAs from Warwick University at Dubai Headquarters
Dubai, UAE, September 12, 2016 -- Twenty students from Warwick University, UK visited the offices of Holborn Assets, a global financial advisory group headquartered in Dubai, on the 6th of September.…

What about my pension post-BREXIT?
The BREXIT decision posed two big questions for expat pension holders: Will my state pension be frozen? What will happen about my QROPS? Uncertainty still remains the key factor. The…

What Now Post-BREXIT for the UK House and Mortgage Market?
What happened to disaster? Before the BREXIT vote of June 23rd 2016, catastrophe was predicted for the UK housing market. George Osborne said house prices could drop by as much…

Gordhan Probe Puts Rand Under New Pressure
The intensifying political scandal centred on South African Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan could “buckle” the Rand to a value of R19/$ if he gets fired. That’s the news this week…

Holborn Assets Reviews: Sterling Vs. Gold In The Wake Of ‘Brexit’
So BREXIT happened. After 43 years since its admission into the European Union, then known as the – European Economic Community (EEC), the UK has opted out in a historic…

USD as a World Currency – Part 1: Why is the US Dollar Still the Reserve Currency of the World?
It is well known that the US is the only country that can print money without control. But how do other nations of the world accept it? In this article,…

Big Bust or High Hopes? Holborn Assets on the global economy
The first five months of 2016 have been exemplified by large stock fluctuations, variable GDP and a shift in the global market structure. The world’s fastest growing economy has slowed,…

Chinese Real Estate Market: The Next Big Short?
The Chinese economy and real-estate market have seen strong volatility in recent times, with the major stock index Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 growing to all-time highs, but also falling massively…

Holborn Assets Reviews : The Sharing Economy
The sharing economy is all the rage and chances are you’ve already partaken in its bountiful offering. For instance, take that Uber you hailed off your mobile. Or that reliable…

Queen’s Speech Soothes UK Pension Fears
As a UK expat with a pension, you probably will not have been amused to learn that not even the Bank of England’s Chief Economist is “able to make the…

Expats Excited by UAE Life Insurance Shake-Up
UAE Insurance Sector Warming to Attention The media spotlight has been on UAE insurance ever since compulsory medical insurance began to roll out in 2014 courtesy of the Dubai Health…

Holborn Assets Reviews : The UK Mortgage Market 2016
BREXIT, BTLs and FTBs – let’s jettison the jargon! BREXIT, BTLs and FTBs – the 2016 UK mortgage market is full of drama and jargon this year, that’s for certain.…

DOs and DON’Ts of Life Insurance in the UAE
As a UK expat, it is likely you have spotted the excitement in the UAE life insurance sector. We at Holborn Assets report that, “the Dubai life insurance sector is…

Holborn Assets Reviews : Investing for Millennials
Imagine that at 28 you just bagged the biggest bonus of your career and are wondering where to splurge. Add a second car to your collection? Maybe finally grab that…

A Guide to Income Protection (IP) Insurance
Insurance has hit the news this year with the compulsory roll-out of medical insurance in Dubai set to achieve 100% coverage by July. An appetite for insurance in general has…

A Future Outlook on Gold and Oil – Worth Investing Now?
Oil and gold are two commodities that run our world. Gold, on the one side, is a safe haven and an indicator of how investors perceive the economy, while the…

What the Ides of March means for AI in Financial Services
What were you doing on March 15, 2016? Most people would reply that they were at work, followed by a round at the local pub, just like they spent every…

Pensions Vs Buy to Let: A Comparison
 As a UK expat in the UAE, can I even get a UK Buy-to-Let mortgage? Customers here at Holborn Assets are often surprised that a UK BTL mortgage is even…

Investing in Commodities – Why, How and Does this Suit Me?
There are numerous reasons why you should choose to invest in commodities. But what are commodities and how do they compare with other asset classes and securities? Commodities are tangible goods…

I Have $1M, What Steps Should I take Before Investing?
Firstly congratulations on making it to the million dollars mark. You can now begin your journey to becoming one of the 1,800 billionaires on earth today with some smart investing.…

Managing Partner of Holborn Assets, Reg Ormond, 16 year British Expat in Dubai, Gone at Age 50 from Sudden Heart Attack on Saturday April 23rd 2016
Holborn Assets lost one of its most senior and respected managers Reg Ormond on Saturday, April 23rd, when he died of a heart attack.  As Managing Partner, Reg created 'The…

Investing in buy-to-let property – everything you need to know
Buy-to-let properties have always been the vogue among alternative real estate investments. But you don’t need any prior experience to realise that property, in general, is an expensive asset to…

What’s New for UK Inheritance Tax?
The law on UK Inheritance Tax (IHT) changes in 2017. The government is introducing a new tax allowance called a ‘transferable (or additional) main residence nil-rate band (RNRB)’ on top…

The Brexit – A Step Forwards or Backwards?
[embed width="1000" height="700"] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCJqsMAFjfY [/embed] With just 60 days to go till the EU Referendum, or more commonly know as the Brexit, Holborn Assets has put together a video explainer…

A Dummies Guide to Bitcoin and Blockchain Technology
Bitcoin and Blockchain are two hot topics. Goldman Sachs says the Bitcoin’s underlying technology – Blockchain – "has the potential to redefine transactions" and can change "everything." But what is Blockchain? And what…

How to Check Your National Insurance Contributions Record
Got your NICs in a twist? Updated May 2018: Check your NICs online! Your National Insurance Contributions (NICs) record decides whether you get a UK State Pension. Head to the UK…