We work with people with a full range of investment experience.  We tailor our advice so that it is appropriate for you.  We want to speak with you in a language which you understand, which delivers a financial planning strategy, and which really helps you to achieve your objectives.

Our team is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and we are independent advisors.  This means that we offer clients advice from the whole of the market, and are not tied to any particular provider. As part of the wider Morton Fraser team, we make sure that wherever relevant, our investment advice is linked to legal, tax and property advice.

How we can help guide your investments 

Investing tax efficiently is extremely important and as independent advisers, we are well placed to advise on the full range of products available in the market. Examples of tax efficient products we might recommend include Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), Investment Bonds, Pensions, Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) and Enterprise Investment Schemes (EISs). The suitability of these will be determined by your particular circumstances and your overall requirements.

In our experience investors often don't understand investment risk. We will spend time with you so that we understand your goals and we are clear on how you feel about risk. This ensures we can confidently structure your investments so that you take the minimum risk necessary to achieve your objectives.

How Morton Fraser can help to grow your investments

• We work with you on short and medium term objectives for maximising capital, which might be part of longer term planning to achieve financial security into retirement.
• We work with you as you approach retirement to make sure that your pension and other investments are doing what you need them to do.
• We work with you to try to minimise tax, whether that be inheritance tax, capital gains tax or income tax.

In all of these situations, we provide advice on the best investment strategy, and the best tax wrappers. Our advice covers the initial set up, the ongoing review of performance and a continual monitoring of suitability for you.

How Morton Fraser can help to minimise your Inheritance Tax (IHT) bill

To provide you with the best possible advice on your IHT position, we will find out about your assets, and what you would like to do with them. Our starting point is always to make sure that you are financially secure, before you take any steps to reduce IHT.

With a clear view of your potential IHT liability, we will then put in place a strategy to minimise the tax.  This might be done over a short period, or through a longer-term plan. We will support you throughout the process such as:

• Making gifts from your estate during your lifetime
• Investing in IHT efficient investments
• Using trusts to hold assets
• Transferring assets to your spouse or civil partner
• Preparing a Will

In 2021 the IHT threshold due upon death is 40%. This is a significant charge, and we work with clients to reduce this, where possible. There are some situations where IHT cannot be avoided, and we can also put in place life cover to help your beneficiaries pay the tax.