We regularly post new articles sharing our thoughts, interests, and expertise on a wide variety of financial planning topics.
The Art of Inaction
Let’s be honest, when markets get jittery, headlines scream “PANIC!” You’re likely hearing the sensationalist stories in the media about trillions being wiped off the stock market, financial disaster and general doom and gloom. The...
State Savings V Irish Government Bonds
State Savings V Irish Government Bonds Anyone currently holding or considering making the maximum investment (€240,000) in State Savings should read on and then call us for some advice. Introduction Given the measly interest rates...
Financial Independence – The Ultimate Power Move for Women
Financial planning is so much more than just numbers, it’s about lifestyle, freedom, security, and having the confidence to live your life the way you want to. International Women’s Day is a celebration of progress,...
What You Need to Know About PRSAs
A Personal Retirement Savings Account (PRSA) is a pension vehicle allowing you to build a retirement fund while working. You can open one if you’re self-employed or working for a company. A long-term private pension plan,...
What is a Pension Review and How Should It Work
Having resolved to tidy up your finances in 2025 you might be at a loss of where to begin. Reviewing your pension is a great starting point. Paying into a pension, whether it’s via your...
Big Changes to Pensions in Ireland
There’s a lot happening with pensions in Ireland right now. The government is rolling out new policies to encourage saving for retirement while tweaking the rules around existing schemes. Whether you’re an employee, self-employed, or...
Platitudes or Professionalism? Why Qualified Teams Matter
Working towards the end of another financial year, we’re busy reviewing our own accounts, budgets and setting our forecasts for 2025. One area that we prioritise when planning for a new year is team development...
Understanding Philanthropy
Philanthropy is a meaningful way for wealthy families to make a positive impact on the world while preserving their values and creating a lasting legacy. It goes beyond simple charitable giving—philanthropy is a strategic and...
Auto-Enrolment in Ireland: What You Need to Know
Auto-enrolment (AE) is a significant development in Ireland’s pension landscape, and it will commence on September 30th, 2025. In 2024, 66% of working individuals aged 25-69 now have a pension, according to the CSO. However,...
The Importance of Making a Will
Estate planning can be a complex area to navigate, but one fundamental component stands out for its simplicity and significance – making a will. A will serves as the cornerstone of effective legacy planning, ensuring...
Family Trusts: A No-Nonsense Guide
Estate planning can help you preserve wealth for your heirs, minimise tax liabilities, and protect your family’s financial future. One of the most effective estate planning tools to consider is a trust. In this article,...
Family Partnerships Explained: How to Build A Legacy
Discover how family partnerships can prevent wealth loss and protect your assets for future generations.
The Value of Professional Financial Planning
Once considered the preserve of wealthy individuals, professional financial planning is now far more mainstream. Consumers from a very broad demographic range are today becoming increasingly aware of how financial planning can have a positive...
Should You Rethink Your Investment Strategy?
Despite noise and speculation in the media about what the future holds, the downturn in US tech stocks in July turned out to be quite a non-event. On the surface, despite some stocks losing multiple...
Is Property Investment in Ireland a Good Idea?
Imagine you were given the choice between owning a big house on a decent-sized piece of land in a ‘good’ location. Or you could put €1 million into your pension. Which would you choose? If...
How Pensions Work: Everything You Need to Know
Most of us know we should make provisions for our old age well in advance. You’ve undoubtedly read in the media that state pension funding is under increasing pressure over the next decade and beyond...
The 2024 Tax Landscape – Predictions, Changes, and Proactive Strategies
The 2023 Finance Act introduced several changes to tax legislation, impacting businesses and individuals in Ireland. Proposals put forward by the Commission on Taxation & Welfare and the potential political changes to come suggest that...
Save Money with a Green Mortgage Even If You’re Not Eligible
The Irish mortgage market has seen a steady increase in interest rates this year, adding an additional hurdle for homebuyers in the already challenging process of purchasing a property in Ireland. Most prospective homeowners will...
Anxious About Retirement?
In the past two decades, our working lives have undergone a huge shift. The rapid advancement in technology has changed the boundaries of the workplace. Remote work, once a rare privilege, has become commonplace. The...
How Much Do I Need to Retire?
Many people in Ireland worry that they won’t have enough money to retire, and research shows that these concerns are well founded. According to the CSO the number of working people aged 25-69 that have...
Dying Tidily: Ensure Your Affairs Are In Order
What do Aretha Franklin and Prince have in common, apart from being very talented singers, songwriters, and musicians? Well, they both died intestate (without a legal will), leaving a very complicated and difficult situation behind...
Farewell from Ray McNicholas
At the end of 2023 I officially left Everlake and Financial Services. I am keen not to use the word ‘retired’, as I plan to keep working for at least another ten years! It’s the...
Forecasting the Financial Future
Come January, I traditionally mock the Financial Journalist’s annual requests for forecasts of the year ahead by Financial Advisors. There are many suitable responses to this annual charade, some of my personal favourites include: “Pundits...
Extracting Wealth From Your Business
Extracting wealth from a business is a subject that frequently exercises the minds of the owners, as they weigh up the pros and cons of the various routes available to them. While specialist tax advice...
Reduce Your Tax Bill When Exiting Your Business
When exiting your business, it’s critical to get specialist tax advice. A tax advisor will examine the circumstances relating to your specific situation. They can also help you to make maximum use of any reliefs...
Boosting Your Retirement Income
Business owners sometimes come to us as retirement is starting to emerge over the hill. They’re concerned that they haven’t enough put aside for their later years. This might be because they didn’t plan far...
Losing a Key Person in Your Business
Challenges for Business Owners As a company owner or partner, you’re constantly juggling various aspects of your business to ensure its success. From day-to-day operations to financial management and customer satisfaction, the challenges are endless....
Tax Return Pitfalls & Opportunities
It’s coming up to that time of year again – tax returns need to be completed and everyone is looking for ways to reduce their bill. While most people view this as a chore, we...
Understanding Domicile
In the realm of financial planning and taxation, the term ‘domicile’ often surfaces for individuals who were not born in Ireland. But what does it really mean, and why is it so significant? Let’s delve...
Sustainable Investing – a Global View
Some of the Everlake team attended the PortfolioMetrix LEAD Symposium in Cape Town this May. The event brought together some of the world’s top financial advisors to share ideas and challenge the norms in pursuit...
Investing is Simple, but Not Easy
Some of the Everlake team attended the PortfolioMetrix LEAD Symposium in Cape Town this May. The event brought together some of the world’s top financial advisors to share ideas and challenge the norms in pursuit...
Lessons in Leadership
Some of the Everlake team attended the PortfolioMetrix LEAD Symposium in Cape Town this May. The event brought together some of the world’s top financial advisors to share ideas and challenge the norms in pursuit...
Section 72 Policies: The Silver Bullet of Estate Planning?
Section 72 life assurance policies are often hailed as a valuable tool for estate planning. Specifically enacted with the sole purpose of paying Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT), they are considered by many to be the...
Comparing Irish Bank Deposit Rates and State Savings: Making the Right Choice
After six interest rate increases, savings interest rates in Ireland are finally showing some upward movement. A 0.5% rise on certain Bank of Ireland savings interest rates was recently announced. However, the National Treasury Management Agency...
Taxation of Overseas Investments
Back in 2013, following a rise in exit tax, we took the opportunity to switch our client’s portfolios. The increased exit tax rate, from 36% to 41%, meant that a move from ‘gross roll up’...
Are You Better to Lend or Gift Money to Your Family Members?
At Everlake, we sometimes meet people who have got themselves into a bit of a financial muddle. Often this is a result of them not seeking advice or having received poor financial advice in the...
Are You Entitled to a UK State Pension?
Anyone who has worked for 3+ years in the UK is entitled to a UK state pension
Why is There so Little Estate Planning in Ireland?
Why is there so little Estate Planning in Ireland? We were engaged by a couple in their mid-50s recently for Financial Planning advice. Firstly, we ensured that their family would be protected come what may....
Important Tools for Your Estate Planning
We’ve given our theory on why estate planning is not very common in Ireland and explained what estate planning actually is. It is NOT simply setting up a Section 72 life assurance policy! There is...
The Ladybird Guide to Estate Planning
In a previous blog post, we set out our thoughts on why structured estate planning is not that common in Ireland, and some reasons why people may mistakenly assume they don’t have a need for...
Will Sustainable Investing Affect my Returns & Increase my Costs?
At Everlake we believe investment returns are explained by the following investment decisions: asset allocation, diversification, and investment approach. 1. Asset Allocation Asset allocation is how much of your portfolio is invested in different investment...
How Sustainable Investing Aims to Make a Difference
Sustainable investment funds employ three key strategies. These strategies are inter-related and underpin our sustainable investment philosophy at Everlake. In its simplest form, sustainable investing attempts to enact change in three main ways: Avoid &...
History of Impact Investing
Our colleagues at Worthstone illustrate the evolution to the sustainable and impact investing that we know today in this fantastic video. Despite sustainability becoming a strong factor in investing decisions only recently, sustainable investing has...
Measuring Investment Impact with Worthstone
Despite its aim to improve transparency in the market, the introduction of the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) has further muddied the waters of ESG or sustainable investing this year. Demand for sustainable investing is...
Alternative Investments Motivated by Sustainability Values
When investors go online to research sustainable investing opportunities, or indeed have a conversation with most financial advisors, they are usually introduced to the world of ESG investment funds. The theme of sustainable or ESG...
Meet Jacki Conway
Jacki joined Everlake as Chief Operating Officer in April 2021. After 19 years in a variety of roles with IBM, spanning Financial Analysis and Strategic Planning, Jacki changed her career direction. In 2005 she joined...
Investing in More Sustainable Fashion Options
We’ve recently been considering the various elements of sustainability that we can implement into our daily lives, in addition to investing our money in sustainable funds. As part of a family’s annual outgoings, a large...
Investing in a Bike
We’ve recently been considering the various elements of sustainability that we can implement in our day to day lives, in addition to investing our money in sustainable funds, read more here. Sustainable investments can be...
Your Most Valuable Sustainable Investment
We seem to have struck a chord with a number of people recently when we wrote our thoughts on Sustainable Investing and how we see it as only one element of overall sustainability. Many investors...
Q&A with Sally Starbuck, co-director of Gaïa Ecotecture
Our homes are extremely important to us, for the majority of people your house will be the most expensive thing that you will ever buy. Building a new house or renovating an existing property can...
Sustainable Investing – Just One Element of Sustainability
Those who regularly tune into the financial media will have noticed a significant upsurge in commentary around sustainable or ESG investing over the last few months. Two main forces have driven this, the first being...
Employer PRSA Contributions
A brief executive summary of the Finance Act as it relates to Pension Contributions in 2023
Creating Everlake
Managing your financial affairs can be a confusing and time consuming business, so much so that many of us put off making important decisions about our family finances. As a business owner and Chief Financial...
Inter-Generational Financial Planning
Many young people in Ireland today find that saving money into a pension or even buying a house is not a realistic proposition without the assistance of their parents. Much of the wealth in Ireland...
How Do I Prepare for Retirement?
One of the greatest financial worries, for many of us, is preparing for the transition from the world of work to retirement. The word retirement can evoke a sense of dread in some people –...
Beware The State Pension Trap
A potential tax/benefits trap exists that Irish Financial Planners should consider when recommending a personal investment portfolio (as distinct from a pension or ARF). I don’t profess to be an expert in Social Welfare benefits...
Annuities Get A Bad Rap, But Is It Time To Look More Closely?
Purchasing an annuity at the point of retirement is rarely considered in 2022. Advisors often dismiss the idea of an annuity at the point of retirement or fail to give the option any consideration whatsoever....
Do You Own Investments In The USA?
Do you have shares in a company listed in the USA or a US ETF? Do you have more than $60,000? Are you married or in a Civil Partnership? If you answered yes to all...
Looking for Advice on Investing in Ireland
Assuming you have no mortgage debt and are already making full use of your pension allowances, what is the most tax efficient option for an investor in Ireland today? Is it beneficial to buy an...
Is It Pension Season For Everyone?
Traditional retirement planning isn’t the correct fit for everyone. There are broadly three cohorts of people, each requiring a different approach to planning for their future. Those on lower salaries should always prioritise buying a...
Right Time to Start a Pension?
Most articles of this nature, around the world, will talk about starting your pension early and the benefits of compound interest. Whilst that’s mathematically true, it’s not the right answer for everyone. I think we...
Meet John McNicholas
John headed up the family business, Ethical Financial, originally established by his father Ray in 1997. In 2020 Ethical Financial merged with Global Wealth, before rebranding in 2022 to become Everlake. He’s been advising business...
Tax Efficient, Sustainable Investing Portfolios
A new range of tax efficient, Sustainable Investing Portfolios, is now available to our clients.
Meet Marc Westlake – Our Managing Director
Our Managing Director Marc has worked as an Independent Financial Planning Consultant since 1994. Today he is a specialist in Portfolio Management, Pensions and Tax & Estate Planning. Marc has a Bachelors Degree in Economics,...
Values-Based Investing
Ensure your values are reflected as fully as possible in the financial planning & investment approach
Building & Preserving Your Wealth
Money means different things to different people. As Financial Planners we don’t believe that, for most people at least, simply being rich is the end goal. As one of our clients put it; “surely the...
Is Now a Good Time to Invest?
Updated January 2022
Keeping Calm in the Face of a Market Fall
Much of this information may look familiar – you are right! We maintain the same long-term mindset and principles of long-term investing regardless of the recent ‘crisis du jour’.
Inertia: the Enemy of the Irish Saver
Leaving your savings on deposit, in this low interest rate and inflationary environment, is guaranteed to reduce your purchasing power.
What is Socially Responsible Investing?
We are fortunate at Everlake to have deep experience and expertise in helping people to invest in line with their own preferences and convictions.
Should DIY investors have a go at investing with a Degiro or eToro account?
67% of retail investor accounts lose money so is DIY investing to save costs really a good idea?
Moving to Ireland from the UK
How is an ISA taxed in Ireland? You will be horrified by the answer
Did you know shares in a US Multinational may be subject to tax at up to 73%?
US Federal Estate Tax applies at a rate of up to 40% on the death of a spouse or civil partner holding shares in a US company or US ETFs worth more than $60,000.
Moving to Ireland from the UK and Thinking About DIY Investing? Think Again
High Rates of Personal Tax You may have heard about the Corporate Tax rate in Ireland is very low at just 12.5%. However, did you know that where personal taxes are concerned, Ireland is a...
Fifty is the New Sixty Five
Is early retirement a good idea for you?
Maximum AVC Contributions
What is the Maximum AVC Contribution I Can Make? Contrary to popular belief, there actually isn’t a maximum contribution you can pay. There is however a maximum contribution that qualifies for tax relief in any...
How Safe is My Pension?
In the past, people would have said that the answer to this question is “Pensions are as safe as houses”. However, think back to what happened in the 2008 financial crisis. The housing crisis. Some...
Can I Access My Pension Early?
Considerations for accessing your pension early to pay off debt
Should I Overpay my Mortgage or Pay into a Pension?
The answer to this question, like with almost all financial advice, is ‘it depends’. Let’s look at the different things to consider… Emotional Benefits As William Shakespeare said; “neither a borrower nor a lender be.“...
Cross Border Issues Arising for Purposes of Ireland/UK Double Tax Convention
There are some clear and fundamental differences between the tax laws of Ireland and the UK. Consequently, where an individual is considering their estate planning and there is a cross-border dimension due to the domicile...
Investor “Risk Profiling” is the Financial Services Equivalent of Painting by Numbers
There’s more to consider when carrying out investor risk profiling
When do you Start Planning your Retirement Decisions?
We got a call recently from a client of another financial advice firm, wanting to talk about her upcoming retirement. It appeared she was second-guessing the advice that she was being given and wanted a...
5 Taxation Considerations When Moving to Ireland
With Brexit coming over the hill, a significant number of UK companies are seeking to relocate part of their operations to Ireland in order to retain easy access to the EU markets. With that, we’re...
Yes, You Might Actually Enjoy a ‘Working’ Retirement
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up,...
How do I Save Money on my Life Insurance?
Good advisors put life insurance policies in place. Excellent advisors put the right policies in place and are there at the hour of need – when there’s a claim. Whenever I talk to financial advisors...
Moving to Ireland? What to Look for in a Financial Planner
When you move to Ireland, there are important questions to ask a financial planner whose services you are considering
Time in the Market, not Timing the Market
When Should I Invest? The answer is always now because investors are rewarded for time IN the market not timing the market. Psychologists tell us that as investors we are more concerned about losses than...
Financial Planners Have Great Responsibility
“Management is down your throat all the time. They want you to hit your numbers and it doesn’t matter how” – Bank Assurance Financial advisor as reported to CBC 1. I believe that Financial Planning...
Top Financial Tips for Moving to Ireland
Top forward planning financial tips for Foreign Nationals moving to Ireland
