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Next Act

The new FT hub to help readers live a rich and fulfilling life in later years.

You’ve worked hard, built a successful career and raised a family - now what about your next act? The pandemic has focused our minds on physical and financial health and this new hub on FT.com will inspire and inform your thinking. From pensions to property, career changes and helping the next generation, we’ll help you plan for all aspects of later life. Contact us with your feedback or suggestions on nextact@ft.com.

Should you start a small business in your 50s?

Increasing numbers of ‘olderpreneurs’ seek a second career in later life

Making ethical pension choices is no easy task

Even an expert struggled to make meaningful comparison between different funds

The lottery of later-life care

Brexit derailed the debate on care — but politicians need to tackle the issue

Your QuestionsLucy Warwick-Ching

Should I pay into a pension for my cleaner?

I pay in cash and provide all the materials, but I’ve heard there may be tax and pension obligations too

Merryn Somerset Webb

Neil Woodford’s rocky return

A more remorseful man might have had a better chance of a comeback

Birdwatching, investing and the power of specialisms

Watch out for companies that stray too far from their natural habitat

How to be the Bank of Mum and Dad

Can you afford to help bankroll your children’s property purchase?

Merryn Somerset Webb

Bond turmoil heralds end of the standard portfolio

If fixed-income no longer offers stability, look elsewhere for protection from equity volatility

How green is your pension?

Savers are offered a growing range of sustainable funds, but the choice is tricky

Your QuestionsLucy Warwick-Ching

Must I return an expensive gift to my ex-partner?

His finances have been badly hit by the pandemic — now he wants my necklace back

Grey areas in the green revolution

Copper mining and electric cars highlight just some of the difficulties

‘We don’t get paid for empty beds’: the crisis facing UK care home operators

Coronavirus has piled pressure on an already struggling sector, increasing costs and hitting fees

Promoted Content

More Next Act

Saturday, 27 November, 2021

Steve Webb
Annuities deserve a fresh look
Older pensioners can benefit from out-of-favour retirement instruments
Wednesday, 17 March, 2021

Taxing questions for retirement
What will future tax policy mean for our pension savings?
Wednesday, 17 March, 2021

Too much, or not enough: the risks of drawdown
Taking your pension flexibly has pros and cons
Wednesday, 10 March, 2021

Margaret Wilson
Why women are worse off in retirement
£2.7bn state pension back payments are the latest indication of inequalities
Wednesday, 3 March, 2021

Your financial adviser will Zoom you now
The digital connection with clients looks to be here to stay
Thursday, 25 February, 2021

Your QuestionsLucy Warwick-Ching
Am I legally entitled to a share of the family business?
We have a written but not legally binding agreement
Wednesday, 24 February, 2021

Silver Splitters count the cost of divorce
Going your separate ways after 60? Here’s what you need to know
Friday, 19 February, 2021

Investing in Europe — new opportunities on the old continent
Despite its sometimes sclerotic image, the region has youthful drive, especially in green industries
Wednesday, 17 February, 2021

Managing your investments during retirement
A solid plan can help produce a sustainable income
Wednesday, 17 February, 2021

Charles Calkin
Remarry by all means — but don’t forget the pre-nup
Financial planning cuts risk of family rows and disputed legacies
Wednesday, 10 February, 2021

Is there still life in the annuities market?
Tomorrow’s retirees want guaranteed income — but not at any price
Wednesday, 10 February, 2021

Why can’t I transfer my final salary pension?
Professional advisers are increasingly reluctant to recommend giving up guaranteed income
Friday, 5 February, 2021

Serious MoneyClaer Barrett
Where do the next generation of investors go from here?
After riding the Reddit wave, short-term trading could develop into a longer-term habit
Thursday, 4 February, 2021

Breaking the silence around the menopause
In most workplaces it remains an uncomfortable topic, but the co-founders of Gen M aim to change that
Wednesday, 3 February, 2021

How to find a financial adviser
Search carefully and ask tough questions before you entrust professionals with your cash
Wednesday, 27 January, 2021

How much is enough to retire on?
You might know the value of your pension pot, but predicting how much income it could provide is trickier
Monday, 25 January, 2021

Robin Wigglesworth
Is value investing back from the dead?
Value stock investor Ted Aronson could be this cycle’s Tony Dye
Friday, 22 January, 2021

Camilla Cavendish
Covid shows that ageing is like a disease — we should treat it accordingly
Scientists are working on a new generation of therapies which could prolong years of healthy life
Wednesday, 20 January, 2021

Should you build equity release into your retirement strategy?
Do your homework before taking out a ‘lifetime mortgage’ on your property
Monday, 18 January, 2021

Thousands of UK savers advised to give up final-salary pensions
FCA data showing transfers under banned charging model adds to mis-selling fears
Friday, 15 January, 2021

Rising redundancies prompt drive to access final salary pensions
Over-50s urged to think twice before raiding pension funds
Friday, 15 January, 2021

How Covid-19 rebooted retirement
Pandemic has prompted the over-50s to reassess their financial priorities
Wednesday, 13 January, 2021

Lucy Warwick-Ching
Should we sell my mother’s house or rent it out?
She has decided to move into a nursing home
Thursday, 7 January, 2021

Serious MoneyClaer Barrett
Will writing: a case of whodunnit or haven’t done it yet?
Don’t bequeath an inheritance battle to your family
Wednesday, 30 December, 2020

Q&A
How does redundancy affect my pension?
A record 370,000 people were laid off in the three months to October