Page 16 • The HERALD • 1st June 2023 v SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES v LOST BANK ACCOUNTS & PENSIONS by Caroline Rupik Lost pensions and investments. How many of us know, or think that, we have had pensions in the past, especially work pensions, but no longer have the information to track them down and nd out how much is in them, or indeed what we can do with them? Or investments, bank accounts? It is estimated that there are around £19.4 billion worth of ‘lost’ pensions and investments currently in the UK. What if some of that belongs to you? ere is no doubting that times right now are hard for all of us and the idea of your own money sat out of your reach would surely be a galling one for anybody. Finding old pensions and investments is no small task. e companies that hold them may have changed over the years and, perhaps, you don’t have a record of your policy or account numbers, or what contact details they have for you. At Straight Talk Wealth Management we are happy to announce that all is not lost. We have the facility to generate a report from nancial institutions in the UK providing a full essential assets list following a simple electronic identity veri cation process that you can complete at home. Or, if you prefer, come in to our o ce in Holbury to complete it with us here. In the nancial world it’s like getting Sherlock on the case for your money, and who knows what could come out of the woodwork? Our report provider is o ering this service at no cost to you, but for a very limited period, so if you would be interested in checking you’re in the know with all of your nancial assets, get in touch with us at Straight Talk on 023 80243665 or info@ straighttalk nancial.co.uk. You have nothing to lose, and could gain. Straight Talk Wealth Management is a trading name of Straight Talk Financial Planning Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA register number 463676) Since Brexit, many people have been caught out with their UK passport. To ensure you get away safely and securely – and enjoy your hard-earned break – there are a couple of simple steps you can make to ensure your passport is up to scratch. If you’re travelling to an EU country (except Ireland),orarevisitingSwitzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco or Vatican City, you will need to ensure two things. Firstly, that your passport was issued less than 10 years before the date that you enter the country (check the ‘date of issue’ to nd this out). Secondly, your passport must be valid for at least three months a er the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’). It’s this latter requirement that is catching so many people out. If your passport was issued before 1st October 2018 then it’s possible that some additional months have been added. Either way, it’s your responsibility to check, so please do so in plenty of time before you travel – just in case. And if you’ve got a passport but haven’t booked a holiday yet, then please get in touch using the contact details in the listing opposite. I’ll be more than happy to help you book something special. PASSPORTS READY? by Ewa James of Impress Travel Ewa James Caroline Rupik
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