Over the last few years, house prices have continued to rise much faster than income and the bank of Mum and Dad remains one of the UK’s top property lenders. According to analysis by property firm Savills, the bank of Mum and Dad paid out almost £8.8 billion in gifts and loans during 2022. An estimated 170,000 first-time buyers had family help in getting a mortgage, which amounted to almost half of all mortgaged first-time buyers. With increasing interest rates, stricter mortgage criteria and a cost of living crisis, it’s expected this number will jump to 61% in 2023. The desire to help your children onto the property ladder is strong, but could this support leave you with longer term and unforeseen ramifications?

The long-term impact will depend on how you choose to fund the gift or loan. While the use of cash savings or withdrawing money from your investments or pensions are all possibilities, they have the potential to cause problems for your future financial and retirement plans, not least because we are all living longer and annuities are no longer the automatic choice.

Taking money from your investment portfolio means you run the risk of losing out on any growth and the compounding benefits that investments typically carry, as well as any future benefits from bond coupons or equity dividend payments. The potential rates of return on investments are generally higher than the return on cash over the longer term, but it is always worth remembering that markets can go down as well as up and you may not get back the original amount invested.

Meanwhile, accessing your private pension pot may mean you don’t achieve all your retirement goals. The money taken out of your pension will not be there to grow and compound but, perhaps more importantly, if you access your pension, your annual allowance – the amount you can pay in while enjoying the government’s tax incentives – has reduced from up to £60,000 a year to just £10,000. This lower tax support may mean you need to defer your retirement date.

The good news is that there is another possibility. If you have investable assets over £1 million, you can access the bespoke lending options available through private banks. Not only can loans be secured against your property or investment holdings, but the support you receive will ensure you understand the full implications of any decision and the impact it will have on your long-term financial goals. As a result, you can retain your capital and continue to benefit from your wealth while helping your loved ones with their more immediate needs.

What are the benefits?

As private banks operate on a more personal case-by-case basis, they can offer a more flexible approach for larger loan amounts, usually over £250,000. The benefits include:

  • A more tailored service with a dedicated relationship manager, who will take time to understand your current financial position and any long-term plans before providing the most efficient outcome for you.
  • Less rigid criteria and a wider range of options:
    • Facilities in sterling, euro or US dollars
    • Interest only loans
    • Shorterrepayment terms
    • Scheduled repayments linked to a specific date.
  • Borrowing against your UK, Isle of Man or Channel Island-based residential property.
  • Borrowing against your investment portfolios, provided they are held with the bank.
  • Quick, yet carefully considered, decisions to meet an immediate need for cash, without having to sell any of your investments.

A win for you and your family – in the short term and the longer term.