William Murray

Could you be more financially savvy this tax year?

March, and spring more generally, is often a time for fresh starts. And now your tax allowances are getting one too. The new tax year begins on 6 April, giving you time to plan how you’ll use all those new allowances to your advantage.

Take your ISA allowance. It can be tempting to leave it until the last minute to use it up. But, if you’re able to pay into it at the beginning of the year, you’re potentially getting a whole extra 12 months of time for your savings to grow.

A review right at the start of the tax year, or just before it, can also help us spot if there are any tax incentives you could use throughout the year.

You might be surprised just how many people don’t do this - and miss out on money that’s rightfully theirs. These tax incentives can be things like increasing your pension contributions or charitable giving to help offset your income tax.

I can also draw up a cashflow model to bring this to life. The model allows us to explore and compare different strategies and scenarios, so you can see the difference it will make to your long-term finances and goals.

If you want to find out more about the savvy financial strategies I could help you with this tax year, feel free to get in touch.

Tax treatment varies according to individual circumstances and is subject to change.

Stocks and Shares ISAs invest in corporate bonds, stocks and shares and other assets that fluctuate in value.

Tax Planning is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Approver Quilter Financial Services Limited & Quilter Mortgage Planning Limited. November 2025.

I work with clients to create financial strategies that are clear, practical, and flexible; plans that adapt as life changes, while still giving confidence for the future. My role is to make the complex simple and to help clients feel secure in the knowledge that they have a plan designed around their goals. Clients often tell me they value the way I cut through jargon, explain options plainly, and deliver advice that feels both personal and forward-looking.

With a Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning from the Chartered Insurance Institute (DipPFS), my approach is shaped by more than 20 years as a Royal Navy senior operations officer and helicopter pilot. My naval career focused on strategic planning and complex operations, where I learned to manage risk, align people and resources, and deliver long-term objectives under pressure. These skills now underpin my financial planning - bringing precision, foresight, and a commitment to helping clients achieve their goals as their needs and priorities change over time. In practice, this means tailoring advice across the areas that matter most:

• Investments - Building portfolios aligned to your goals, risk profile, and timescale. Good investment planning is not about chasing the latest trend, but about creating long-term growth and financial security.
• Wealth protection - Ensuring that hard-earned wealth is preserved and passed on efficiently. This includes structuring assets, using trusts where appropriate, and planning for intergenerational transfers so that families can protect and enjoy their wealth across generations.
• Personal and family protection - Putting safeguards in place against life’s uncertainties. From income protection to life cover, I help ensure that families and businesses are financially secure, whatever the circumstances.
• Tax efficiency - Making the most of allowances and structures to reduce unnecessary tax burdens and keep more of your money working towards your objectives.
• Retirement planning - Helping clients not only reach retirement but enjoy it with confidence, ensuring income is sustainable, flexible, and structured to support their lifestyle throughout later life.

Backed by Quilter’s expertise, resources, and rigorous compliance framework, I provide advice that combines the strength of a leading financial planning network with the personal attention of a long-term adviser relationship.

Outside of work, I live in Somerset with my wife and two sons. I enjoy sailing, cycling, and running, and I recently rediscovered my love of singing after a 30 year break, and now perform with a number of choirs in the region. Family life, community involvement, and time outdoors are central to who I am, and they shape the balanced perspective I bring to my work with clients.