Mortgages, Protection, Pensions and Wealth Advice
Everyone has a personal goal, it may be to retire early, purchase a holiday home or pay off your mortgage but whatever it is contractors sometimes find the advisors they speak to do not understand fully their unique situation.
Looking for contractor accountants who can help guide you? Orange Genie Accountancy work closely with CMME, a firm entirely focused on the needs of the contracting and freelancing community. As independent Financial Advisors, CMME are unique in their field.
To date, they have helped over 20,000 individual contractor clients to achieve their financial goals. A dedicated advisor will be on hand to help you save tax using a flexible contractor pension to protect your income and lifestyle via a tailored suite of insurance services.
For further information or advice on any of our wealth management services, give Orange Genie Accountancy a call and we can talk you through 01296 468 185
Mortgages
Contractor Mortgages
A mortgage is likely to be the biggest financial commitment that you will ever enter into and there are a host of banks and lenders offering a number of different mortgage options and deals. Choosing a specialist mortgage broker is vital if you want to avoid the hassle of dealing with lenders who do not understand the contracting world.
Get the mortgage you deserve
We understand that being a contractor comes with a unique set of circumstances, meaning applying for a mortgage may come with some additional challenges that high street lenders don’t always understand. That’s why, we at Orange Genie Accountancy recommend one of the UK’s biggest names in the contractor mortgage industry to support you with award-winning, expert services.
CMME are a contractor mortgage specialist entirely focused on serving the needs of contractors, freelancers and self-employed professions.
Why CMME?
Specialists in working with contractors Borrow up to 5 x your annualised income
Access to some of the most exclusive rates in the market
No need for multiple years of accounts history
Dedicated advisor every step of the way
Rated 5 / 5 by CMME clients on Feefo
What can CMME help you with?
Remortgage
Buy to Let
First Time Buyer
Second Charge
Home Mover
CMME also provide a number of other financial services for contractors, including life cover, critical illness and income protection as well as financial advice through their sister company Contractor Wealth.
Mortgage FAQs
Contractor mortgages – frequently asked questions (FAQs)
An independent professional mortgage is no different from any other mortgage in terms of pricing. The difference is how the lender assesses your application. Our award-winning partner CMME have compiled this handy FAQs guide to help you understand the process a little better.
Do I need three years’ worth of accounts before applying for a mortgage?
Many self-employed professionals have the misconception that they might not be able to get a mortgage without three years of experience. Today, contractors are able to arrange a mortgage that is based on their contract rate, meaning you do not have to prove you have been working as a contractor for years, or provide years’ worth of accounts.
Will lenders only accept contractors who have been contracting for six months or more?
Some contractors may have been told that they need to have proof of spending a ‘substantial’ time in their current role in order to minimise the risk of lending to you. This can cause problems for contractors who only spend a short time in each role, however, there are underwriters who are able to skip this aspect of the assessment process altogether on the understanding that contractors do not conform to the expectations one might have from someone in traditional employment. Even if you are new to contracting, there should be lenders who will understand your situation and make you an offer based on their understanding of the nature of the work.
Will I need a big deposit?
The average deposit requirement is usually in the region of 10%-25%. From 19th April 2021 however, first-time buyers are able to benefit from various help-to-buy schemes. The government’s mortgage guarantee scheme is set to run until December 2022, making saving a deposit much more accessible during this period.
Are contractor mortgages interest rates higher?
Not at all. Interest rates are generally the same for contractors as for PAYE employees, and sometimes even lower. This is because, as a contractor, you may be in a position to have put savings aside and hence have a bigger deposit – which will reduce your interest rate and your monthly payments. As a contractor you may also have a better credit rating which can also help.
Is the contractor mortgage referencing process complicated?
It is a common myth that it takes a long time to get your mortgage approved when you are a contractor. In fact, specialist underwriters who appreciate the nature of contracting work can secure you an offer based on your contract with no need for collecting references, which can make the process significantly faster and easier. Using a broker can also assist in this by ensuring your paperwork is correct at the time of application.
Orange Genie are not authorised to offer regulated mortgage advice. CMME is a trading name of CMME Mortgages and Protection Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA reg. 414798). Registered in England No. 04886692. Registered Office: 2 Glass Wharf, Bristol, Somerset, BS2 0FR. Please be aware that Commercial Mortgages, Overseas Mortgages and some Buy To Let Mortgages are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Calls may be recorded for training and security purposes and to improve the quality of our services.
Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
Protection
Financial protection for contractors
Could you support yourself and your family if you were unable to work? As a contractor you will not be covered by a workplace policy provided by your employer, therefore, it is up to you to arrange all the necessary means to ensure that you are protected – particularly at a time with so much uncertainty.
What financial protection is available to contractors?
Income protection – As a contractor, you become immediately vulnerable to loss of income if you suffer an illness or injury. Income protection provides a tax-free income to support you if you are unable to work due to illness or events beyond your control.
Critical illness – Critical illness cover will pay a lump sum on diagnosis of a critical illness, giving you the financial breathing space to focus on your recovery.
Life insurance – This is something you should consider if your family depends on your income. Life insurance will ensure your family are taken care of in the unfortunate event of something happening to you.
Relevant Life Cover – Relevant life cover serves the same purpose as life insurance, however, it is set up through your client's limited company. This is a tax-efficient way for a contractor to provide for their family in the event of death or diagnosis of a terminal illness.
Whether you are looking for advice on putting financial protection in place or simply want to review your current protection arrangements to check they are still adequate, CMME can provide independent advice and recommendations tailored to your individual needs.
Pensions
Pension planning
Retirement planning is far too often forgotten, as many people think that there is plenty of time to think about it. The reality is that in order to have a comfortable retirement, you should start saving as much as you can as early as possible.
Contractor Wealth, a sister company of CMME are specialists in pension planning and retirement offering tailored advice for contractors and independent professionals.
Although it is not a requirement by law to set up a personal pension, they do offer substantial tax breaks which could save you a lot of money in the long run and help you to maintain your lifestyle during retirement.
Regardless of how you are currently working as a contractor, you can make personal pension contributions to reduce your personal tax liability. This means you can avoid some of your income being taxed while diverting funds into your pension pot for retirement.
Whether you want guidance on how best to save for your future retirement or you’re approaching retirement in the next few years and you’d like help on how to access your pension pots, Contractor Wealth can help.
Wealth Advice
Your money should work hard for you and create long term financial security. Contractor Wealth, a sister company of CMME are specialists in financial planning for contractors and independent professionals and can advise on investment options, your pension pot and help you to optimise tax allowances that can save you money each year.
Taxation
We understand that sometimes tax can be frustrating, that is why we recommend our trusted partner Contractor Wealth to help lift the burden and assist you in your tax planning, ensuring that you access all tax allowances and reliefs that you are entitled to including advice on savings and inheritance tax.
Investment planning
Do you need advice to help you build up funds for a rainy day? Whether you want advice on an investment vehicle for an interest-only mortgage, an emergency fund for the unexpected, or to keep a bit back for the children, Contractor Wealth can advise you on the most suitable investment vehicles for your needs.
What savings accounts are available for contractors?
ISAs
Cash ISAs
Stocks and shares ISAs
Lifetime ISAs (LISAs)
Whether you want to maximise your investment returns, save for the future or need help planning for a big life event, like moving up the property ladder – Contractor Wealth’s financial advisers will work with you every step of the way to come up with a tailored plan to help you achieve your financial goals even as your circumstances change.
The value of your investment and any income you receive will go down as well as up and you could get back less than what you originally invested.
Why Orange Genie Accountancy?
Orange Genie Accountancy offers fixed fee accountancy packages to contractors and freelancers. Each client has unlimited access to their own dedicated approachable and friendly accountant. All Orange Genie Accountancy accountants are specialists in the contracting market, so they can give you bespoke, high quality advice.
We will always keep you informed about anything that could affect you and your company. Our relationships with our clients are extremely important to us so we'll be in touch often, whether it be face to face, over the telephone or email.
Our packages start at £75 + VAT a month for an online service. Our most popular package is £120 + VAT a month which provides you with your very own dedicated accountant as well as:
Unlimited accountancy support
Face to face meetings so we can get to know you and understand your contracting goals
Proactive contact
Director and employee payroll
Annual Return
Self-Assessment Return
A fully compliant service so you are safe in the knowledge that you are meeting your legal obligations
And much more, includingaccess to wealth management advice, IR35 reviews and pensions planning.
If you would like to appoint Orange Genie Accountancy as your accountants please either fill out our enquiry form or give one of our friendly expert accountants a call on 01296 468 185 or email accountancy@orangegenie.com.
