IN July, Brewin Dolphin had the pleasure of sponsoring the Tees Valley Business Club Summer Supper.

The meeting was held in the exclusive Rockcliffe Suite at Rockcliffe Hall and the barbecue, or supper as it is marketed as, certainly lived up to expectation.

The evening gave us the opportunity to present on a topic that is of high concern for many - investing for income.

With interest rates at an historic low, generating a reliable income from your savings and investments has become increasingly challenging since the global financial crisis.

Achieving an income calls for a broader range of income producing investments.

These could include shares, unit trusts and other investment funds, government and corporate bonds and assets such as property.

Selecting and monitoring the right mix of investments may involve more time than you are able or willing to devote, or you may prefer and entrust the management of your wealth to a professional.

This is why our clients delegate the responsibility for the day to day management of their investments to us.

As wealth managers, investing our clients’ money to provide a reliable income over the long-term is one of our core skills.

We will tailor an investment strategy for you that will take account of how often you need to receive income, as well as the level of risk you are prepared to tolerate.

The recent changes to dividend tax rules further increase the need for a more personalised, tailored service.

The new pension freedoms have created many more opportunities to generate an income in retirement.

We can help you maximise your income while preserving your wealth for a long and comfortable retirement.

It is also very important to remember that income is only one portion of the total return.

Investments with an income of six per cent will look attractive versus what you are receiving from the bank / building society but less so if the underling capital value of the investment were to fall by ten per cent over the year.

Investors need to focus on the quality of the income in addition to the actual income received.

If anyone is interested in knowing more about the Tees Valley Business Club or Brewin Dolphin, please do drop me a line.

It’s a well-attended club which meets monthly, covers many topics, and keeps its members up to date on local and national developments.

If you are looking to start a new business, or expand your business contacts, please get in touch and come along to one of the meetings as a guest of Brewin Dolphin.