In 1966, the Beatles released “Revolver,” the second of their great mid-decade album trio, and George Harrison’s “Taxman” was the opening track.  His angry anti-tax lyrics were well-founded. U.K. tax rates at that time were beyond confiscatory, and all upper-bracket citizens who could set up shop outside of Merry Old England were thinking about it.

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Several years ago, a client in the middle of her high-earning years asked us if she was financially able to retire. We told her that there are no simple formulae or shortcuts. Instead, as we explained, answering that question is a step-by-step process. More specifically, the best way to answer her question was to assign numbers to all of the key variables, do the math, and come up with the value of her portfolio at various points down the road. In this and all cases, healthy asset appreciation? The retirement years beckon. Alternatively, serious asset erosion? The client’s timing is not the best. Anyway, in this particular case, we rendered the verdict and concluded afterward that a worthwhile Nottinghill service had been born.

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