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About Us

Our mission is simple -

We want to provide our clients like you with a service that makes you want to tell your friends about us.

We are a financial broker and offer Clear, impartial, Advice.

We are experts - we have experts in all area of financial services and you will only deal with a person who is an expert in the area that concerns you.

You will always deal with a Senior Adviser.

We do not engage in pressure sales - we will always strive to make sure that you only take out a policy that is right for you and one that you understand fully and are comfortable with

We are established over 45 yearswhich in itself is no reason to come to us, but it should hopefully give you peace of mind that we will continue to be around in the future to look after your financial needs.

We deal with all the major life companies operating in Ireland and we do not have any allegiance to any particular company.

We are happy to report that most of our new business comes from referrals from happy clients and a referral is the biggest compliment anyone can pay us.

You will always be treated in a professional & courteous manner.

Terms of Business link

Donal Scannell t/a Scannell Financial Services is regulated by The Central bank of Ireland.

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Life Insurance

"Nothing is certain, but death and taxes"

Life Insurance or Life Assurance quite simply pays out a lump sum on your death.

There are different forms of life cover and you need to consider 3 main things before you take out any cover:

How much do I need?
How much can I afford to spend per month?
How long do I need cover for?

You should also look at any existing life insurance policies you have including your mortgage protection - there are great deals available and it is easy to SWITCH POLICY AND SAVE MONEY

Our experts will happily talk you through your options and will match your needs with a policy that suits you.

Why have life cover?

Most people feel that it is important to have some level of life cover in place and there are many reasons why you should consider having life cover.

The most common reasons that we come across are (in no particular order);

Pay off your Mortgage
Replace your Income for your family who you’ve left behind
Pay off other Loans
Children Education / Inheritance
Pay for Funeral Expenses
Peace of Mind

When should you take out life cover - well the earlier you start the better, why?

"Fun is like Life Assurance, the older you get the more it costs"

Life Assurance is cheaper the younger you start (sample quotes below).

Non-Smokers
Amount of Life insurance	Age next birthday	Term of cover	Monthly cost
€150,000	30	20	€10
€150,000	35	20	€15.84
€150,000	40	20	€36.52

Smokers
Amount of Life insurance	Age next birthday	Term of cover	Monthly cost
€150,000	30	20	€14.70
€150,000	35	20	€29.30
€150,000	40	20	€78.56

If you are fit and healthy you are going to get cheaper cover.

You just never know what is going to happen.

Life cover is not offered everyone, especially those who’ve had medical problems - it is best to take it out while you still can.

CALL US FOR A CHAT on 090 9642215

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Our experts just love talking about Life Insurance!

Donal Scannell t/a Scannell Financial Services is regulated by The Central bank of Ireland.

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ILLNESS / SPECIFIED ILLNESS / SERIOUS ILLNESS PROTECTION

"Health is not valued until sickness comes"

- Thomas Fuller

It is a simple concept that Illness Cover is for you and Life Insurance is for everyone else.

What is Specified (or Serious) Illness Cover?

The most common policy is one that pays out a lump sum in the event of you being diagnosed with one of a number of specified illness, the most common of which are Heart Attack, Stroke and Cancer – but there may be as many as 60+ named illness covered.

While most companies will cover a lot of the same illnesses, different companies may have different definitions and there are some lesser known illness than might be covered by one and not another - so it is not as simple as saying that the company with 70 illness covered has a better policy than the company with 40..... It's all in the detail.

Here is a sample of the cover provide by different companies.

http://www.bestadvice.ie/term_illnesses.php

Claims and the Rising Costs of Cover.

The cost of specified illness cover (also called serious illness cover) has increased hugely in the last number of year, the main reason can probably be linked to the fact that most policies will not pay out unless you survive for 14 days and considering medicines have improved greatly; life expectancy is increasing all the time and for instance even when you hear someone had a heart attack you don't really expect them to die anymore. All this means that the insurance companies are paying out more claims and therefore premiums are increasing. Maybe that tells you that you are more likely to need this cover.

You can also have a lesser cover of Cancer Cover - as the name implies this is a policy that covers against being diagnosed with a cancer. We would normally only recommend Cancer Cover where the cost of Specified Illness cover is too prohibitive.

What cover should you have and what will it cost you?

That is really up to the individual, we can help you come to a conclusion, but everyone circumstances are different. The most important thing to consider is budget – once you decide how much you can afford we can work backwards and see what cover you can get.

NOTE: If you are looking for a policy that pays you when you are unable to work as opposed to this type of plan which pays out a lump sum on the diagnosis of a specified illness, please have a look at our income Protection Section.

CALL US FOR A CHAT on 090 9642215

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Our experts will talk you through the Illness protection option available to you.

Donal Scannell t/a Scannell Financial Services is regulated by The Central bank of Ireland.

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INCOME PROTECTION

"Your health is your wealth"

- Mahatma Gandhi

What is Income Protection?

It is an insurance plan pays you a monthly income if you are unable to work due to any illness, accident or injury. It will continue to pay you an income until you are well enough to return to work, or if not, until your retirement age.

Why would I need it?

Like the name suggest it protects your income, which is your most important asset - think about how you would fund your lifestyle without an income - your income pays for everything from your groceries, mortgage, ESB, kids education and anything else you can think of.

How much cover can I get?

You can cover up to 75% of your wages less any welfare support you might get.

What does it cost?

This depends on how much income you need to protect and your occupation amongst other things, but It's probably cheaper than you'd imagine and it is fully tax deductable which means you can claim back 40% or 20% of the cost depending on your highest tax rate.

How do I get more information or a quote?

Just give us a call and we'll happily talk you through your options.

CALL US FOR A CHAT on 090 9642215

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Our experts will talk you through the Income protection option available to you.

Donal Scannell t/a Scannell Financial Services is regulated by The Central bank of Ireland.

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INVESTMENTS AND SAVINGS

Where to Invest?

There are many different types of investments and places for you to put your hard earned money and we have given a list of a few options below.

But most importantly is that you are happy where your money is invested and that you are not worried about it.

As investment experts and agents for over 20 different investment companies, we obviously recommend that you talk to someone like us, someone who will sit down with you and take the time to find an investment that suits you and not just the investment that they are trying to sell.

Your financial goals, current financial situation, investment experience, time horizon and attitude towards risk all determine your investment "personality" and the investment options that is best for you.

The process of establishing attitude to risk can be fairly subjective, but an investment recommendation cannot be appropriate or robust without some attempt at assessing risk tolerance. Investment advisors go through a process called a "fact-find" before advising clients, which is important in defining the investment characteristics of a person and relating this to an investment proposal.

Some things to consider before you invest.

Risk.
What level of risk are you comfortable with? Risk is linked to return and generally the more risk with a particular investment, the greater the possible return. Some people are very uncomfortable with sudden, short-term fluctuations in the value of their investments. Others are more willing to accept short-term fluctuations with the expectations that long-term returns may be higher.

Return Expectations.
Investors will generally expect to get the best returns they can, for a given level of risk. The key is to be realistic. On the basis of long-term historic performance figures, the returns for each asset class will differ.

Time Horizon.
What length of time do you want to invest for? Whether you have a short, medium or long-term investment horizon will impact on the option you choose. Often the investment objective will determine the duration e.g. investing for education on behalf of young children is long term, whereas investing for a deposit on a house would typically be more short term.

Access.
What access do you require to your funds? A requirement for short-term access to funds will also impact on your choice. Some products are best suited to investors who do not require access to their funds, who can afford to leave their funds invested for 5 years or more.

What options are available to you as an investor?

Direct Investments.

You can choose to invest directly in stocks, currencies, bonds, property and cash. However, to do this you need a good understanding of how investment markets operate. You will also need to conduct in-depth research to gain an understanding of the risk profile of each individual security in which you choose to invest. In addition, you will need to track your portfolio's performance, track your gains for tax purposes and provide all the necessary documentation relating to trading. The taxation of gains may also be less efficient than investing through a unit-linked investment.

Deposit Accounts.

Deposit accounts offer a guaranteed return over a set term, ensuring the security of your investment. Lately, however, deposit returns are barely the same as inflation. The means your investment is not growing in real terms.

Guaranteed Investments.

These investments generally take the form of tracker funds, guaranteed funds or with profit funds.

Tracker Funds.
These offer returns associated with assets such as indices, commodities or individual shares, but don't invest directly in them. They are a good choice if you wish to have a high level of capital protection over a set term, but still wish to participate in the market upside. However, the cost of guaranteeing your capital is generally reflected in a cap on the potential return offered and foregone dividends, which do not accrue to the tracker investor.

Guaranteed Funds
These operate in much the same way as tracker funds, guaranteeing your investment over a certain term. However, unlike trackers, guaranteed funds generally hold assets directly. This means the fund can be more actively managed and can benefit from any dividend paid by the assets held.

With Profits.
Unitised With Profits funds typically invest directly in equities, fixed interest, property and cash. These funds generally provide guarantees plus regular bonuses.

Unit Linked Investments.

Unit-linked investment offer you one of the easiest and most tax-efficient ways to invest. Such funds hold pools of assets, the ownership of which is pro-rata among the unit holders. Unit-linked funds are pooled investments (covering many types of asset) held by an investment manager. Unit-linked funds offer you:

A Choice of funds across different assets and geographical areas allowing you to develop a diversified portfolio tailored to your specific needs.

Experienced investment professionals who are well-positioned to identify good investment opportunities. Using professional investment managers allows you access to stock markets without the expenses and expertise needed for trading shares directly.

The flexibility to switch between a wide range of funds at any time during your investment. This allows you to capitalise on market conditions or change your investment as your needs or circumstances change to ensure you always have the most tailored investment possible.

A tax efficient method of investment. Your investment in a unit-linked will generally grow free of tax until you choose to encash your policy, or on other events e.g. assignments, regular income etc. At this point the "investing company" will automatically deduct any tax applicable (currently the basic rate of income tax + 3%) and you will have no more tax liabilities.

CALL US FOR A CHAT on 090 9642215

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Our experts just love talking about Investments!

REMEMBER : INVESTMENTS CAN FALL AS WELL AS RISE!

Donal Scannell t/a Scannell Financial Services is regulated by The Central bank of Ireland.

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Pensions

"Anyone can get old, all you have to do is live long enough"

What are pensions?

Put simply, pensions are savings plans that you take out when you are working to give you an income when you retire.

To encourage you to have a pension the Government will give you tax relief at your highest marginal rate (either 20% or 40%), which means that for every €100 you invest you will get back €20 or €40 in your pocket.

Because the Government give you tax relief on the money on the way in, they have rules on how you can use the money when you comes to retirement.

Because the Government give you tax relief on the money on the way in, they have rules on how you can use the money when you comes to retirement.

3 reasons to think about for your retirement

The good news is, we are all living longer. Retirement no longer signifies the end of our lives, but simply the next phase. However, if you want to retire before age 68 without suffering a big drop in income when you do retire, you need a plan.

Here are three reasons to start planning for your retirement today.

If you are age 52 or under on the 1st January 2012, you will be 68 before you are eligible to claim the State Pension (contributory). That's potentially a three year gap in retirement income!

Unless you put a retirement plan in place, your income could drop by nearly 72% when you retire!

A longer life means a longer retirement that you need to fund for.

Your retirement plan should be based on:

the income you want in retirement,
the age you would like to retire at,
the type of retirement you want
and of course how much you can afford.

CALL US FOR A CHAT on 090 9642215

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Our Pension Expert would be happy to go through your options with you.

Donal Scannell t/a Scannell Financial Services is regulated by The Central bank of Ireland.

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Health Insurance

We are agents for Aviva Health - the fastest growing Health insurer in Ireland. We can offer you the best cover in Ireland at the lowest cost.

Quite simply we will get you MORE COVER FOR LESS MONEY.

Why have health insurance at all?

Well some of the main reasons would be;

"Jump the Queue"
Health Insurance is all about access to medical professionals. If you have health insurance you can see you consultants privately and this means that you get to see them much quicker than public patients. When it comes down to health issues, time is of the essence -there is huge anecdotal evidence that you could be months if not years on a public waiting list.

Get access to better hospitals
Depending on the level of Health Insurance that you choose, you can get access to private hospitals and other Hi-tech Hospitals that you otherwise would not have.

Get money back when you visit GP’s, Physio’sand other practitioners.
Some policies will cover you for a percentage of the cost of visits to certain medical and alternative practitioners.

There are over 200 different Health Insurance Plans in Ireland, do you know which one is right for you?

CALL US FOR A CHAT on 090 9642215

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Our Health Insurance Expert would be happy to go through your options with you.

Donal Scannell t/a Scannell Financial Services is regulated by The Central bank of Ireland.

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Contact Us

090 9642215

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087 6434230

info@scannell.ie

Scannell Financial Services

Donal Scannell t/a Scannell Financial Services is regulated by The Central bank of Ireland.