The Process

The primary objective of our firm is to guide clients from the initial Discovery phase of understanding their aims, goals and objectives. Right the way through to the delivery of the co-ordinated lifetime financial planning strategy. Followed by continual and regular reviews along with ongoing monitoring where amendments are made as life changes.

Our ethos and basis of working are founded on the principles of what we refer to as the practical solutions for good financial planning. These are:-

What the Objectives are

  • The journey from A to B
  • Establishing what and when B is
  • Taking alternative routes
  • Making sure everything’s working correctly

Understanding of why things happen

  • Cycles of the economy
  • Boom and bust
  • Why things happen 

Concerns people have

  • Hill of life
  • The unexpected is a certainty
  • Life changes

Practical solutions to work to 

  • Assessing and understanding where you are now
  • Planning and taking action
  • Review and monitoring 

The five steps of financial planning 

  • Arrange life, critical and illness protection
  • Build a rainy day fund
  • Pay off debt
  • Set up medium/long term financial plans
  • Review the position and re-plan regularly

With this in mind, we:-

  • Provide lifestyle financial planning and ensure that people put themselves firmly on the right track
  • Empower people with confidence, with the reassurance that gives them control in their lives
  • Challenge people's thinking and ask the long term question of 'where do you want to be?'
  • Provide people with ongoing objective assessment, guidance and proactive support

To this end, we first offer an initial consultation to understand in broad terms your needs and objectives and to agree with you that our services are right for you. This meeting usually lasts for up to one hour, the cost of which is met by us.

Once engaged, our initial advice and services are charged via an hourly rate, a fixed fee, a percentage being deducted from the investment under our management or a combination of. In relation to the ongoing relationship, we apply an ongoing fee which can be charged in any of the ways above simarily. The method of payment in all cases is entirely up to you.

Prior to commencing any aspect of work, we will explain and agree with you the services you would like us to deliver and how you will pay for these. We cannot and will not charge you a fee for work completed without your prior agreement.

You should be clear about the services you require and how you will pay for these, before we proceed with any work. We will not exceed a specified budget limit without first consulting with you and receiving your written commitment to proceed further.

Generally, we will levy the charge for our initial advice and services at the end of the process. However, we may agree with you payments on account before commencement and/or in stages.

If you choose to cancel an account, contract or policy where we have agreed the fees to be levied even if within the statutory cooling off period, or you decide not to proceed with our advice if research work has been conducted, we may apply a charge as advised and agreed at outset.

Stage 1

Initial Consultation

  • A full explanation of our company, how we work and the services that we offer
  • We explore with you in broad terms your needs and objectives, and agree with you whether our services are right for you
  • Discussion to ensure that you fully understand the offering and what you can expect from us

Stage 2

Discovery Meeting

  • We conduct an in-depth life and financial review in order to understand and agree with you your needs and objectives, based on a comprehensive review of your current position
  • We establish your life goals, aspirations and concerns for you and your family
  • We collect and assess all relevant personal and financial data and establish your perceived risks
  • We conduct an in depth assessment to establish your attitude and tolerance to risk

Stage 3

Advice and Recommendations

  • We source, request and collate the necessary information relevant to any accounts, investments, policies and schemes that you hold or are entitled to benefits
  • We clarify your current position and the basis of how that was arrived
  • We conduct detailed research and analysis of your current arrangements and assess their suitability going forward
  • Having completed the preparatory work, we prepare our recommendations, setting out a roadmap of the strategies we believe most appropriate to meet your needs and objectives

Stage 4

Implementation and Facilitation

  • We implement the recommended strategy as desired and required
  • We will forward any policy documentation to you as appropriate and necessary

Stage 5

Ongoing Review

  • We will regularly review your strategic plan to assess how on track it may be and suggest and make amendments as needs be
  • We will test the plan and ensure that it remains correct for the future
  • We will give you access to view your portfolio online if applicable
  • We will conduct a portfolio review and regular rebalancing in line with your attitude to risk and  objectives
  • We will provide you with the ongoing coaching, guidance and proactive support giving you the confidence that you remain on course and will make recommendations to adjust as necessary

We also segment our clients within one of three categories, which are Accumulators, Pre Retirees and Post Retirees.  Click on the relevant links above to see what is included within the ongoing review element for each category. You can also refer to our Terms of Business for more details of how we work.

As you would expect, we offer all of the modern ways for meeting clients including video conferencing, telephone or good old fashioned face to face.