financial planning

FAQs

What is an Independent Financial adviser (IFA)?

How do you make a recommendation?

What is a "Fact Find"?

What criteria do you use to recommend investments?

What can we buy from you?

How much will your service cost?


What is an Independent Financial adviser (IFA)?

Advisers from many of the banks and building societies, as well as the representatives from the insurance companies are often tied to one company or a limited range of companies. Therefore they can only advise on their own products; be they good or bad.
As Independent Financial advisers we are exactly that - independent. This means we give impartial advice and where appropriate recommend investment products that suit your circumstances from the full range available in the market, rather than a narrow selection of our own, giving you the best financial advice possible.

Our independence is further demonstrated by the fact that we are a fee based firm which means we do not have to recommend some form of investment product in order to be paid for our work.
 

How do you make a recommendation?

There are three parts to making a recommendation.

  • Firstly a detailed analysis that we call a "fact find", this will set the criteria for selection.
  • Secondly we will produce a report based on your aims, the financial information you provided and our research.
  • Finally, we will discuss that report with you and implement the agreed recommendations.
     

What is a "Fact Find"?

During the fact find we will obtain information on:

  • Your full personal details and family circumstances
  • What your plans and aspirations are
  • Your attitude to risk and return
  • For how long you want to invest
  • The value of your existing assets and liabilities
  • The value for money and fit of your existing investments

This is a very important process and it is impossible to advise properly without having undertaken a fact find. Many people find it crystallises their intentions and aspirations, or at least encourages them to think in a more organised way about their and their family's future.

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What criteria do you use to recommend investments?

The type of investment product(s) you require have been made clear in the report. We will research a range of relevant products available on the market and look for the following features:

  • Service is a key element to the ongoing cost of any investment. Our experience over many years has taught us how to deal effectively with product providers in order to get the best service from them. We make it clear that speed and accuracy are very important.
  • Charges are different for each company and we will look for the right balance of cost, product design and service.
  • Financial strength - We will not recommend any company that is given a credit rating below our criteria by one of major agencies.
  • The performance is not a guarantee of what will happen in the future, but consistent performance, from a particular fund manager over a longer time, should indicate a level of expertise.
     

What can we buy from you?

What our clients buy from us is advice. That advice may well lead to the purchase of a financial product, although it is not always the case. Our main expertise lies in:

Retirement planning

1.

 

 Advice in Divorce matters; pension sharing orders and attachment orders for all types of pension scheme; including
 

a.  Self invested pensions

b.  Become drawdown/phased investment

c.  Pension transfers

d.  Annuities

e.  Personal pensions

Investment portfolios

1.

 

Advice to trustees and beneficiaries of trusts. Especially in connection with income produced capital growth and cash flow. This includes
 

a. OEICs andinvestment trusts
b. On-shore and off-shore bonds
2.

 

We can also advise on existing portfolios that are not part of a trust arrangement including ISAs and PEPs

Inheritance tax planning

1.  Use of off-shore bonds and trusts
2.  Family trusts
3.  Lifetime transfers and gifts
4.  Will planning
5.  Life cover

 

Protection

1. Critical illness
2. Income protection
3. Whole of life plans
4. Term assurance

How much will your service cost?
Our terms of business sets out our fee structure. We offer a 40 minute free discussion to see if we can help and give you an idea of the likely cost.

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