When Capital Is Stolen: Reclaiming Our Wealth in a Corrupted System

We often think of wealth in terms of money—assets to be accumulated, preserved, crystallised, and eventually passed on. These financial capital cycles are well understood in traditional financial planning. But at the Academy of Life Planning, we know that our true wealth runs much deeper. It lives in our human capital—the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual resources that give our lives meaning and our plans purpose.

Each form of capital is subject to the same asset cycle as our money:

• Accumulation (growth and development),
• Preservation (protection and care),
• Crystallisation (value realisation),
• Decumulation (use and contribution), and
• Succession (what we leave behind).

And just like financial capital, our human capital can be taken from us—sometimes slowly, sometimes all at once.

Take the story of Nick Preece. His experience shows us what happens when spiritual capital, in the form of personal integrity and reputation, is unjustly attacked. Nick believed he had entered into a lawful agreement with New Zealand’s Inland Revenue Department (IRD) to resolve outstanding obligations through a means-test hearing. Instead, while away with his family, his home was raided and private property seized—actions he considered a betrayal of the negotiated contract. His reputation was damaged. His rights ignored. And the trust he had in due process was shattered.

Nick’s story is not isolated. The British Post Office scandal echoes the same systemic failure. Subpostmasters—upstanding members of their communities—were wrongly accused, prosecuted, and financially ruined, despite operating within the bounds of their contractual obligations. Their reputations destroyed. Their emotional capital drained. Their mental resilience tested.

These aren’t just legal missteps. They are human tragedies. They show how institutions, acting without accountability, can crush more than just finances. They crush health, peace of mind, trust in systems, and ultimately, hope.

We call this theft of capital.

• Physical capital is stolen when our health is damaged through stress, our skills underutilised, or our time wasted in unjust processes.
• Mental capital is stolen when falsehoods override truth and expertise is ignored.
• Emotional capital is stolen when relationships are strained, and communities are left to pick up the pieces.
• Spiritual capital is stolen when good character is questioned and reputations are unjustly dismantled.

Yet from these ashes, people like Nick strive to rebuild. They enter a new cycle—not just of recovery, but of transformation. This is the journey we call Rebuild and Thrive.

It begins with acknowledging what was lost—not to dwell in victimhood, but to validate the truth. It continues through empowerment—regaining autonomy, rediscovering voice, and standing in integrity. And it ends, not in revenge, but in contribution: using experience to protect others, to shine a light into dark corners of the system, and to rebuild a legacy rooted in wisdom.

We cannot always prevent the theft of capital. But we can arm ourselves and others with the tools to recognise it, challenge it, and recover from it.

At the Academy of Life Planning, we teach more than financial literacy. We teach life literacy. Because planning isn’t just about money—it’s about meaning. And reclaiming what’s ours, when the world tries to take it away, is the most powerful wealth strategy of all.

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Your Money or Your Life

Unmask the highway robbers – Enjoy wealth in every area of your life!

By Steve Conley. Available on Amazon. Visit www.steve.conley.co.uk to find out more.