From Policy to Practice: Lessons on Empowerment for Planners

When governments test education reforms, we often find lessons that resonate far beyond schools and universities. One such lesson comes from the economics of human capital research [Essays on the economics of human capital accumulation By Lucio Rizzica]: raising aspirations alone is not enough. The UK’s Widening Participation initiative in the 1990s, for example, encouraged teenagers … Continue reading From Policy to Practice: Lessons on Empowerment for Planners →

Get SAFE Community Briefing: Government Review of Opt-Out Collective Actions

Open call for evidence: Opt-out collective actions regime reviewFrom: Department for Business and TradePublished: 6 August 2025Deadline for responses: 11:59pm on 14 October 2025 Why This Matters for Get SAFE For too long, victims of financial exploitation have been forced to battle alone. Individual complaints to regulators, ombudsmen, or the courts can be exhausting, expensive, … Continue reading Get SAFE Community Briefing: Government Review of Opt-Out Collective Actions →

Beyond Human Capital: Lessons for Holistic Wealth Planners

For decades, human capital theory has dominated the way economists explain income and productivity. It suggests that individuals who earn more do so because they are more productive — their skills, education, and abilities are framed as “capital” that generates higher returns. But a closer look reveals deep flaws in this way of thinking. In … Continue reading Beyond Human Capital: Lessons for Holistic Wealth Planners →

Wealth Beyond Money: Lessons from Human Capital Research

“Wealth is not just what you own, it’s what you embody.” A fascinating study on Human Capital, Poverty, and Income Distribution in developing countries offers powerful lessons not only for governments but for us as planners. The findings show that investments in education, health, gender equity, and nutrition are as crucial to reducing poverty and … Continue reading Wealth Beyond Money: Lessons from Human Capital Research →

Why the Robots Are Beating Advisers – And Why That’s Good News for You

Artificial intelligence has just cleared another milestone. An AI system called Aida sat the Chartered Insurance Institute’s Diploma in Financial Advice—and outperformed human advisers on average across all six exams. For the advice industry, this is a shockwave. For the public, it’s a wake-up call. The message is clear: machines are learning financial advice faster … Continue reading Why the Robots Are Beating Advisers – And Why That’s Good News for You →

From the Top Down: How Jes Staley’s Barclays Culture Harmed Customers — And Why We Need Empowerment Models Now

When regulators finally banned Ex-Barclays CEO Jes Staley from senior management in June 2025, it was presented as proof that integrity matters at the top of financial services. The FCA found that Staley misled them over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, approving letters that downplayed their closeness and contact timeline. The Upper Tribunal agreed he … Continue reading From the Top Down: How Jes Staley’s Barclays Culture Harmed Customers — And Why We Need Empowerment Models Now →

Wealth Beyond Money: Why Human Capabilities Matter More Than Capital

For too long, financial planning has been trapped in a narrow frame: wealth as numbers on a balance sheet, capital as assets to be managed, and success as market returns. But what if we’ve been missing the bigger picture all along? The truth is simple yet profound: wealth is not just financial capital – it’s … Continue reading Wealth Beyond Money: Why Human Capabilities Matter More Than Capital →

Why Now? Why Financial Planners Must Switch from Extraction to Empowerment

The financial planning profession stands at a crossroads. For decades, the dominant model has been extraction—advisers taking a percentage of client assets under management, year after year, regardless of whether real value was delivered. But a profound shift is under way, and those who fail to adapt risk being left behind. The Great Wealth Transfer … Continue reading Why Now? Why Financial Planners Must Switch from Extraction to Empowerment →

When Bankers Betray Trust: Why Structural Change is Needed

Sometimes I’m accused of being disingenuous when I say, “bankers in general can’t be trusted.” People hear it as a sweeping statement, unfair to the many good people working in finance. Then stories like this one come along. This week, former Co-operative Bank chairman Paul Flowers was ordered by the CPS to repay £184,862 to … Continue reading When Bankers Betray Trust: Why Structural Change is Needed →