By the Academy of Life Planning
The uncomfortable truth about most contracts
Most contracts in financial services aren’t written for you.
They’re written:
- to protect the provider
- to reduce liability
- to lock in revenue
And too often, they rely on:
- complexity
- inertia
- and the assumption that you won’t read them
That’s not a criticism of individuals.
It’s a reflection of a system built on intermediation, not agency.
At the Academy of Life Planning, we’ve taken a different path.
We tested our own contract—on purpose
We didn’t just write a contract and move on.
We put it through independent scrutiny using The Leveller™ —a contract intelligence tool designed to surface:
- hidden risks
- unfair clauses
- power imbalances
For more information on The Leveller™ visit our website.
The result?
A contract rated “Generally Fair”, with notably consumer-friendly features and transparent terms
But more importantly, it forced us to ask:
If we believe in restoring human agency… does our contract reflect that?
What we changed—and why
We didn’t aim for perfection.
We aimed for alignment.
Here’s what that looks like in practice.
1. You can leave whenever you want
There are:
- no lock-ins
- no exit penalties
- no hidden conditions
You can cancel at any time.
Your access continues until the end of your paid period.
That’s deliberate.
Because dependency is not a business model we believe in.
2. We explain things in plain English
At the top of our agreement is a human-readable summary.
Not legal language.
Not small print.
Just:
- what you’re signing up for
- what you’re not
- what to watch out for
Because clarity shouldn’t require a law degree.
3. We make trade-offs visible
Some things are structural.
For example:
- If you choose instant access to digital content
- You give up your 14-day “change of mind” cancellation right
That’s not a trap.
That’s a trade-off.
We make it explicit, and we give you a choice:
- start immediately
- or wait and retain flexibility
That’s what informed consent looks like.
4. We don’t promise outcomes we can’t control
We don’t guarantee:
- income
- business success
- client acquisition
Because those depend on:
- your decisions
- your effort
- your context
What we do commit to is:
- delivering with reasonable care and skill
- providing tools, structure, and support
- helping you build something that is yours
That’s the difference between guidance and dependency.
5. You can use what you learn
Our intellectual property is protected.
But your ability to build your own practice is not restricted.
You can:
- apply the frameworks
- adapt the ideas
- use them with your clients
You just can’t:
- copy and resell our materials as-is
Because this isn’t about control.
It’s about respecting the source while empowering the user.
6. We don’t rely on fine print
We’ve deliberately removed:
- vague wording
- blanket exclusions
- hidden limitations
And where we retain discretion—such as managing behaviour within the community—we anchor it in:
- evidence
- proportionality
- and fairness
Because trust is built in the details.
Why the contract still isn’t “perfect”
If you run our contract through The Leveller, it won’t score 100.
And that’s intentional.
Because a real-world contract must balance:
- consumer protection
- business sustainability
- intellectual property
- and community integrity
If we removed:
- renewal structures
- IP protections
- or termination rights
We wouldn’t have a viable model.
So instead, we do something different:
We make those boundaries visible—and fair.
This is bigger than a contract
This isn’t just about legal drafting.
It’s about a shift in mindset:
From:
- “How do we protect ourselves from the client?”
To:
- “How do we create a fair agreement between equals?”
A quiet challenge to the industry
If your contract:
- can’t be explained in plain English
- relies on inertia or confusion
- or would fail independent scrutiny
Then the issue isn’t the wording.
It’s the model behind it.
Our commitment
We won’t always get everything perfect.
But we will:
- keep things transparent
- keep improving
- and keep aligning what we say with what we do
Because if we’re serious about restoring human agency…
it has to show up everywhere—including the contract.
If you’re considering working with us
Take your time.
Read the agreement.
Ask questions.
Challenge anything that doesn’t feel right.
That’s not a barrier.
That’s the point.
Academy of Life Planning
Replacing extraction with empowerment
Academy of Life Planning 