Author: Steve Conley

Steve Conley brings over four decades of innovation and expertise to the forefront of financial planning. As the founder and driving force behind the Academy of Life Planning and HapNav Ltd, Steve has been a pivotal figure in transforming financial services to be more democratic and decentralised. His role as a Game Plan Practitioner, Coach, Mentor, Speaker, and Author of "Your Money or Your Life: Unmask the Highway Robbers - Enjoy Wealth in Every Area of Your Life" underlines his comprehensive approach to financial education. The Academy of Life Planning, hailed as the "Most Pioneering Financial Planner Network," reflects Steve's commitment to fostering transparency, integrity, and accessibility. This institution serves as a testament to his dedication to enhancing the financial planning landscape. Under Steve's innovative leadership, HapNav Ltd has launched groundbreaking advancements, including the first end-user financial planning app integrated with open banking. This app guides users towards achieving 'Kokoro'—a life rich in financial, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual abundance. Recently, Steve introduced "Planning My Life" and "Financial Life Coach"—services that extend his ethos into practical, impactful tools for financial autonomy. "Planning My Life" offers an affordable subscription model, giving members access to an AI Life Planner, comprehensive resources, and expert insights. These initiatives epitomise Steve’s commitment to empowering individuals, nurturing community growth, and contributing significantly to global efforts to eradicate poverty. Steve's journey is more than a career; it's a steadfast crusade to revolutionise financial education and planning, creating a world where financial wellbeing is not just attainable, but enriches every aspect of our lives. Contact steve.conley@aolp.co.uk.

Pension transfer protections are changing. Overseas investment risk must not be hidden.

The Government has opened a consultation on new protections for people transferring pensions into Small Self-Administered Schemes, known as SSASs. You can read the Government consultation here:Protecting pension savers: proposals to amend the transfer regulations Some of the proposed changes are welcome. But one part of the proposal should concern anyone who cares about pension … Continue reading Pension transfer protections are changing. Overseas investment risk must not be hidden. →

Only 9% Are on Course for a Comfortable Retirement. The Real Problem Is Not Just Pension Saving.

A newspaper headline this week captured something many people already feel in their bones: Only 9% of the working population are on course for a comfortable retirement. Another headline put the figure even more starkly: The £1.2m cost of a comfortable retirement in Britain today. The story is familiar. People are living longer. The cost … Continue reading Only 9% Are on Course for a Comfortable Retirement. The Real Problem Is Not Just Pension Saving. →

Should clients use AI to check a financial adviser’s suitability report?

A financial adviser may object to The Leveller being used on a suitability report for several overlapping reasons. Some are legitimate. Some are defensive. The fair version is this: a suitability report is a regulated artefact. It is meant to evidence the adviser’s professional judgement, the client’s circumstances, the rationale for the recommendation, the risks, … Continue reading Should clients use AI to check a financial adviser’s suitability report? →

Dead Firms. Live Harm. Delayed Justice.

Why agency before advice is becoming a consumer protection necessity A financial firm can disappear. The harm it caused often does not. That is the uncomfortable lesson emerging from recent analysis of Financial Ombudsman Service complaints and the wider enforcement record across UK financial services. Complaints are still being upheld against firms that are no … Continue reading Dead Firms. Live Harm. Delayed Justice. →

The Wealth We Keep Forgetting: Lessons on Human Capital for Total Wealth Planners

For decades, financial planning has been built around a narrow idea of wealth. Money. Assets. Investments. Pensions. Portfolios. Tax wrappers. These things matter. But they are not the whole story. In many cases, they are not even the starting point. The deeper question is this: What enables a person to live well, adapt, contribute, recover, … Continue reading The Wealth We Keep Forgetting: Lessons on Human Capital for Total Wealth Planners →

Academy OS: An Ecosystem for Restoring Human Agency in the Age of AI

The Academy of Life Planning has reached an important point in its development. For many years, the Academy has built, tested and refined tools to help people plan their lives before their money. The language has evolved. The technology has improved. The delivery methods have changed. But the underlying purpose has remained steady. The mission … Continue reading Academy OS: An Ecosystem for Restoring Human Agency in the Age of AI →

The Advice Diaspora: Why the Future of Planning May Belong to Those Who Leave the Old System Behind

For years, the financial advice industry has told itself a comforting story. That story says the public needs advice because money is complex, regulation is difficult, products are technical, and ordinary people cannot be expected to make good decisions without professional guidance. There is some truth in that. Money decisions can be complex. Pensions, tax, … Continue reading The Advice Diaspora: Why the Future of Planning May Belong to Those Who Leave the Old System Behind →

The Financial Advice Market Is Still Selling Dependency. Consumers Are Moving Towards Agency.

How should we understand the emerging shift from dependency to agency in the financial advice market, particularly as AI reduces information asymmetry and increases consumers’ ability to understand, model and challenge financial decisions for themselves? My working hypothesis is that the supply side of the market remains relatively rigid and anchored in the traditional dependency … Continue reading The Financial Advice Market Is Still Selling Dependency. Consumers Are Moving Towards Agency. →

The Pie Gets Bigger. The Pieces Don’t Redistribute on Their Own.

There are two easy stories about AI and jobs. The first says everything will be fine. Technology makes work cheaper, the economy grows, people move into better roles, and the disruption eventually settles into progress. The second says the opposite. AI will wipe out millions of jobs, hollow out professions, and leave people stranded before … Continue reading The Pie Gets Bigger. The Pieces Don’t Redistribute on Their Own. →