For the ones they’re grooming.For the ones they say don’t need that cash for five years.For the ones about to be sold down the river in the name of “growth.” This is for you. Welcome to the Snake Pit They called it “idle cash.” They said it had “wrinkles.” So, in a six-week feeding frenzy, … Continue reading Fattening Up Mice for Snakes: Inside the FCA’s “Sprint” to Feed the City
Author: Steve Conley
Steve Conley is the founder of the Academy of Life Planning, a movement dedicated to restoring human agency in financial planning and helping people navigate life's decisions with greater confidence, capability and independence.
With over 40 years' experience in financial services, Steve has held senior leadership roles with HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander and Royal London. A Chartered Financial Planner and Chartered Insurer, he combines deep industry expertise with a passion for challenging systems that leave people unnecessarily dependent on experts.
Steve believes the future of financial planning is not about replacing advisers with artificial intelligence, but using AI to strengthen people's ability to understand, question and make informed decisions for themselves. This philosophy underpins Academy OS, a growing ecosystem of AI-powered tools designed to help individuals, families and planners build capability rather than dependency.
Through the Academy of Life Planning, Steve works with financial planners, organisations and individuals who share a vision of a more transparent, ethical and human-centred approach to planning. His work spans education, research, technology, speaking and professional development, with a focus on creating practical solutions that improve financial capability and restore confidence in decision-making.
Steve is also the creator of the Total Wealth Planner approach, which recognises that a fulfilling life depends on far more than money alone. By integrating financial, personal, social and purpose-driven wellbeing, he helps people pursue what he calls "enough"—a life of balance, resilience and meaning.
As a speaker, mentor and author of *Your Money or Your Life: Unmask the Highway Robbers*, Steve continues to challenge conventional thinking about financial planning, arguing that the profession's greatest opportunity is to move beyond advice alone and become a catalyst for greater human agency.
To learn more or connect with Steve, visit the Academy of Life Planning or email steve@academyoflifeplanning.com.
Your Money or Your Life: The Silence of the Law
For Al —and for every victim silenced by a system sworn to protect them. 🕯️ In Honour of Al A man who stood alone against the machine.Who lost his home, but not his voice.Who refused to be erased. 🔍 The Injustice Unmasked In 2024, Al —78 years old and no stranger to life’s trials—was robbed.Not … Continue reading Your Money or Your Life: The Silence of the Law
Family-Focused Life Planning in the Age of Boomerang Children: Co-Designing a Future That Works for Everyone
In an era marked by housing unaffordability, insecure employment, and widening generational inequality, the rise of the boomerang child—adult children who return to or remain in the family home—has become more than a passing trend. It's a defining feature of modern family life. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, nearly one in five young … Continue reading Family-Focused Life Planning in the Age of Boomerang Children: Co-Designing a Future That Works for Everyone
The Hidden Risks Behind Consolidated Advice Firms – What You Need to Know
By Steve Conley, Founder of the Academy of Life Planning The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is turning up the heat on financial advice firms that have been sold to consolidators — particularly those backed by private equity (PE) and loaded with offshore debt. Their latest review reveals a complex web of ownership structures, high-risk borrowing, … Continue reading The Hidden Risks Behind Consolidated Advice Firms – What You Need to Know
Your Money or Your Life: The Great Advice Review Scam
How the FCA Let “Coffee and Cake” Count as Compliance 🕯️ For the everyday investors who thought they were paying for peace of mind, not pastries in a Tesco car park. The Injustice Unmasked Imagine being charged thousands every year for “ongoing financial advice” only to find out that bumping into your adviser in a … Continue reading Your Money or Your Life: The Great Advice Review Scam
Holistic Wealth Planners: The Financial Concierge for a Borderless World
As high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) continue to leave the UK in significant numbers, traditional financial advisers face an increasingly complex challenge: maintaining trusted relationships across borders in a tightly regulated landscape. Recent data from Savory & Partners reveals a sharp uptick in UK relocation enquiries following the Autumn 2024 Budget, with destinations such as the UAE, … Continue reading Holistic Wealth Planners: The Financial Concierge for a Borderless World
Human Capital: The Catalyst for Economic Renewal — and How the GAME Plan Can Unlock It
By Steve Conley | April 2025 | Academy of Life Planning As governments worldwide grapple with economic volatility, rising inequality, and dwindling fiscal room, one resource stands above all others in determining a nation’s future: its people. More than natural resources, infrastructure, or foreign investment, it is the human capital endowment—the skills, health, knowledge, and … Continue reading Human Capital: The Catalyst for Economic Renewal — and How the GAME Plan Can Unlock It
When Justice Protects Itself: The Case for Institutional Accountability in the Face of Financial Fraud
By Steve Conley, Academy of Life Planning In any society that calls itself just, the legal system exists to serve the people — to uphold the principles of fairness, truth, and accountability. But what happens when that same system retreats behind its own walls, prioritising institutional self-preservation over the public interest? The story of Helen … Continue reading When Justice Protects Itself: The Case for Institutional Accountability in the Face of Financial Fraud
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 … Continue reading When Capital Is Stolen: Reclaiming Our Wealth in a Corrupted System
Proper Planning or Partial Planning? Why Holistic Wealth Planning Is the Financial Advice Our Clients Deserve
By Steve Conley, Founder – Academy of Life Planning In response to a recent conversation on LinkedIn, I feel compelled to clarify a common misconception: that holistic wealth planning, such as that offered through the GAME Plan, is an optional extra—a “Rolls Royce service” only for the few. In truth, it is financial planning done … Continue reading Proper Planning or Partial Planning? Why Holistic Wealth Planning Is the Financial Advice Our Clients Deserve
