By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning The Industry’s Blind Spot Every few months, headlines lament the “advice gap.” We’re told there aren’t enough advisers, that regulation is too heavy, and that clients can’t access affordable advice. The response? Train more advisers. Build more academies. Loosen the rules. But this narrative misses the deeper … Continue reading We Don’t Need More Intermediaries — We Need to Democratise Financial Planning
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.
💡 When the OECD Calls It a Constraint, We Call It a Recalibration
Why Britain’s New Tax Era Could Unlock Human Capital Growth “A nation can tax wealth and still grow — if it grows its people.”— Steve Conley, Academy of Life Planning ⚖️ The Headlines Mislead The OECD has warned that Rachel Reeves’s record tax rises will “constrain economic growth for years” and “deter saving.”Their logic is … Continue reading 💡 When the OECD Calls It a Constraint, We Call It a Recalibration
🏦 The Rules of the Game Are Being Rewritten Again — and the Referees Are Looking the Other Way
By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning & Get SAFE Initiative The quiet return of deregulation When Paul Thwaite, the chief executive of NatWest, declared this week that the UK is “closer to the start than the finish line” in its mission to overhaul regulation, he wasn’t issuing a warning. He was celebrating. And … Continue reading 🏦 The Rules of the Game Are Being Rewritten Again — and the Referees Are Looking the Other Way
When Algorithms Replace Empathy: The Human Cost of Automated Banking
By Steve Conley, Academy of Life Planning & Get SAFE On Christmas Day, a man received a text message from Lloyds Bank demanding repayment of a loan.He had lost his job during the pandemic, was living in a friend’s spare room, and doing his best to hold his life together. The message arrived just before … Continue reading When Algorithms Replace Empathy: The Human Cost of Automated Banking
💣 When the Bank Runs Dry: What Lloyds’ 2011 Meltdown Reveals About the Hidden Mortgage Machine
In 2011, Lloyds Banking Group — the trusted black horse of the British high street — was secretly broke. Its CEO, António Horta-Osório, discovered too late that the bank had been surviving not on depositor cash, but on borrowed money — “hundreds of billions of pounds from other institutions,” as the Financial Times later reported. … Continue reading 💣 When the Bank Runs Dry: What Lloyds’ 2011 Meltdown Reveals About the Hidden Mortgage Machine
Ireland Exposes What the UK Must Confront: The Hidden Truth Behind Mortgage Ownership
By Steve Conley, Academy of Life Planning A landmark case in Dublin this week has pulled back the curtain on a truth that applies equally here in the UK — most homeowners no longer have a mortgage with a bank at all. In Ireland, Judge Geoffrey Shannon of the Circuit Civil Court refused to grant … Continue reading Ireland Exposes What the UK Must Confront: The Hidden Truth Behind Mortgage Ownership
When AI Knows the Law: What Becomes of the Lawyer? And What It Means for Citizen Investigators
By Steve Conley | Academy of Life Planning / Get SAFE “Knowing the law will be one thing — but AI will also know the law. The question is, what do you bring on top of that?”— Max Junestrand, CEO, Legora The legal world is being shaken to its foundations. Not by a new statute … Continue reading When AI Knows the Law: What Becomes of the Lawyer? And What It Means for Citizen Investigators
🏠 Are All Mortgages Mis-Sold? The Hidden Risk Nobody Told You About
By Steve Conley | Academy of Life Planning / Get SAFE When you took out your mortgage, did your adviser explain who really owns it? Did they tell you about the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) — the offshore company your mortgage was almost certainly sold to, beyond the reach of UK regulation, consumer protection, or … Continue reading 🏠 Are All Mortgages Mis-Sold? The Hidden Risk Nobody Told You About
Calling All Financial Planners: It’s Time to Reskill as a Total Wealth Planner
The financial world is changing fast — and so must you.If you’re a financial planner still focused on products and portfolios, it’s time to invest in yourself. The future belongs to Total Wealth Planners — professionals who help people plan their lives, not just their money. Here’s why this shift isn’t optional — it’s your … Continue reading Calling All Financial Planners: It’s Time to Reskill as a Total Wealth Planner
Why the new TPR alert matters — and why we at Get SAFE care
This week’s call by TPR for trustees to “step up and sign the pledge” — Pledge to Combat Pension Scams — should sound a serious alarm for anyone concerned with protecting retirement savings — and ideally mark a turning point in how pension fraud is treated. As BBC Scam Safe week shines a spotlight on … Continue reading Why the new TPR alert matters — and why we at Get SAFE care
Academy of Life Planning 