🌿 The Connect & Contribute Referral Programme A New Way to Grow Your Practice—And Support the Movement Welcome, Planner! At the Academy of Life Planning, we believe in shared success. That’s why we’re excited to introduce Connect & Contribute—our new referral programme that connects values-aligned practitioners like you with individuals actively seeking holistic financial guidance. This is more … Continue reading 🌿 The Connect & Contribute Referral Programme
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.
Preserving UK Family Farms: Succession Strategies for Future Generations
Introduction Small family farms in the UK are facing new succession planning challenges after the 2024 Autumn Budget’s changes to inheritance tax reliefs. The Chancellor’s reforms capped 100% Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) at the first £1 million of qualifying assets, with any value above that getting only 50% relief [fwi.co.ukfwi.co.uk]. In … Continue reading Preserving UK Family Farms: Succession Strategies for Future Generations
Begin Again: The Detox That Awakens the Higher You
By Steve ConleyAcademy of Life Planning It always starts with a whisper. That subtle, quiet discomfort. The tiredness that doesn’t go away. The clutter in the mind. The ache in the chest. The emptiness in the bank account. The gnawing sense that something’s not quite right. You can’t explain it, but you feel it in … Continue reading Begin Again: The Detox That Awakens the Higher You
Phishing Scams: The Five Key Threats Every Financial Planner Must Guard Against
By Steve Conley, Academy of Life Planning As holistic wealth planners, we’re not just guardians of financial well-being—we’re also gatekeepers of client trust and personal security. Yet in today’s digital-first environment, that responsibility extends far beyond traditional financial advice. We’ve become frontline defenders against cyber-enabled fraud, and phishing remains one of the most pervasive threats. … Continue reading Phishing Scams: The Five Key Threats Every Financial Planner Must Guard Against
From ‘Almost Impossible’ to ‘Quite Difficult’: Why Banks Still Escape Justice for Economic Crime
By Steve Conley, Academy of Life Planning IntroductionWhen it comes to prosecuting banks for economic crime, we are not starting at zero—we’re starting from minus ten. The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) was heralded as a turning point in the UK’s ability to hold corporate giants accountable. But as legal experts admit, … Continue reading From ‘Almost Impossible’ to ‘Quite Difficult’: Why Banks Still Escape Justice for Economic Crime
IHT Raid on AIM: A Short-Term Gain, Long-Term Growth Pain
By Steve Conley, Academy of Life Planning22 April 2025 The government's decision to halve inheritance tax (IHT) relief on shares listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) has sent shockwaves through the UK’s growth ecosystem. While the Treasury aims to raise at least £110 million annually from this measure, the fallout for UK entrepreneurship and … Continue reading IHT Raid on AIM: A Short-Term Gain, Long-Term Growth Pain
Unlocking Human Potential: The Power of the Significant S.T.O.R.I.E.S System
At the heart of the Academy of Life Planning’s transformative approach lies a deceptively simple yet profoundly powerful concept: the Significant S.T.O.R.I.E.S System. It’s not a gimmick, not a trend – but a method rooted in ancient wisdom and designed for the real challenges of modern life. This system is part of our broader GAME … Continue reading Unlocking Human Potential: The Power of the Significant S.T.O.R.I.E.S System
Why Retire at All? Rethinking Retirement through a Holistic Wealth Lens
As society faces a growing pension crisis, with the affordability of sustained State pension benefits under increasing pressure, we must challenge our very notion of retirement. At the Academy of Life Planning, our holistic wealth planners see retirement not as an abrupt end to productivity, but as an opportunity to reframe how we contribute meaningfully … Continue reading Why Retire at All? Rethinking Retirement through a Holistic Wealth Lens
Fear as a Tool of Control and Empowerment through Holistic Planning
Introduction Fear has long been used as a powerful instrument to influence and control populations. From despotic empires to modern media, inducing fear can sway public opinion, stifle dissent, and foster compliance. This report explores how fear-based tactics – grounded in psychology, politics, and media – have been employed historically and in contemporary society to … Continue reading Fear as a Tool of Control and Empowerment through Holistic Planning
Your Money or Your Life: The Great Pension Pillage
From Promises to Plunder—How Labour's First Year Has Failed Retirees In honour of every pensioner betrayed by policy dressed as progress. For the workers who kept the country running, and the retirees now footing the bill. “Pensioners deserve security in retirement,” they said. But what have they delivered? Stripped benefits.Frozen thresholds.Punitive taxes.And behind it all—the … Continue reading Your Money or Your Life: The Great Pension Pillage
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