When thinking about becoming a financial planner, most people picture regulated advisers selling investment products, pensions, and insurance. But what if you could build a rewarding professional career in financial planning without ever recommending or selling a financial product? That’s the key message my good friend Dave Robinson wanted to get across in a recent … Continue reading Financial Planning Without Product Sales: A Professional Path Less Travelled →

Introduction Depression is a prevalent mental health condition in Britain, and its burden has grown in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rates of depressive symptoms surged during the pandemic and remain above pre-2020 levels commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Beyond personal suffering, depression imposes broad economic and social costs – affecting individuals’ quality of life, workplace productivity, public … Continue reading Depression in Post-COVID Britain: Prevalence, Impact, and the Protective Role of Purpose →

By Steve Conley, Academy of Life Planning In March, behind the closed doors of Downing Street, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and the UK’s top regulators met to “cut red tape” in a bid to kickstart economic growth. But while they sharpen the scissors, thousands of families are drowning. Take just one case: 18,000 people trapped in … Continue reading Red Tape or Life Raft? Why Deregulation in Taxation and Trust Advice Is Sinking Families →

This week, a pivotal High Court hearing commenced in London, shining a harsh spotlight on Hartley Pensions Ltd, a failed Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) provider whose collapse has left around 17,000 pensioners uncertain about the safety of their retirement savings. The four-day hearing is more than a legal proceeding—it represents a critical test of the … Continue reading Hartley Pensions Court Case: 17,000 Pensioners Caught in Cross-Border Scandal Seek Justice →

They’re at it again. This week, the headlines screamed:“15 million people at risk of retirement poverty.” Cue the usual suspects: insurers, pensions providers, industry “experts” lining up to wag their fingers at the public.“You’re not saving enough.”“You need to give us more.”“You’ll be poor if you don’t pay up.” Sound familiar? Of course it does. … Continue reading “Retirement Poverty” or Fearmongering? Why They’re Lying to You About Old Age →

When financial professionals speak of unregulated investments, they’re often referring to products outside the scope of the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) regulatory perimeter. But here’s the catch: just because an investment isn’t a collective investment scheme or doesn’t fall under FCA supervision doesn’t mean it exists in a lawless void. There’s an entire world of … Continue reading Beyond the Perimeter: Why ‘Unregulated’ Doesn’t Mean ‘Unregulated’ →

Author’s Note Important: Some readers, especially victims of financial harm, may find elements of this article distressing or offensive. Please be aware that the content aims to present a neutral, factual account of publicly available information about Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group. This article has been written to be compliant, balanced, and legally defensible, … Continue reading Profile of Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group →

The government's recent submission in response to the Waspi (Women Against State Pension Inequality) group's judicial review has stirred both legal and public debate. The core of the government's argument is that the Waspi group's claims are not “properly arguable,” dismissing the grounds as methodological disagreements rather than substantive legal challenges. Waspi has brought two … Continue reading Is the Government’s Stance on Waspi Fair? A Closer Look at the Judicial Review Response →