By Steve Conley, Founder – Academy of Life Planning For two thousand years, humanity has lived under the long shadow of the Age of Pisces — the age of empire, conquest, and control. It began with the Romans and spread across continents through systems of colonisation that divided spirit from matter, body from soul, and … Continue reading From the Age of Exploitation to the Age of Empowerment
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The Hidden Time Bomb in UK Finance: Why Private Credit Needs Smart Regulation Now
By Steve Conley One of the biggest latent risks in UK financial services has just been spotlighted by the Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey — and the implications for households, investors, and the broader economy are profound. In a recent address, Bailey conceded that while private credit shouldn’t be regulated like traditional banks, the … Continue reading The Hidden Time Bomb in UK Finance: Why Private Credit Needs Smart Regulation Now
🌍 Total Wealth Planning™ on the Rise: U.S. Advisors Validate the Global Shift Toward Holistic Advice
When Cerulli Associates released their U.S. Advisor Metrics 2025 report this month, one message stood out loud and clear: financial planning—not product distribution—is now the growth engine of the wealth management industry. Across the United States, advisors are doubling down on comprehensive, client-centred planning. On average, each advisor now offers seven distinct services, of which … Continue reading 🌍 Total Wealth Planning™ on the Rise: U.S. Advisors Validate the Global Shift Toward Holistic Advice
🧩 Hartley Pensions: Anatomy of a Systemic Failure
Why 6,000 savers are still waiting — and what it reveals about Britain’s broken financial guardianship When the Minister for Pensions, Torsten Bell, says the government “does not have the power to intervene” in the Hartley Pensions collapse, it is more than a bureaucratic statement — it is a confession of structural helplessness. More than … Continue reading 🧩 Hartley Pensions: Anatomy of a Systemic Failure
The Exploiters’ Playbook
How UK borrowers’ payments are routed through a web of orphan companies in London and offshore SPVs — tax-written to minimise leakage and shield investors from insolvency, while borrowers are kept in the dark Banks tell customers: “We’re still your lender.” Behind the scenes the credit has already been sliced, shipped and securitised. The industry … Continue reading The Exploiters’ Playbook
Britain’s Hidden Blast Radius: How Millions Are Trapped in Structurally Untrustworthy Debt — and What We Can Do About It
When the Post Office Horizon scandal shocked the nation, people asked, “How could this happen for so long?”The harder question is: how many other systems are quietly doing the same thing—every single day? The uncomfortable truth is that a far larger structural failure exists at the heart of Britain’s financial system.It doesn’t make the evening … Continue reading Britain’s Hidden Blast Radius: How Millions Are Trapped in Structurally Untrustworthy Debt — and What We Can Do About It
The Fraud We Don’t Prosecute – Because It Wears a Suit and Writes the Rules
What the Lloyds/HBOS and Post Office scandals reveal about Britain’s “too big to prosecute” economy – and why we must build something better. When fraud kicks in your door and steals £50,000, blue lights arrive. When fraud walks through the back door of a bank and steals £50 million, nobody comes. That, in essence, was … Continue reading The Fraud We Don’t Prosecute – Because It Wears a Suit and Writes the Rules
Crossing the Abyss: The Two Stages of Surrender
How the Divine Designer and the GAME Plan™ complete the same circle Over a decade ago, Richard Barrett described the five steps of soul activation — the journey from ego to purpose, culminating in surrender to the soul.Now, he describes another step: surrender to the One Mind — the field of unity beyond even the … Continue reading Crossing the Abyss: The Two Stages of Surrender
Most financial plans are built on products, not purpose
Yesterday, during our CPD Masterclass The Structurally Trustworthy Architect, a new member challenged me when I said, “Most people’s financial plans are built on products, not purpose.” He was adamant that good financial planners—like him—do factor in human capital strategies when building lifetime cashflow plans. I said, “Then you’re the first financial adviser I’ve met … Continue reading Most financial plans are built on products, not purpose
The Corruption We Don’t Prosecute — Because It Wears a Suit and Writes the Rules
By Steve Conley, Academy of Life Planning9 December 2025 The government’s new anti-corruption drive made headlines this week. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy promised to “hunt down corrupt lawyers, accountants and bankers” — the so-called professional enablers of dirty money. It’s a strong statement. But beneath the rhetoric lies a troubling silence: the campaign targets … Continue reading The Corruption We Don’t Prosecute — Because It Wears a Suit and Writes the Rules
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