By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning When Sarah Pritchard, Deputy CEO at the Financial Conduct Authority, called targeted support “revolutionary and quite radical,” she wasn’t wrong — but the revolution may not be the one consumers need. The FCA’s new targeted support framework promises to close the advice gap by allowing firms to … Continue reading Targeted Support or Targeted Sales? Who Really Benefits from the FCA’s ‘Radical’ Reform?
Tag: ai
🌍 Beyond Robo-Advice: How Life-First AI Can Redefine Wealth for Humanity
“If we train AI on product pipelines, it will entrench dependency.If we train it on human purpose, it will amplify sovereignty.” Artificial intelligence is transforming finance — but so far, it’s been trained to think like a salesperson, not a human being. Recent moves by big tech into financial advice (see below) signal a powerful … Continue reading 🌍 Beyond Robo-Advice: How Life-First AI Can Redefine Wealth for Humanity
⚖️ Synthesis: The Subtle Convergence of AI Adoption and Industry Capture in Financial Planning
AI adoption in financial services is being celebrated as a breakthrough in efficiency, compliance, and client experience. However, beneath the optimism lies a quieter, more consequential transformation: the fusion of automation with legacy industry assumptions. At face value, these discussions appear progressive — focused on productivity, human-AI collaboration, and ethical awareness. The rhetoric emphasises safety, … Continue reading ⚖️ Synthesis: The Subtle Convergence of AI Adoption and Industry Capture in Financial Planning
🌍 The Age of Empowerment: Building a Future Where People Train the Machines
“The river of humanity always finds its way to the sea — no matter how many rocks lie in its path.” The age of empowerment has begun. For centuries, power has flowed upwards — from people to institutions, from workers to shareholders, from communities to corporations. The financial system became the crown jewel of that … Continue reading 🌍 The Age of Empowerment: Building a Future Where People Train the Machines
Litigant in Person: How to Survive and Succeed When the System Leaves You on Your Own
By Steve Conley, Founder of the Academy of Life Planning & Get SAFE “He who represents himself has a fool for a client.”— Abraham Lincoln Perhaps that was true in the 19th century.But in 2025, with AI, open knowledge, and solidarity between citizen investigators, that saying is being rewritten. ⚖️ A David vs Goliath Battle … Continue reading Litigant in Person: How to Survive and Succeed When the System Leaves You on Your Own
📰 From Headlines to Justice: How Citizen Investigators Can Use AI to Track Their Cases
“Information is power — but only if you can keep hold of it.” One of the biggest frustrations for victims of financial exploitation is that stories flare up in the news and then… nothing. Months go by. Updates are hidden behind paywalls or buried in regulatory filings. By the time the next development surfaces, it’s … Continue reading 📰 From Headlines to Justice: How Citizen Investigators Can Use AI to Track Their Cases
FCA Opens Door to Adviser Charging for Targeted Support – But Who Will Pay?
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has on Friday published its latest consultation paper (CP25/26), opening the door for adviser firms to charge consumers for “targeted support”. This new category of regulated activity is pitched as a middle ground between full financial advice and generic guidance, aimed at helping millions of people who may not be … Continue reading FCA Opens Door to Adviser Charging for Targeted Support – But Who Will Pay?
The Future of AI: Lessons for Financial Planners
Every few generations, technology rewrites the rules of society. The steam engine drove the Industrial Revolution. The internet transformed communication, commerce, and culture. Now, AI is reshaping entire industries, including financial services and insurance. For planners in the Academy, the message is clear: AI isn’t optional. It’s existential. The firms and advisers who embrace it … Continue reading The Future of AI: Lessons for Financial Planners
🤖💬 AI & Client Data: What You Need to Know (Q&A)
By Steve Conley | Financial Life Coach | Academy of Life Planning As more tools like ChatGPT, Fathom, and other AI assistants become integrated into financial and legacy planning, clients are asking an important question: “Where does my data go—and is it safe?” In this short Q&A, I’ll walk you through exactly how client data … Continue reading 🤖💬 AI & Client Data: What You Need to Know (Q&A)
Why Now? Why It Makes No Sense to Delay Learning New Skills
“The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second-best time is today.” As life planners, we are in the business of preparing people for the future. But there’s a danger: while we focus on helping our clients prepare, we sometimes forget to apply the same wisdom to ourselves. The study on … Continue reading Why Now? Why It Makes No Sense to Delay Learning New Skills
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