Same Expertise. Different Price.

Same Expertise. Different Price. The Academy of Life Planning has launched a new Cost Comparison Calculator to show what happens when the same level of professional expertise is priced in two very different ways. A Chartered Financial Planner can work in two fundamentally different models. As a conventional financial adviser, they may charge an ongoing … Continue reading Same Expertise. Different Price.

Financial Iceberg: ChatGPT Exposes Hidden Truths

Today I came across this post on LinkedIn: I ACCIDENTALLY UNLOCKED "GOD MODE" IN CHATGPT,AND IT STARTED TEACHING ME THINGS I DIDN'T KNEW EXISTED.HERE ARE THOSE 7 CHATGPT PROMPTS THAT WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING FOR YOU:Forbidden Wisdom DecoderPrompt:What are the lesser-known, under-the-surface truths about [insert topic/field] that are rarely shared publicly because they challenge mainstream thinking? … Continue reading Financial Iceberg: ChatGPT Exposes Hidden Truths

You Don’t Have to Abandon Advice to Start Restoring Agency

Many regulated financial advisers can see that the relationship between clients, technology and professional expertise is changing. They understand the argument for greater client capability. They recognise that AI is reducing information asymmetry. They may even agree that financial planning should leave people more able to understand, choose and act for themselves. But agreement does … Continue reading You Don’t Have to Abandon Advice to Start Restoring Agency

Agency Story No. 1: The Widow Who Didn’t Need Another Financial Adviser

 Success should not always mean client retention Our inner circle discussed yesterday the example of a recently widowed client who initially lacked the confidence to manage her finances. After 18 months of patient explanation and practical support, she became capable of managing them independently. The planner became progressively less necessary. That is not a failed … Continue reading Agency Story No. 1: The Widow Who Didn’t Need Another Financial Adviser

Before You Accept That Graduate Financial Planning Job, Ask Yourself One Question

Not every financial planning career is built to achieve the same purpose. A growing number of graduates are entering financial planning because they genuinely want to help people. They enjoy personal finance. They care about psychology. They like solving problems. They want to make a positive difference to people's lives. The profession needs people like … Continue reading Before You Accept That Graduate Financial Planning Job, Ask Yourself One Question

From AI User to Total Wealth Planner: A Different Kind of Client Journey

What happened when one person spent weeks exploring Academy OS before asking for human support. For years, I've argued that artificial intelligence won't eliminate the need for financial planners. Instead, I believe it will change when people seek support, why they seek it, and what they expect from the conversation. Recently, I saw that theory … Continue reading From AI User to Total Wealth Planner: A Different Kind of Client Journey

Academy OS Is Now Live: AI That Strengthens Human Agency

For the past year, I've been building something that has gradually become much bigger than a collection of AI tools. Today, I'm pleased to announce the launch of the new Academy OS page on the Academy of Life Planning website. This isn't simply a software catalogue. It represents a different philosophy about the relationship between … Continue reading Academy OS Is Now Live: AI That Strengthens Human Agency

The Great Unbundling of Financial Planning

What Happens When AI Can Do Most of the Regulated Work? For thirty years, financial planning and financial advice have largely travelled together. In practice, most consumers have experienced financial planning through the lens of regulated financial advice. The planner gathered information, analysed circumstances, made recommendations, arranged products, implemented transactions, reviewed outcomes, and managed ongoing … Continue reading The Great Unbundling of Financial Planning

Restore Human Agency — and What That Means for the Future of Financial Planning

For years, the financial planning profession has largely been built around one central assumption: People need experts to take control. Control of investments.Control of products.Control of complexity.Control of decision-making. That model made sense in an era where financial information was scarce, expensive, fragmented, and difficult for ordinary people to access. But the world has changed. … Continue reading Restore Human Agency — and What That Means for the Future of Financial Planning

The FCA’s Tone Has Changed. And So Has the Risk.

Your Money or Your Life — Part II Last year, the Financial Conduct Authority effectively told the advice market not to panic. After two years of scrutiny into ongoing advice services, the regulator concluded that: 83% of reviews had taken place, 15% of clients had declined or ignored reviews, and fewer than 2% involved no … Continue reading The FCA’s Tone Has Changed. And So Has the Risk.