The financial services landscape in the UK has seen significant shifts over the last few decades, but one critical mistake has caused lasting damage: the failure to recognise the difference between financial planning and financial advice. It’s a mistake that has led to a significant "planning gap" – a void in the services offered to … Continue reading Financial Planning: Filling the Gap Left by Financial Advice
Tag: Financial Planning
Paving the Way: A Professional Pathway for Aspiring Financial Planners
When we talk about financial planning, many people think of it as synonymous with financial advice. But in reality, they are two distinct disciplines, with financial planning offering a much broader, person-centred approach. As the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) puts it: “A financial planner focuses on you – your goals, your aspirations, … Continue reading Paving the Way: A Professional Pathway for Aspiring Financial Planners
The Trusted Adviser Project: From Industry to Profession
Tell me, do you ever wish financial planning was seen more as a profession—and less of a product sales-driven industry? Maybe you’ve spent years building assets under management, and recurring revenue makes up most of your earnings. But now, with the FCA raising concerns about whether ongoing advice is even relevant for 90% of the … Continue reading The Trusted Adviser Project: From Industry to Profession
Choosing a Red or Blue Ocean Strategy in Financial Services
Just the other day, someone commented on social media, "Well, financial planning certainly hasn't seen a great take-up thus far, has it!" – Financial advice tech consultant. This sparked a thought. From a marketing perspective, businesses often navigate between two different types of strategies: Red Ocean and Blue Ocean. These terms paint a vivid picture … Continue reading Choosing a Red or Blue Ocean Strategy in Financial Services
Become a Holistic Financial Planner and Thrive Beyond Traditional Financial Advice
Many traditional financial planners find themselves at a crossroads. The weight of heavy regulation, the stress of compliance, professional indemnity insurance costs, and the ever-present pressure to sell financial products can take a toll. For many, it’s no longer just about offering the best advice, but navigating a system that demands more paperwork, more insurance, … Continue reading Become a Holistic Financial Planner and Thrive Beyond Traditional Financial Advice
The Great Adviser Exodus: Embracing a Values-Based Future in Financial Planning
The financial advice industry is seeing more professionals leaving than joining. And it’s not hard to see why. Financial advice, tied so closely to product sales, has increasingly become a sector dominated by sales targets and covering backs, rather than client care. This doesn’t align with what many of today’s new entrants to the workforce … Continue reading The Great Adviser Exodus: Embracing a Values-Based Future in Financial Planning
The GAME Plan: The Answer to Today’s Most Pressing Problems, Challenges, and Goals
In a world filled with complexity and uncertainty, people are constantly seeking solutions—whether for personal challenges, societal issues, or global goals. What if there was a singular framework that could address them all? The Academy of Life Planning’s GAME Plan offers just that. It is a comprehensive, science-backed, and empirically proven methodology that provides a … Continue reading The GAME Plan: The Answer to Today’s Most Pressing Problems, Challenges, and Goals
Incentives and Trust in Financial Planning: Are We There Yet?
For decades, we’ve seen efforts to improve the governance of the financial advice industry. Standards have been raised, consumer protections have been strengthened, and professional development has taken centre stage. Yet, despite this progress, the financial advice industry remains just that—an industry focused on manufacturing and distributing investment and insurance products. While the improvements are … Continue reading Incentives and Trust in Financial Planning: Are We There Yet?
Stop Letting the Tax Tail Wag the Dog: Why Simple Financial Strategies Beat Complex Schemes
We’ve all heard the phrase “don’t let the tail wag the dog,” but when it comes to tax planning, too many wealthy individuals are falling into that exact trap. Highly-paid advisers, with the best of intentions, often steer clients into complex, labyrinthine schemes designed to avoid tax. The result? Complicated financial lives and, in some … Continue reading Stop Letting the Tax Tail Wag the Dog: Why Simple Financial Strategies Beat Complex Schemes
Reclaim Your Future: How True Financial Planning Puts You in Control of Your Life and Wealth
The financial services industry often acts like an army of financial capital manufacturers and distributors. Their aim is to secure your disposable income as early as possible and keep it flowing to them throughout your working life. For around 40 years, you're expected to stay on the treadmill, handing over your hard-earned money for them … Continue reading Reclaim Your Future: How True Financial Planning Puts You in Control of Your Life and Wealth
