For many families, the family home is their largest asset. But what happens if that home is sold — perhaps to fund care fees in later life? Does the family lose valuable inheritance tax protection? Thankfully, the rules include something called downsizing protection that ensures families aren’t penalised for making difficult decisions. Understanding the Residence … Continue reading Downsizing Protection: How Families Can Preserve the Residence Nil Rate Band
Tag: investing
Weekend Essay: Angela Rayner and the Price of Not Seeking Advice
The resignation of Angela Rayner last week over a Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) dispute has been described as one of the most dramatic political falls in recent years. Once tipped as Labour’s future leader, Rayner now finds herself relegated to the back benches—her career blighted not by scandalous intent, but by a failure to … Continue reading Weekend Essay: Angela Rayner and the Price of Not Seeking Advice
When the Enablers Eat Their Own: True Potential vs St James’s Place
The latest story out of the advice industry tells us everything we need to know about how the system really works. It’s not about clients. It’s about the enablers cutting deals among themselves—each side trying to see who can extract the most from the people they claim to serve. Citywire reports that True Potential is … Continue reading When the Enablers Eat Their Own: True Potential vs St James’s Place
DIY Investors: Stop Listening to Moon Boys
All you DIY investors — it’s time to stop listening to the “moon boys” on TikTok and YouTube promising overnight riches. I might be a so-called TradFi Boomer, but I agree with the FCA on this one: keep it boring. Wealth is not created by gambling on the latest get-rich-quick scheme. Wealth is created, then … Continue reading DIY Investors: Stop Listening to Moon Boys
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
A Different Path in Financial Planning: From Selling Products to Empowering People
Imagine you’re standing at a crossroads. One sign points toward the familiar road — a shiny brochure promising a profession, a pathway, a future in financial planning. It looks secure, respected, and even glamorous. But if you listen closely, you’ll hear echoes: stories of clients mis-sold products, of advisers trapped in sales targets, of trust … Continue reading A Different Path in Financial Planning: From Selling Products to Empowering People
From Exploitation to Empowerment: Why Life Planning Needs a Revolution
Most people enter financial planning with the best intentions. They want to help clients live better lives, not just manage their money. But somewhere along the way, the system twists the purpose. You’re taught that the “business model” of planning depends on assets under management. You measure success by the size of your client’s pot … Continue reading From Exploitation to Empowerment: Why Life Planning Needs a Revolution
The 16 Essentials of a Life Plan: Building Your GAME Plan for Sovereign Living
At the Academy of Life Planning, we believe that true wealth begins not with money, but with meaning. Before you plan your finances, you must plan your life. That’s why we created the GAME Plan — a holistic framework designed to align your values, purpose, and resources with the life you were meant to live. … Continue reading The 16 Essentials of a Life Plan: Building Your GAME Plan for Sovereign Living
🌍 A Vision of Global Empowerment through Life Planning
Imagine a world where every community, no matter how wealthy or resource-constrained, has access to the tools of life planning. Children in schools learn from an early age how to define their goals, recognise their talents, and align their education with purpose. Young adults no longer drift into jobs or debt without direction, but enter … Continue reading 🌍 A Vision of Global Empowerment through Life Planning
The Future of Financial Planning Is Outside the Regulatory Perimeter
For decades, wealth management has been dominated by financial intermediaries—agents of product companies who sit across the table from clients, selling investments and policies. But the next generation of investors is sending a clear message: they don’t want product pushers, they want professional allies. A seismic shift is underway. Capgemini’s 2025 World Wealth Report finds … Continue reading The Future of Financial Planning Is Outside the Regulatory Perimeter
Academy of Life Planning 