In the pursuit of prosperity, policymakers have long debated the balance between growth and fairness. Yet a seminal study by Jean-Marie Viaene and Itzhak Zilcha — “Human Capital Formation, Income Inequality and Growth” (CESifo, 2001) — offers a powerful reminder: the true engine of both progress and equality is education, not capital. Their model, built … Continue reading Reframing Wealth: What Human Capital Teaches Us About Growth and Equality
Tag: money
💡 Budget Watch: What Rachel Reeves’ 100-Measure Budget Could Mean for You
The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is reportedly weighing over a hundred separate tax and spending measures as she prepares the 2025 Budget— the next UK Budget is confirmed for Wednesday 26 November 2025. With the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) warning of slower growth and tighter fiscal space, the government faces difficult choices about who pays, … Continue reading 💡 Budget Watch: What Rachel Reeves’ 100-Measure Budget Could Mean for You
What Economists Teach Us About Human Capital — Lessons for Holistic Wealth Planners
“To reduce unduly expenditure on children may greatly lower their efficiency in after-life.” — Arthur Pigou, The Economics of Welfare (1928) Economists have long recognised that people—not money—are the true source of wealth. A recent academic study by Lucia Rizzica at University College London, Essays on the Economics of Human Capital, offers valuable lessons for … Continue reading What Economists Teach Us About Human Capital — Lessons for Holistic Wealth Planners
🌿 The Sacred Pursuit of Enough: Redefining Money Through Ministry
For centuries, spiritual seekers and professionals alike have wrestled with a painful paradox:Is the pursuit of money wrong? Luke 16:13 reminds us, “No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve both God and money.” Many interpret this as a rejection of wealth itself — a command to forsake material ambition in favour of spiritual … Continue reading 🌿 The Sacred Pursuit of Enough: Redefining Money Through Ministry
The Enabling Environment: Why Structural Trust Is the True Engine of Wealth
“The key for the future of any country lies in the talent, skills, and capabilities of its people.”— Dr. Mahesh U. Daru, Human Capital: The Tool for Economic Growth and Development When we talk about wealth, our culture still reaches first for money. But as Dr. Mahesh Daru’s paper reminds us, it is people—not capital—that … Continue reading The Enabling Environment: Why Structural Trust Is the True Engine of Wealth
The End of the Industrial Adviser Model: What the Vanguard Study Really Shows
A new study from Vanguard has revealed a quiet revolution underway in financial advice — and most advisers don’t even see it coming. Almost half of clients surveyed said they would like to meet their financial adviser more than once a year. On the surface, this might look like a call for better service. In … Continue reading The End of the Industrial Adviser Model: What the Vanguard Study Really Shows
🌍 The Academy of Life Planning — A Brand Story for the Age of Empowerment
1. The Call to Adventure For generations, people have been taught to trust intermediaries —financial advisers to tell them what to do with their money,religious institutions to tell them what to believe,corporations and governments to tell them what to value. But something inside them whispers: There must be another way.A way to reclaim agency, rediscover … Continue reading 🌍 The Academy of Life Planning — A Brand Story for the Age of Empowerment
Standard Life launches affordable pension advice business: “Flat-Fee Advice or Flat-Out Missed the Point?”
Standard Life’s new flat-fee pension advice service is being framed as a breakthrough in accessibility — £1,000 for advice, £500 for an annual review, available to customers with £50,000+ DC pots. On the surface, this looks like progress. But beneath the headlines lies a deeper problem in how “advice” continues to be defined and delivered … Continue reading Standard Life launches affordable pension advice business: “Flat-Fee Advice or Flat-Out Missed the Point?”
10 Lessons in Human Capital: Making Education, Mentorship, and Self-Development Part of the Family Balance Sheet
By Steve Conley, Founder of the Academy of Life Planning 💡 Introduction: The Wealth We Overlook When most people think of a balance sheet, they see assets and liabilities — property, pensions, savings, and debt. Yet, according to global studies, over 80% of a nation’s true wealth lies not in its financial capital, but in … Continue reading 10 Lessons in Human Capital: Making Education, Mentorship, and Self-Development Part of the Family Balance Sheet
10 Lessons in Human Capital: Turning Obsolescence Risk into Opportunity
“The greatest difference between developed and underdeveloped societies is not money—but mind.”— Adapted from Latif Zeynalli, European Journal of Social Impact and Circular Economy (2020) In a world where technology evolves faster than we can adapt, the greatest risk we face is not financial loss — it’s human obsolescence. The World Bank estimates that 64% … Continue reading 10 Lessons in Human Capital: Turning Obsolescence Risk into Opportunity
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