It was A-level results day. Across the country, teenagers were refreshing UCAS, parents were on edge, and university prospectuses were being dusted off. For many, it felt like the only path. But is it? Two decades after Tony Blair pledged to send half of Britain’s young people to university, that ambition has been achieved. Yet … Continue reading University or Bust? Why Young People Need a Graduate GAME Plan
Tag: money
The Hidden Wealth Within Us: Why Human Capital Holds the Key to Prosperity
When economists value a nation, they often compare its market value (what it’s worth in total) to its book value (the tangible assets you can see and measure). Today, that ratio is about 5:1. In other words, only around 20% of a nation’s wealth is physical—land, buildings, machinery—while the remaining 80% lies in the invisible: … Continue reading The Hidden Wealth Within Us: Why Human Capital Holds the Key to Prosperity
Why Investing in Yourself Beats Investing in the Market—Especially at 20
The case of Ella Coombs shows how non-intermediating planning unlocks real wealth creation. Case Study Summary: Ella Coombs – The 20-Year-Old Entrepreneur Defying Convention Source: The Telegraph, 8 August 2025 Ella Coombs, aged 20, works three jobs—including managing an RSPCA charity shop—and lives rent-free with her parents. She has earned nearly £10,000 pre-tax in 18 … Continue reading Why Investing in Yourself Beats Investing in the Market—Especially at 20
When £100,000 Isn’t an Investment but a Debt Trap
Author’s NoteWhenever I publish a critique involving popular brands such as St. James’s Place (SJP), I do so because there is a very real prospect of harm—financial, mental, and emotional—to individuals and their families. Yet the response from brand defenders is often not to address the substance of the critique but to sneer: “But you … Continue reading When £100,000 Isn’t an Investment but a Debt Trap
Human Capital: The Missing Giant in Financial Planning
In financial planning, we talk endlessly about assets under management and portfolio returns. But there’s a bigger, more powerful driver of wealth that rarely makes it into the conversation: human capital. If financial capital is the reservoir where your wealth is stored, human capital is the river that fills it. It is your skills, knowledge, … Continue reading Human Capital: The Missing Giant in Financial Planning
£10 Trillion in The City — But How Much in Your Pocket?
The Investment Association (IA) has announced that the UK investment management industry has hit a record £10 trillion in assets under management (AUM). City firms are celebrating. Government ministers, keen to push their “growth agenda,” have supported calls for lighter regulation and measures to funnel even more capital their way. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: … Continue reading £10 Trillion in The City — But How Much in Your Pocket?
The Plot Twist: Option 5 – Retire from Regulation, Not from Clients
When financial advisers start thinking about stepping back, the conversation is usually framed around the “big exit.” Consolidators, phased buyouts, successors — the market is full of templates for selling up. But what if you could cash in your business without cashing out on the relationships that matter most? What if you could have your … Continue reading The Plot Twist: Option 5 – Retire from Regulation, Not from Clients
Why Human Capital Strategies Are the Missing Piece in Most Financial Plans – And How You Can Try Them for Just £4.99
After decades in financial planning, I’ve noticed a surprising gap in even the most experienced advisers’ toolkits: human capital strategies. Many planners I meet still operate under the assumption that financial capital—the money you’ve saved and invested—represents the total picture of wealth. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Over the course of a … Continue reading Why Human Capital Strategies Are the Missing Piece in Most Financial Plans – And How You Can Try Them for Just £4.99
🕊️ From Extraction to Creation: Replacing the Piscean Cycle
✝️ The Piscean Age: One Lifetime. One Cycle. One System of Extraction. For over 2,000 years, under the Age of Pisces, society has operated under a singular, extractive lifetime model—mandated by institutions that benefit from your compliance and contribution. This is how it goes: Accumulate wealth through your working years, and hand it over to … Continue reading 🕊️ From Extraction to Creation: Replacing the Piscean Cycle
Why a Financial Life Coach Is Not What You Think — And Exactly What You Might Need
When people hear the term Financial Life Coach, they often picture someone poring over their bank statements, telling them to stop buying lattes, or helping them unpack childhood money trauma. That’s not what we do.Not at the Academy of Life Planning. Not even close. We’re not therapists.We’re not financial advisers.We’re not product pushers, budget cops, … Continue reading Why a Financial Life Coach Is Not What You Think — And Exactly What You Might Need
Academy of Life Planning 