The Missing Asset in Traditional Advice For decades, financial planning has been dominated by one assumption: that wealth primarily comes from financial capital—investments, pensions, property, and portfolios. But economists have long known that the largest asset most people possess is not financial capital at all. It is human capital. Human capital refers to the knowledge, … Continue reading Why Human Capital Must Become a Core Part of Financial Planning
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Applied Institutional Economics for Personal Wealth
Conley, S. (2026).Applied Institutional Economics for Personal Wealth: The Case for Personal Wealth Governance.Academy of Life Planning. The Total Wealth Planning framework synthesises insights from institutional economics, behavioural economics, human capital theory, and decision science to develop a practical governance model for personal wealth. Why Wealth Governance Is the Missing Discipline in Financial Planning For … Continue reading Applied Institutional Economics for Personal Wealth
⚽ When Football Meets Finance: A Warning to Players and Fans
Regulation is not the same as safety.A badge is not the same as due diligence. Recent discussions about closer cooperation between the Financial Conduct Authority and the Independent Football Regulator raise an important question: Should football clubs become gateways for financial product distribution? [Ref: Independent Football Regulator and FCA Memorandum of Understanding, 24/02/2026.] This could … Continue reading ⚽ When Football Meets Finance: A Warning to Players and Fans
A Financial Plan Without Human Capital Is Structurally Incomplete
Most financial plans model assets.Few model the asset that drives them all. If you are approaching the bridge from traditional advice into Total Wealth Planning, this is one of the most important structural shifts you will make: Human capital is not a soft add-on. It is the primary productive asset. And the academic foundation for … Continue reading A Financial Plan Without Human Capital Is Structurally Incomplete
When the System Defends Itself
A survival guide for citizen advocates who can’t switch their minds off If you’re reading this at night, wide awake, replaying exchanges with regulators, professionals, or officials who seem calm while people are being harmed — you’re not alone. Many citizen advocates, Transparency Task Force members, and victim supporters describe the same experience: “I can’t … Continue reading When the System Defends Itself
Before You Sign / Before You Leave: The Hidden Risk in Adviser Contracts Nobody Explains
There’s a moment in many professional careers when everything looks right on paper. The opportunity is exciting.The numbers work.The future feels secure. And yet, years later, some advisers find themselves asking a very different question: “How did I end up here?” This article is not about blame.It’s about understanding power, contracts, and timing — before … Continue reading Before You Sign / Before You Leave: The Hidden Risk in Adviser Contracts Nobody Explains
Lessons for Citizen Investigators: What the Psychology of Scams Really Teaches Us
Why understanding harm matters more than spotting tricks. In 2009, the Office of Fair Trading commissioned a major piece of research into the psychology of scams. It was rigorous, humane, and ahead of its time. It also quietly disappeared. Not because it was wrong — but because it was inconvenient. For anyone involved in Get … Continue reading Lessons for Citizen Investigators: What the Psychology of Scams Really Teaches Us
Why the System Tries to Erase Victims — and Why Get SAFE Exists to Keep Them Alive Long Enough to Turn the Tables
There is a pattern that almost no one names, but every long-term victim of financial wrongdoing eventually feels in their bones. When an institution knows it has caused serious harm — and knows that fully acknowledging it would expose regulatory failure, legal liability, or reputational collapse — it does not rush to correct the wrong. … Continue reading Why the System Tries to Erase Victims — and Why Get SAFE Exists to Keep Them Alive Long Enough to Turn the Tables
Confidential Settlements, Tomlin Orders, and What They Mean for Victims
For many people harmed by financial misconduct, a settlement can feel like the end of a long and exhausting journey. The letters stop. The court process pauses. There is, at last, some financial relief. But for many victims, settlement is not the end of the story.It is simply a quieter chapter—often one marked by confusion, … Continue reading Confidential Settlements, Tomlin Orders, and What They Mean for Victims
Audit Reform “Before the Next Scandal”: What Citizen Investigators Must Learn from the FRC’s Warning
In January 2026, the UK’s audit regulator issued an unusually candid warning. The Chief Executive of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), Richard Moriarty, urged government to pass audit reform legislation before the next corporate collapse—rather than waiting for a scandal to force action. For those involved in Get SAFE cases, this will sound uncomfortably familiar. … Continue reading Audit Reform “Before the Next Scandal”: What Citizen Investigators Must Learn from the FRC’s Warning
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