The Birth of the Holistic Wealth Planner How a conversation with Don MacIntyre helped name a movement. A Profession at a Crossroads In the autumn of 2024, I reconnected with Don MacIntyre, then Chief Executive of the Personal Finance Society (PFS). The profession was in flux. Questions were rising about integrity, independence, and identity. Was … Continue reading The Birth of the Holistic Wealth Planner
Tag: personal-finance
Why become a Holistic Wealth Planner professional?
The Holistic Wealth Planner (HWP) pathway is designed for professionals who want to redefine financial planning for the 21st century. Unlike product-driven advice, Holistic Wealth Planning is client-centred, transparent, and empowerment-focused, equipping you to help people align their money with their values, purpose, and well-being. As a Holistic Wealth Planner, you’ll gain the skills, tools, … Continue reading Why become a Holistic Wealth Planner professional?
Human Capital, Life Expectancy, and the Planner’s Role in Breaking Poverty Traps
“When we invest in people, we invest in life itself.” A recent economic study on Human Capital Inequality, Life Expectancy and Economic Growth offers profound insights that resonate directly with the mission of Holistic Wealth Planners. It shows how education, health, and opportunity are deeply interconnected — and why planning that focuses only on money … Continue reading Human Capital, Life Expectancy, and the Planner’s Role in Breaking Poverty Traps
The Trusted Adviser Project – My 15-Year Mission
Trust: What Customers Want Most Fifteen years ago, when I was Head of Investments at HSBC, we set out to understand what mattered most to people when choosing a financial adviser. We expected answers like qualifications, products, or price competitiveness. The response was strikingly clear: the number one priority was Trust. Not performance charts. Not … Continue reading The Trusted Adviser Project – My 15-Year Mission
Why the Next Generation of Wealth Owners Prefer Empowerment Over Extraction
The numbers are stark: according to new research from Boring Money, four in five advised clients over the age of 65 believe their children will not stay with their current financial adviser once wealth transfers across generations. That’s over 1.2 million families expecting a break in the advice relationship. Why? Because the next generation isn’t … Continue reading Why the Next Generation of Wealth Owners Prefer Empowerment Over Extraction
Introducing the Holistic Wealth Planner: The Future of Financial Advice
Moving Beyond Products to Life Strategy The financial services profession is at a crossroads. For decades, Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) have been seen as the pinnacle of advice, guiding clients through investments, pensions, insurance, and mortgages. Yet, growing consumer demand for impartiality, transparency, and holistic life guidance reveals a gap that the traditional advice model … Continue reading Introducing the Holistic Wealth Planner: The Future of Financial Advice
Plans are useless. Planning is indispensable — and life planning is the same
Why the GAME Plan’s cycle matters more than the myth of arrival Dwight D. Eisenhower famously said, “Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” He wasn’t dismissing planning — he was pointing to a truth we often miss: a fixed plan can break when reality changes, but the practice of planning builds the muscle we … Continue reading Plans are useless. Planning is indispensable — and life planning is the same
Downsizing Protection: How Families Can Preserve the Residence Nil Rate Band
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
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
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
Academy of Life Planning 