Housing is one of the greatest expenses we face in life. Traditionally, many people worked towards owning their homes outright by retirement, achieving a significant reduction in expenses just as earnings stopped. For decades, this milestone has provided financial stability in later life, easing the pressure on pension income. However, the landscape is changing. Increasingly, … Continue reading Housing Costs in Retirement: A Growing Concern and How to Plan Ahead
Tag: personal-finance
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Conduct Risk: Inside and Outside the Perimeter
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) was established to regulate financial conduct in the UK. As the name suggests, its primary role is to ensure that firms and individuals within its regulatory perimeter act in ways that protect consumers, maintain market integrity, and promote competition. But not all financial planners operate within this perimeter, and understanding … Continue reading Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Conduct Risk: Inside and Outside the Perimeter
The Academy of Life Planning: Empowering the Next Generation of Holistic Wealth Planners
Welcome to a future-ready approach to financial planning, where your career aligns with your values, and your clients’ lives are genuinely transformed. The Academy of Life Planning (AoLP) offers an inspiring alternative to traditional financial adviser academies, free from product sales targets, regulatory burdens, and corporate red tape. Here, you are not just trained to … Continue reading The Academy of Life Planning: Empowering the Next Generation of Holistic Wealth Planners
Understanding the New IHT Rules for Pension Death Benefits from April 2027: What You Need to Know
From 6 April 2027, pensions will no longer remain untouched by inheritance tax (IHT), marking a significant shift in retirement and estate planning. This new landscape will require pension scheme members to rethink how they manage their savings, beneficiaries, and estate plans. Let’s break down the implications and outline what you can do now to … Continue reading Understanding the New IHT Rules for Pension Death Benefits from April 2027: What You Need to Know
Breaking Away from the Old Paradigm: Financial Planning for a New Generation
For decades, the financial planning profession has operated within a paradigm shaped by product intermediation. The old way trained advisers to act as intermediaries, bridging clients with financial products. While this served a purpose in its time, it left advisers with an incomplete toolkit, particularly for solving life’s bigger, more complex problems. Today, we’re at … Continue reading Breaking Away from the Old Paradigm: Financial Planning for a New Generation
Where is the Old-School Financial Planning Model Heading?
The financial planning profession is at a crossroads. For decades, the old-school model dominated—a system where financial planners often doubled as financial advisers, wearing two hats. These professionals combined strategic financial planning with product-driven advice, often charging fees as a percentage of assets under management (AUM). However, cracks are forming in this model, and new … Continue reading Where is the Old-School Financial Planning Model Heading?
CFA UK Joins the Chartered Body Alliance: A Step Towards Holistic Financial Planning
The financial services sector has just seen a significant development: the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Society of the UK has joined the Chartered Body Alliance. This partnership, which already includes the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI), the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), and the Chartered Banker Institute, now represents nearly 225,000 professionals. The addition … Continue reading CFA UK Joins the Chartered Body Alliance: A Step Towards Holistic Financial Planning
From Financial Planning to Holistic Wealth Planning: A Broader Perspective
A fellow Chartered Financial Planner recently shared a thought-provoking post titled, "WTF is Financial Planning?!" It described a solid approach to traditional financial planning—covering goals, managing resources, and ensuring a balance between living well and preparing for the future. While it was a great outline for what many consider "best practice," it made me reflect … Continue reading From Financial Planning to Holistic Wealth Planning: A Broader Perspective
Bridging the Empowerment Gap: Why Financial Empowerment, Not Advice, is the Future
For too long, the financial services industry has focused on solving the wrong problem. The buzzword has been the “advice gap” — a perceived lack of accessible financial advice for the masses. But the truth is, the real issue isn’t advice; it’s empowerment. People don’t need to be sold financial products disguised as solutions. They … Continue reading Bridging the Empowerment Gap: Why Financial Empowerment, Not Advice, is the Future
Why Do 80% of Financial Advisers Want to Expand Auto-Enrolment? A Closer Look at the Debate
In a recent survey by fintech firm iPipeline, over 80% of financial advisers expressed support for changes to the UK’s auto-enrolment pension system. Many called for a lower minimum age and higher contributions, aiming to bring more people into the fold. Some called for dropping the Lower Earnings Limit deduction and the trigger point to … Continue reading Why Do 80% of Financial Advisers Want to Expand Auto-Enrolment? A Closer Look at the Debate
