Our commitment to human agency, stewardship and responsible professional practice Our purpose The Academy of Life Planning exists to restore human agency by helping people develop the knowledge, capabilities and confidence to understand their circumstances, make informed choices and act independently. We believe that human talents, knowledge and capabilities carry responsibilities as well as opportunities. … Continue reading Academy of Life Planning: Statement of Ethical Principles
Tag: philosophy
Beyond Financial Capital: Why Independent Financial Planning Must Account for Human Capital
An academic examination of human capital, human capabilities and their implications for independent financial planning Steve Conley, Chartered Financial PlannerFounder, Academy of Life Planning7 November 2026 Abstract Conventional financial planning places considerable emphasis on the accumulation, allocation and preservation of financial assets. Yet economic research consistently identifies human capital as a fundamental contributor to productivity, … Continue reading Beyond Financial Capital: Why Independent Financial Planning Must Account for Human Capital
Human Capital and the Future of Independent Financial Planning
Human Capital and the Future of Independent Financial Planning Why financial planners who do not manage financial assets should place human capability at the centre of their professional practice Academy of Life Planning | Research and Professional Practice Abstract Financial planning has traditionally concentrated on the accumulation, preservation and distribution of financial capital. However, economic … Continue reading Human Capital and the Future of Independent Financial Planning
Speaking up is an act of agency. Whether someone can survive speaking up is a test of the system.
By Steve Conley | Academy of Life Planning | 21 October 2026 We tell people to speak up. Report wrongdoing. Challenge misconduct. Take responsibility. Do the right thing. But what happens after they do? Who carries the cost when their income disappears, their career stalls, their health deteriorates and their family begins to struggle? Who … Continue reading Speaking up is an act of agency. Whether someone can survive speaking up is a test of the system.
Equip the Davids. Stop waiting for the Goliaths to behave.
Join us in restoring human agency—helping citizens use AI to prevent financial exploitation, challenge institutional power and pursue recovery. For years, consumer campaigners have asked financial institutions to behave better. Be more transparent. Treat people fairly. Investigate properly. Put things right when harm occurs. We take evidence to regulators. We speak to parliamentarians. We attend … Continue reading Equip the Davids. Stop waiting for the Goliaths to behave.
Human Capital and Total Wealth Planning: Seven Lessons from the Research
By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning Abstract Financial planning can describe accumulated assets in considerable detail while giving less systematic attention to the capabilities through which people earn, adapt, contribute and exercise choice. This article examines six supplied papers on human capital, education, income distribution and sustainable development. It develops seven lessons for … Continue reading Human Capital and Total Wealth Planning: Seven Lessons from the Research
When the Rewards Flow Upwards, Why Does the Blame Flow Downwards?
Five overturned banking convictions raise a bigger question: who has the power to shape a system, and who carries the consequences when it fails? By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning8 October 2026 A prestigious employer. A respected job title. A career in the City. From the outside, these look like signs of security. … Continue reading When the Rewards Flow Upwards, Why Does the Blame Flow Downwards?
The wealth a balance sheet cannot show
Lessons on human capital for Total Wealth Planners By Steve Conley, Academy of Life Planning Two people can have the same savings and very different futures. One has skills people need, the health to use them and access to worthwhile opportunities. The other has equally valuable experience but is exhausted, caring for a relative or … Continue reading The wealth a balance sheet cannot show
When Speaking Up Costs You Your Life Back: Lessons from Simon Andriesz’s Case
Acting on a whistleblower’s information and protecting the person who provides it are different outcomes. Someone facing retaliation needs a plan for both. By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning3 October 2026 At the end of a Transparency Task Force event in July, Simon Andriesz explained what he wanted. An independent investigation. Parliamentary scrutiny. … Continue reading When Speaking Up Costs You Your Life Back: Lessons from Simon Andriesz’s Case
Labour Must Recognise the Old Market Mantra—Even When It Calls Itself “Holistic Planning”
Bringing back bancassurance will not, by itself, rebalance power towards ordinary people. Banks should be judged by the agency they build, not just the assets they gather. By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning30 September 2026 A bank announces that it wants to return to advice in a “massive way”. Its executive tells Labour … Continue reading Labour Must Recognise the Old Market Mantra—Even When It Calls Itself “Holistic Planning”
