By Steve Conley, Founder – Academy of Life PlanningDecember 2025 | 5 Minutes Read 🧩 The New Frontier — or the Same Old Game? The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has just launched what it calls a “safe space for AI” — a controlled testing environment where the UK’s largest financial firms can experiment with artificial … Continue reading 💠 Captured AI: When the Regulator Becomes the Sandbox
Tag: regulation
Case Study: When Compliance Goes Wrong — How the Academy of Life Planning Stepped In to Restore Fairness and Professional Standards
A true story (with identifiers removed) illustrating why conduct supervision and mentorship matter — both inside and outside the FCA perimeter. 1. The Background: From Adviser to Empowered Planner After years working in a traditional financial-advice firm, one planner decided to take a bold step: to leave the world of product intermediation and build a … Continue reading Case Study: When Compliance Goes Wrong — How the Academy of Life Planning Stepped In to Restore Fairness and Professional Standards
🧭 Reimagining Financial Empowerment in the Aquarian Age: A Response to FCA CP25/17
By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning The FCA's Consultation Paper CP25/17, “Supporting consumers' pensions and investment decisions: proposals for targeted support,” sets out to close the so-called “advice gap” through a new regime of cohort-based recommendations. But to those of us working to empower individuals, not intermediaries, this paper represents a step backwards—toward … Continue reading 🧭 Reimagining Financial Empowerment in the Aquarian Age: A Response to FCA CP25/17
Where’s the Justice? The Tenet Collapse and the Cost to Consumers
The collapse of Tenet has left nearly 10,000 customers in financial limbo, raising pressing questions about the effectiveness of consumer protection in the UK’s financial services industry. These individuals, who trusted a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) registered firm and its advisers, now face a sobering reality: they’re left to rely on the Financial Services Compensation … Continue reading Where’s the Justice? The Tenet Collapse and the Cost to Consumers
Pensions at Risk: Are Consumers Being Let Down by the FCA’s Latest Proposals?
The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) recent Consultation Paper CP24/27 – Advice Guidance Boundary Review proposes reforms to deliver "targeted support" for pension savers. At first glance, this initiative seems to promise much-needed assistance for the millions of UK pension savers navigating complex retirement decisions. However, a closer examination raises important questions about who these changes … Continue reading Pensions at Risk: Are Consumers Being Let Down by the FCA’s Latest Proposals?
Unjust Governance: The FCA’s Burden on Small Financial Firms
In the realm of financial services, the level of reporting required by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for small firms has become disproportionate compared to other industries. Despite the pandemic being behind us, COVID-related reports continue unabated, adding to the regulatory burden. Complaints made to MPs and the Treasury are simply passed on to the … Continue reading Unjust Governance: The FCA’s Burden on Small Financial Firms
Understanding Your Duty: CMA Regulations on Safeguarding Vulnerable Clients in Financial Planning
It's not only FCA-regulated financial planners who need to change ways of working: a guide for CMA-regulated financial planners. As financial planners operating under the oversight of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), it is crucial to stay informed about the regulatory requirements designed to protect vulnerable customers. Many financial planners might overlook these obligations, … Continue reading Understanding Your Duty: CMA Regulations on Safeguarding Vulnerable Clients in Financial Planning
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