AI Won’t Replace Financial Advisers

But It Will Change What Advisers Actually Do A financial adviser told me something interesting this week. He said AI won’t replace advisers. An executive from the company behind Claude had said the same thing. He looked relieved. But the conversation that followed made me realise something much more important. AI may not replace advisers. … Continue reading AI Won’t Replace Financial Advisers →

The Asset Most People Forget: Why Human Capital Matters More Than Your Pension

When most people think about financial planning, they think about money. Savings.Investments.Pensions. But there is a far more powerful asset sitting quietly in the background of every financial life. You. Your skills, your health, your experience, your relationships, your creativity, and your ability to adapt. Economists call this human capital — and decades of research … Continue reading The Asset Most People Forget: Why Human Capital Matters More Than Your Pension →

Why Human Capital Must Become a Core Part of Financial Planning

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 →

1,000 female advisers at St. James’s Place.

1,000 female advisers at St. James’s Place. That’s a milestone worth acknowledging. The financial advice profession has long struggled with gender imbalance, and bringing more diverse voices into the industry is unquestionably a positive step. But the announcement also arrives at a fascinating moment for wealth management. Across the sector, another conversation is unfolding. AI. … Continue reading 1,000 female advisers at St. James’s Place. →

If I Were a St. James’s Place Adviser, What Would I Be Thinking Right Now?

There has been a noticeable shift in the conversation around wealth management recently. We’ve seen a sell-off in wealth management stocks. Commentators are debating whether artificial intelligence will transform the industry. Veteran investors argue that AI will simply make advisers more efficient rather than replacing them. Maybe they are right. But if I were an … Continue reading If I Were a St. James’s Place Adviser, What Would I Be Thinking Right Now? →

With Over £25 Trillion at Stake, Financial Planners Must Learn to Plan for Human Capital

For decades, financial planning has focused on one thing above all else: financial capital. Portfolios.Pensions.Investments. Yet the largest asset most people will ever possess is not their investment portfolio. It is their human capital. Human capital — the ability to generate income through skills, knowledge, health, and experience — has become the primary driver of … Continue reading With Over £25 Trillion at Stake, Financial Planners Must Learn to Plan for Human Capital →

The Most Important Asset Your Clients Own Is Under Threat

Why Financial Planners Must Add Human Capital Strategy to Deliver True Total Wealth Planning For decades, financial planning has focused primarily on financial capital. Pensions.ISAs.Investment portfolios.Tax wrappers. But the research is becoming increasingly clear: these are not the largest assets in most households. The largest asset most people possess is their ability to earn. In … Continue reading The Most Important Asset Your Clients Own Is Under Threat →

Human Capital Is the Largest Asset on the Balance Sheet

What Financial Planners Can Learn from Economic Development Research For decades, economists have been clear on one thing: Nations grow not primarily because of physical capital — but because of human capital. The study Role of Human Capital Formation in Economic and Human Development makes this explicit: economic prosperity and human development are driven by … Continue reading Human Capital Is the Largest Asset on the Balance Sheet →

The Missing Asset in Most Cashflow Forecasts

Why Human Capital Belongs at the Heart of Financial Planning Most lifetime cashflow forecasts begin with: Current assets Investment returns Pension projections Inflation assumptions But they often overlook the largest asset on the client’s balance sheet. Human capital. A recent academic review on human capital development reinforces what leading economic theory has argued for decades: … Continue reading The Missing Asset in Most Cashflow Forecasts →

Human Capital: The Missing Asset on Your Balance Sheet

Small advice firms across the UK are asking the same question: How do we protect the future value of our business in a changing market? Regulation is tightening. Margins are compressing. Client expectations are rising. AI is accelerating analysis. And traditional AUM-based models are under pressure. Yet one asset remains structurally underused in most financial … Continue reading Human Capital: The Missing Asset on Your Balance Sheet →