Helping you identify the life you want

We find that many of our conversations with new clients start with a specific problem. It might be a sudden windfall that you want to invest, getting your retirement plan on a firmer footing or indeed sometimes just making sense of what you have and where you're going financially.

Each of these problems are uniquely important to you and thankfully are "meat and drink" to us as part of our WealthPlan service. These are the challenges that we address and solve every day, giving you the clarity and solutions you need to face your financial future with confidence. We recognise that you rightly expect this from us - after all, isn't that why you came to us in the first place!

But sometimes what is a little unexpected for new clients in particular is the breadth of areas that we discuss with you. These discussions often stray a long way beyond the expected product areas and into wider related areas. While we don't promise that we have all of the required solutions or indeed the expertise in-house, what we can do its help you access the solutions to some of your other financial challenges.  Some of these additional areas that we find ourselves discussing with clients and guiding them towards solutions are as follows,

Wills

It probably amazes you but we do come across clients from time to time who don't have a will in place, or who have one that really needs revision. This might be for a variety of reasons - they've remarried, have relocated to Ireland, or indeed just might not have got around to it. We can discuss the importance of your will as part of your estate planning, and to put it in place, we'll guide you in the direction of your solicitor. It is a very simple process; however the benefits are significant. A will ensures that your assets are distributed as you intend on your death and that this process is carried out as seamlessly as possible.

Enduring Power of Attorney

Again, one that we regularly recommend that is progressed with your solicitor. This is a legal document that can be set up by a person during their life when in good mental health. It allows another trusted person, appointed by you, to step into your shoes and take necessary actions on your behalf should you become incapacitated in the future.

Otherwise your assets are frozen and go under the control of the courts. This creates a nightmare scenario for your family who may need to access your assets to pay for your care and are faced with going through the court system (sometimes multiple times) to access them.   Anyone who has been through this situation, needing to access the assets of a relative who has lost their capacity to make sound decisions will know the value of having an enduring power of attorney in place. It can be incredibly frustrating and time consuming otherwise. This is a really important one…

Advice about Bank Accounts

This is one that raises its head from time to time. We work with a lot of owners of small businesses where the owner and their spouse are the directors and shareholders. While every case should be considered on its own merits and deserves a conversation with your accountant and bank manager, we believe it is usually important to have multiple signatories on bank accounts, both your personal and business accounts. We've unfortunately seen situations where a client has died with significant assets sitting in bank accounts that cannot be accessed by a bereaved spouse without having to climb over a series of hurdles. This can cause financial pressure in the immediate aftermath of a death - the last thing that is needed to be heaped on top of grief. Having multiple signatories may just prevent this situation and should be investigated by you.

Tax Advice for Individuals

While we always consider the tax implications and benefits when it comes to the likes of pensions and estate planning, sometimes our clients need more specialist tax advice and indeed professional tax opinion. We won't provide this opinion ourselves, but we'll help you frame the conversation with your tax adviser and indeed will help you identify the areas to ask about. And if you don't have a tax adviser, we can likely gain you access to a tax expert from our professional network.

Our primary role is to help you identify the life you want, develop a robust financial plan, and identify the financial solutions needed to achieve your financial goals. However we also have a broad perspective of a range of related areas. So never be afraid to ask, sometimes a pointer in the right direction might just save you lots of time and hassle.