Financial Planning

Good financial planning is more of an art rather than a science. Achieving the best results for your finances has little to do with product charges and investment performance. Real success with financial planning comes from setting realistic goals, moving towards them and gradually achieving them. However unreachable some goals may seem, with the right plan and guidance much can be achieved.

The Onion Effect

The more we understand about what motivates you and your value system, the better our advice. As with any healthy relationship, in time more and more of the inner person is revealed – much like the fine layers of an onion. There’s no fast-track to this degree of understanding, it only comes from the most valuable commodity of all – time.

Goal Setting

We can help you to set very simple goals – such as repaying your mortgage in 15 years rather than 25 or perhaps ensuring that your pension provides you with 70% of your income today. In one sense these are focused goals and we do this all the time. We also try to achieve deeper goals – achieving peace of mind, a generous spirit and recognition that security is not based upon wealth. A sense of emotional well-being can be enhanced with financial planning that is rooted in understanding your values and life principles. So we tend to start with the end in mind.

Money and Value

Money is a highly emotive topic. We all live within the influences of our culture and upbringing. We will always try to be understanding of what money represents to you. Your attitude to risk is something that cannot be covered quickly; it is often born out of experience. If you wish us to do so, we can help you to challenge your own views about risk and perhaps reveal alternative approaches for you to consider.

Discipline

Many aspects of financial planning require a degree of discipline – be it budgeting or commitment to reviewing progress. We appreciate that this is not something that everyone responds well to and will always do our best to make financial planning as painless as possible.

Reality

There is no magic in financial planning. We will do our best for you, helping you to achieve realistic goals but there are no “overnight successes”. Success comes from applying sound principles each day. We have some sympathy with the adage “get rich slow”. There will always be better performing investments, always someone that has made more money or acted “just at the right time” and someone that provides “free advice”. Our job is to work with you to achieve your goals, not someone else’s. You employ us at a fair price to do this with you.