Introduction to Financial Planning
The Initial Meeting
The purpose of this meeting is firstly to establish whether we are able to assist with your needs and help you meet your objectives, and secondly to discuss how we would be paid for our counsel and services once you have instructed us to proceed. Should we decide that we can work together then we will schedule a First Client Meeting to gather all your details and confirm with you that we understand what it is you want us to do for you. We will give you an estimate for having the First Client Meeting, producing the plan and having the Second Meeting to discuss it. This will usually be a minimum of £2000 depending on complexity with some upfront commitment from you required. This helps our cashflow and also commits the client to action!
First Client Meeting
There are 3 main aspects to this meeting.
- The most important is to help you think through what it is you are trying to achieve in life. Whether it’s to ensure that you don’t run out of money in retirement or how you are going to fund your dream home abroad. This is Lifestyle Planning.
- To look at what assets you have and what assets you’ll need to get what you want. This is Financial Planning.
- To source the most appropriate types of investments or plans to help you get there. This is Independent Financial Advice.
Second Client Meeting
This is where we discuss your plan that we have created including the Lifetime Cashflow Forecast that we will have produced using Truth Software. After this meeting you are free to take the plan and consider it at your leisure and implement the suggestions by yourself. If you want us to help you then we move onto the next step
Implementation Meeting
Implementation of the financial plan by researching and selecting the most appropriate investment, life policy or pension. We will always tell you about any remuneration (Commission via product charges ) available from the provider should you wish us to consider this in lieu of a direct fee and it will be taken into account in working out our costs. If you prefer to pay us by direct fee for this, that is fine.
Ongoing Advice
Our preference is to have a long term relationship with clients, and to have a scheduled Annual Financial Planning Meeting to ensure that you are still on track to achieve your goals. We have to consider how we are going to be paid for this. We can be paid by direct retainer from yourself or by a product provider. We will discuss this with you fully when we know the complexity of your situation.