Our retirement planning advice is designed to help you prepare for a financially secure and independent retirement. Many of our clients retire earlier than expected or enjoy higher levels of income because of careful planning.
Step 1: Identifying Your Needs
We begin with an initial exploratory meeting. In this session, we discuss your current requirements as well as your longer-term plans and objectives. This helps us understand what a successful retirement looks like for you.
Step 2: Assessing Your Circumstances
After the meeting, you will complete a short questionnaire. This collects details of your finances, including:
- Existing pensions
- Investments and savings
- Other relevant financial arrangements
We analyse this information to ensure our recommendations are both suitable and affordable. We will also create your personal risk profile.
As part of this stage, you will receive an Outline Proposal. This outlines:
- Our initial recommendations
- Details of our ongoing service
- A transparent breakdown of fees
This report ensures we agree on the scope of advice before moving forward.
Step 3: Your Retirement Planning Report
Once confirmed, we prepare your Retirement Planning Report. This personalised document includes:
- Details of the recommended product(s)
- Key Investor Information Documents
- Investment fund statistics
- Next steps to implement your plan
Step 4: Implementation
When you are ready to proceed, we manage the entire process for you. We liaise with product and service providers, set up contracts, and handle all administration on your behalf.
Step 5: Ongoing Reviews
Retirement Planning Advice is not a one-off exercise. Regular reviews ensure your plan stays on track. Before each review meeting you will receive:
- Updated pension and investment valuations
- A clear review agenda
During the review, we cover:
- The performance of your portfolio
- Your current attitude to investment risk
- Any changes in your personal or financial circumstances
After the meeting, we provide written recommendations and confirm the timescale for your next review.
About Us
Founded in 2003, we are a privately owned firm authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our adviser is a Chartered Financial Planner and Fellow of both the Chartered Insurance Institute and the Personal Finance Society. With over 30 years’ experience, we provide clear, client-focused financial planning, pension, and investment advice for individuals and small businesses.
Important Information
- Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns.
- The value of investments can go down as well as up, and you may not get back the amount originally invested.
- For stocks and shares ISAs, “tax-free” means free of Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax for the investor. Future tax benefits may change and depend on individual circumstances.
- Investments in international funds may also be affected by currency exchange rate fluctuations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Retirement planning helps you prepare financially for life after work. It looks at your income needs, savings, pensions, and other assets to build a plan that supports your lifestyle when you retire.
It’s never too early to start. The sooner you plan, the more flexibility you’ll have to shape your financial future. Even if you’re close to retirement, professional advice can help you make the most of your existing pension savings.
Yes, in many cases it’s possible to consolidate pensions to simplify management and potentially reduce costs. However, it’s important to check whether any valuable benefits or guarantees might be lost before transferring.
Everyone’s circumstances are different. We help you estimate future income needs based on your lifestyle, spending patterns, and goals, so you can see whether your pension savings are on track.
Usually, you can take up to 25% of your pension fund as tax-free cash when you access your benefits. The remainder is taxable and can be taken in a variety of ways depending on your circumstances.
It can if withdrawals are too high or investments perform poorly. That’s why we regularly review your pension plan to help ensure your income remains sustainable throughout retirement.