Reading the national and financial press recently, it is very apparent that a lot of people don’t know where to turn for financial advice. With most Financial Services providers having withdrawn from having a local presence, and the ongoing onslaught of bank closures in the average UK high street, it is becoming even more confusing for people to know where to go or who to call for good financial advice.
Establishing a relationship with an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) you can trust to handle all of your financial needs is critical to achieving your financial goals. Not all Financial Advisers are the same, so you must beware!
The two main types of financial adviser are those who are independent and those who are not. All advisers must tell you what services they offer from the outset. To be called an Independent Financial Adviser, they must be able to offer a broad range of retail investment products, and give consumers unbiased advice based on a comprehensive analysis of the market.
Restricted or tied advisers on the other hand can only recommend certain types of investment products or products from a limited number of providers (possibly only one if tied). It is important to establish at the outset what type of advice an adviser can offer, to ensure you get the best investment(s) to suit your needs and requirements.
All advisers must be properly qualified to give financial advice and hold the Diploma in Financial Planning, or an equivalent qualification. Advisers must also prove that their knowledge is up-to -date through continual professional development (CPD).
Some types of advice require an adviser to have specialist qualifications – pension transfers and equity release for example. Any companies offering these services should have advisers within their ranks who are suitably qualified to provide advice in these areas.
Advisers must also be transparent in the fees they charge for both initial and ongoing advice and services.
With Money Advice & Planning Ltd you can rest assured in the services we offer:
Why not get in touch today to see how we can add value to your business and your clients.
The material is for general information only and does not constitute investment, tax, legal or other form of advice. You should not rely on this information to make (or refrain from making) any decisions. Links to external sites are for information only and do not constitute endorsement. Always obtain independent professional advice for your own particular situation. Money Advice & Planning Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Technology is changing the world on every level, at a pace we could hardly have imagined possible even 10 years ago. On a personal level and, especially in the world of business, technology is shaping how we live and work, both now, and in the future.
Every industry is being shaped by technology and financial services is certainly no exception. You just have to look at how banking has changed in the last 10 years and how we now interact with banks. Straight forward transactions can be carried out much faster online but what do you do when you need some advice and help, especially face-to-face advice?
The IFA world has also gone through many changes in recent years and technology has played a major part in those changes. From back office systems to help you manage your business more effectively to investment platforms that allow you to access and invest client money all in one place, technology has transformed how we operate. MAP has embraced this technology to assist us in maximising returns on our clients’ investments.
The latest technology to enter our sector which you will no doubt hear more and more about is “Robo Advice”. Robo Advice is basically an online investment platform which uses algorithms to assess a clients’ attitude to risk via an online questionnaire before offering what is usually a limited choice of risk-rated portfolios to invest in. There is very little (if any) human intervention and wider issues such as estate or retirement planning are not addressed at all.
At Money Advice & Planning Ltd we believe it is our job to truly understand our clients, their goals and aspirations, and their attitude to risk. We do this through meeting with them face-to-face and building a long-term plan to help them achieve their goals. This is the human aspect of financial advice which a computer algorithm could never deliver.
We provide our clients with a bespoke proactive investment strategy and service – initial and ongoing – to maximise returns on their investments, based on three key steps:
To provide complete transparency, we provide our clients with 24/7 access to the MAP portal where they can track and monitor the performance of their investments.
We do believe technology has its place, but we don’t believe in one-off, remote financial advice and investment services.
If you would like to find out about how Money Advice & Planning invests client money, please visit us at www.mapfinances.co.uk and use the contact form. Alternatively, call Andrew Singleton on 0345 241 1808.
The material is for general information only and does not constitute investment, tax, legal or other form of advice. You should not rely on this information to make (or refrain from making) any decisions. Links to external sites are for information only and do not constitute endorsement. Always obtain independent professional advice for your own particular situation. Money Advice & Planning Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Financial, legal and tax advice are areas conducted by professionals adhering to their own sets of standards and qualifications, with their own professional bodies and regulators.
These advice professions are no different to other business sectors though when it comes to facing growing pressure to retain their existing clients, and more importantly, to win new clients and discover sources which will provide those new clients.
Legislation such as the Legal Services Act (LSA) and the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) has forced the legal and financial advice professions to introduce more client centric business models and, at the same time, become more competitive. This in turn has created a growing pressure for these advice professions to diversify and expand their business propositions in order to be more competitive.
Working more closely and proactively with a professional IFA can provide a very simple but effective solution to this problem.
Given the overlap between many areas of tax, legal and financial advice, a number of firms have seen the potential for Accountants, Solicitors and Independent Financial Advisers to work together to leverage each other’s client relationships. It provides those clients with a more holistic, joined-up and value-added approach to advice, and at the same time resolves the challenges of retaining existing clients and finding a source of new clients.
If you would like to find out how Money Advice & Planning can add value to your business and your client relationships, please visit us at www.mapfinances.co.uk and use the contact form. Alternatively, call your local MAP adviser at a time which suits you.
The material is for general information only and does not constitute investment, tax, legal or other form of advice. You should not rely on this information to make (or refrain from making) any decisions. Links to external sites are for information only and do not constitute endorsement. Always obtain independent professional advice for your own particular situation. Money Advice & Planning Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Establishing a relationship with an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) you can trust to handle all of your financial needs is critical to achieving your financial goals. Not all Financial Advisers are the same, so you must beware!
The two main types of financial adviser are those who are independent and those who are not. All advisers must tell you what services they offer from the outset. To be called an Independent Financial Adviser, they must be able to offer a broad range of retail investment products, and give consumers unbiased advice based on a comprehensive analysis of the market.
Restricted or tied advisers on the other hand can only recommend certain types of investment products or products from a limited number of providers (possibly only one if tied). It is important to establish at the outset what type of advice an adviser can offer, to ensure you get the best investment(s) to suit your needs and requirements.
All advisers must be properly qualified to give financial advice and hold the Diploma in Financial Planning, or an equivalent qualification. Advisers must also prove that their knowledge is up-to -date through continual professional development (CPD).
Some types of advice require an adviser to have specialist qualifications – pension transfers and equity release for example. Any companies offering these services should have advisers within their ranks who are suitably qualified to provide advice in these areas.
Advisers must also be transparent in the fees they charge for both initial and ongoing advice and services.
As a valued client of Money Advice & Planning Ltd you can rest assured in the services we offer:
Perhaps most importantly of all, we come tried and tested. Read the reviews of just one of our advisers and see for yourself.
The material is for general information only and does not constitute investment, tax, legal or other form of advice. You should not rely on this information to make (or refrain from making) any decisions. Links to external sites are for information only and do not constitute endorsement. Always obtain independent professional advice for your own particular situation. Money Advice & Planning Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Long-term care is when someone requires either care in their own home or to live in a care/nursing home; both of which must be paid for.
In both circumstances, key decisions need to be made and ‘add-ons’ to be considered. The two key aspects behind these are requirement and cost – what is definitely needed, no matter what, and what is affordable?
Making informed decisions about long-term care is very difficult, but doing it in advance is necessary. It ensures sufficient knowledge and funding is in place when needed, making the transition into care much easier.
People with disabilities and/or complex medical issues may qualify for NHS continuing care, which is free of charge. However, it cannot be relied upon as the vast majority of people will not qualify for it. Local authorities can provide some element of funding, but with public sector budgets constantly being stretched, sacrifices will almost certainly have to be made. Lastly, benefits are available which are not means tested, and they can make some difference to the end cost payable.
The only way to control long-term care costs is through self-funding. This requires healthy savings and/or successful investing, plus most importantly of all, good planning. For good financial planning, you need to speak to a qualified adviser.
MAP will find the best way for you to fund ongoing care for yourself or a loved one.
If you or a loved one are considering registering for care and are concerned about the costs involved, talk to one of our long-term care specialists. They have the knowledge and experience to plan out how best to tackle the requirements, explain the options open to you, and guide you with regards financial assistance available.
Many people are reluctant to seek advice and help for care; almost as if they are embarrassed to do it. We are more than happy to discuss it with you and your family and provide the impartial opinion and support which is truly needed in such situations.
For more information, click on the most suitable link:
Savings and Investments
Equity Release
Insurance and Protection
Irrespective of what you need to speak to a financial adviser about, MAP will be able to find the best solution(s) to meet your needs. We are fully independent meaning we can advise you on any of the following, taking into consideration your attitude to risk and all options available in the marketplace:
Any and all of these solutions can be provided to you through sound financial planning. By this, we mean structuring a personal financial plan after getting to know you and understanding your goals.
Furthermore, we will stay with you throughout your financial journey, for as long as you need us. Our regular review service will ensure your finances stay on track and continue to reflect what you need, want and expect.
Whatever advice you need for your financial journey, talk to MAP.