Financial Guidance
The main services I offer are as follows:
Retirement
Retirement comes in many shapes and sizes, some people have pensions for life, others have personal pensions, ISAs or property. Some want to walk away from the world of work entirely, others want to work less or even switch to something completely different. I help clients achieve their dreams by clarifying what they want and creating a financial plan that outlines how they can achieve that.
Death of Parents
The death of parents is a difficult time for most of us. It's inevitable that the family dynamic changes at a time when everyone involved is emotionally vulnerable. In this situation the administration of the estate and the myriad of small decisions that follow can strain relationships. I guide the client through what is happening and give them perspective.
Trusts
Family trusts should come with a health warning! Trusts exist to separate the beneficial ownership from the legal ownership but they bring with them many complications which, over time, can develop into deep seated resentments. Whether the client is a trustee or a beneficiary I help prevent misunderstandings which often seem to be the source of these problems.
Wills
A will is a form of trust. A well written will can ensure that you leave behind a firm platform for your executors to bring a close your financial life. It can also be used to ensure fairness, often having to balance the interests of children, step children & a surviving spouse. I do not write wills but I can set out the options and introduce a solicitor to write the will itself once the client has decided what they want to do.
Small Business Owners
Selling a share in a small business, or deciding what to do with a cherished business , when the time comes to move on can be very difficult. I assist by helping the client work out what they need from the business, what they want for its future and how to achieve that. I also help the client in the negotiation with the would be purchasers, particularly if the objective is to make an arrangement with the remaining partners or shareholders.
Separation
Sometimes marriages just drift apart, and life together is no longer possible. Divorce seems the only option, but it prioritises the couples' individual interests over their joint interests, and those of their wider network of family and friends.
I work with couples to produce a fair financial arrangement that enables them to live as separately as they want whilst remaining married. As well as dealing with income and capital assets, including pensions, this agreement will specify what is to happen when either of the couple die, so is likely to involve new wills and possibly trusts.
This does mean the couple have to trust each other and that they understand that the arrangement will not necessarily be as financially advantageous to them individually as divorce. However the process is much less painful for the couple and their children and enables them to get on with their lives.