Let’s be clear about fees

From Solicitors to Accountants, to Financial Advisers and Wealth Managers, all professionals charge fees for their services.

We differ from many traditional Financial Advisers, not just in how we work, but in how we charge. Most Financial Advisers only charge % based fees on investments. This means they only get paid when you invest money. Unsurprisingly, this leads to advice that focuses relentlessly on markets, investment returns, and the accumulation of capital.

Whilst investment advice is important, we’re yet to meet people who are inspired by endless discussions about the minutia of markets. You’re much more than just the size of your portfolio, and it’s your life goals that should take centre stage. Good financial planning is as much about enjoying your money and spending with confidence, as it is about saving and accumulating capital.

Reflecting how we work, we charge a combination of fixed fees and lower % based fees. This means you pay us a standalone fee for our advice and expertise in creating and managing your financial plan. This enables us to set our investment charges below many of our peers. As the families we work with tend to have relatively large investment holdings, this means that in many cases our fees are lower overall than those of other advisers.

Another area where we differ is how clear we are about how we charge for our services. Research shows that only 5% of financial advisers publish their fees online. We’ve decided to be part of that small group, to demonstrate our commitment to transparency. We find that new and existing clients appreciate this approach.