It is important that our clients and potential clients understand our role concerning their financial and investment planning and the foundational principles on which we base our advice.  If these principles are understood and accepted, it will be easier to decide at any time whether changes need to be made.

Principle 1
Whilst it might seem self evident, our role is to provide financial planning advice.  Although this will often involve recommending the most suitable financial planning products for your circumstances we are not limited in this to simply selling products.  In our dealings with you we will strive to be creative, independent of any product provider, and client-centred. 

Principle 2

Our aim is to assist you to achieve your long term financial goals.  Our skills are more about the ‘big picture’ of your investment planning commensurate with your age, attitude to risk, capital growth/income needs and tax position rather than the day-to-day detail of investment management.  A major part of this planning will be to determine the overall shape of your investment portfolio by the strategic allocation of your investments across the most appropriate types of asset.  Studies have shown that by far the most important influence on the variation of investment returns is the strategic asset allocation between the major asset classes.  We have no expertise in day-to-day tactical asset allocation and no more ability than the next man in making short-term profits for our clients.   

Principle 3

We will strive to be ethical in all our dealings with you.  This simply means that we will try to deal with your financial affairs as though they were our own.  In circumstances where there might be a conflict between your needs and our personal financial advantage we will put your needs first.

Principle 4

We will only advise you within our areas of expertise and experience. We are constantly seeking to expand our knowledge and experience; however, if our advice needs to go beyond our current level of competence in any area, we will seek the help of another adviser within the company to assist us in the process.  In some situations we will explain that we cannot advise you on a particular aspect of your financial planning and where possible direct you to another professional who can.

Principle 5

We acknowledge the simple fact that the world in which we live is constantly changing.  We are currently in a technological revolution which is changing our lives every bit as much as the industrial revolution of the 19th Century.  Such changes will inevitably mean that some of our decisions with hindsight were wrong.  Our role at such times is to admit our mistakes and make the necessary changes for you on the most favourable terms that we can arrange.

Principle 6

Every investment has an element of risk.  It is an unavoidable part of the investment process. For example keeping £100,000 on deposit in a bank (or building society) will subject around 65% of the capital to the risk of loss through the collapse of the bank.  Even many National Savings products can subject your capital to loss through the effects of inflation.  Our job is to identify the risk, match the risk to your requirements and attitude to risk and explain clearly that risk to you.

Principle 7

Even though risk is unavoidable we will seek to reduce the risk to your portfolio as much as we can by using diversification of investment types, markets and market sectors, products and product providers to avoid you having all your ‘eggs in the wrong basket’ at the wrong time.

We will use collective investments that are managed on a day-to-day basis by professional fund managers and where possible will involve the tactical asset allocation services offered by various multi managers.

Principle 8

When giving investment advice to you we will take account of your tax position and the tax treatment of the investments. This will hopefully enable you to avoid paying unnecessary tax.

Principle 9

No single type of investment is right for everyone.  Each carries different risk profiles and personal needs and preferences also vary widely.  The ideal is a balanced portfolio between long and short term; low risk and high risk.  What constitutes a balanced investment portfolio will vary from investor to investor depending on such factors as your age, your employment status, your requirements for income and/or growth and your attitude to risk.     

Principle 10

We will want to make sure that you have sufficient money on deposit or otherwise readily accessible for emergencies so that you do not have to remove capital from long term investments at an inappropriate time.