Client stories
Evidence from real planning conversations
These notes reflect specific consultations — wealth plans, retirement maps, and estate outlines — not generic praise. Names appear as clients preferred to share them.
“The wealth plan named the three pension pots we had been ignoring since changing jobs. We still need to tidy a workplace scheme transfer, but at least we know the order.”
— Helen M., Edinburgh · Wealth Planning Consultation
“Fees were clearer than I expected. The retirement income map made the bridge years before state pension feel less like guesswork.”
— James & Priya R., Glasgow · Retirement Income Mapping
“I wanted someone to sit with us before we phoned the solicitor. The inheritance outline stopped us arguing about percentages with no list of assets underneath.”
— Callum D., Aberdeen · Inheritance Conversation
“The portfolio review was useful on charges, though I wish we had gathered older fund factsheets sooner — that delayed the meeting by a week. Once paperwork arrived, the letter was specific about overlapping equity funds I had not noticed.”
— Nadia S., Manchester · Investment Portfolio Review
Extended note: bridging retirement at 61
A client couple near Glasgow booked Retirement Income Mapping after one partner accepted voluntary redundancy. Their concern was not “beating the market” but covering council tax, travel to adult children, and a modest holiday fund until state pension ages arrived on different dates.
We mapped three start dates for full retirement, highlighted a taxable lump-sum idea that would have stacked badly with a redundancy payment, and recommended drawing ISA capital for the first bridge year while keeping pension withdrawals smaller. The written pack went to their accountant for a second look on personal allowance use.
They later returned for a shorter portfolio review once the redundancy cash settled. The second engagement was scoped separately — no assumption of an open retainer.
Extended note: sorting forgotten pensions
Helen’s wealth planning consultation began with fragmented statements from three employers and a SIPP opened during a brief self-employed spell. The plan sequenced tracing letters, contribution rates inside the current workplace scheme, and a decision deadline for a deferred defined contribution pot that was still invested in a default fund she no longer recognised.
Not every recommendation was comfortable: increasing workplace contributions meant delaying a kitchen renovation by a season. She accepted that trade-off in writing after the clarification call.