How we can help
Perhaps the main role of the IFA is to help our clients to understand the options available to them and to ensure that any decision made has been thought through with all the options weighed up. As you can see by flicking through some of the areas below, it is not easy to find ones way through the maze!
Savings & Investments
One of the first things we have to establish is whether you are a saver or an investor.
Savers will be looking at deposit based accounts (Building Societies, National Savings and the like) whereas investors will be looking at bonds, unit trusts, investment trusts, ISA's and shares (amongst other things!)
In each case we have to be sure of the client's attitude to risk, the willingness to tie up money for a certain period of time, affordability, tax implications, even whose name the investment should be in!
However, if you do not need advice and fancy putting together your own ISA portfolio, have a look at our Investment Shop. Good luck!
Pensions
You can find a lot of very useful information on traditional pension planning in our Money Info section.
However, do not forget to consider non-traditional pension planning as well, for example, the use of ISA's to build up tax-free cash, investing in property for capital growth and income and weighing up the prospects of an inheritance.
Locking ones money away in traditional pension plans might not always be the best bet for you. Take advice!
Mortgages
The Money Info section will give you lots of useful general information about mortgages but we firmly believe that you should take advice before making a decision.
Not only do you have to consider the type of mortgage scheme on offer (discounted, capped, flexible, fixed, cashback, buy-to-let, rent & buy etc) you also need to weigh up the various methods of repayment (interest only, investment backed, capital repayment, regular or lump sum overpayments or perhaps a combination).
There are over 4,000 mortgage schemes available but please bear in mind that advisers have access to exclusive deals which you will not find by surfing the net or looking at teletext.
Protection
Investing for the future and buying houses is all very well, but what happens if something goes wrong? This is where protection comes in.
And what a choice there is - medical insurance, critical illness insurance, life assurance and income protection to name but four.
Even something as apparently simple as life assurance can throw up unexpected obstacles. So, although you might have found yourself a cheap quote - is it the right type of insurance? Is it term or whole of life? Is it pension linked? Should it be written under trust? If a joint life policy, on whose life should the policy pay out? Are you now confused?!
Once again..... take advice. call us on 0117 925 5500 or e-mail us at info@eddel.co.uk
We can point you in the right direction!
At Edwards de Lancey Financial, we specialise in the traditional building blocks of financial planning - savings, investments, mortgages, pensions, life assurance and protection.
Inevitably, however, during the normal course of business, we are asked whether we can help out on related matters such as getting a solicitor or accountant, sorting out personal loans, general insurance or advising on low interest credit cards.
Although we may not be able to help directly (there is a limit to our expertise dash it all!), we are usually able to point you in the right direction. Via the Internet or simply by phoning us, we think we have enough contacts to help you out.
If we can't help, we know a man who can!