The same process every time, so nothing depends on remembering to ask.
A first conversation costs nothing and carries no obligation. Its purpose is to establish what you are trying to do and whether paid advice would change the outcome. If it would not, we will tell you — that conversation ends more often than the industry would like to admit.
Advice without the facts is a guess with a letterhead. Before any recommendation we establish what you hold, what it costs, what is guaranteed, what your income and spending actually are, and what you are trying to achieve. This is the least glamorous part of the work and the part that determines whether the rest is any good.
You receive a written recommendation setting out what we advise, why, what we considered and rejected, and what it costs. Then review at agreed intervals, testing the plan against what happened. You can stop the ongoing service at any time, and the arrangements remain yours.
How it works
A call at our cost to understand what you are trying to do and tell you plainly whether we can help. Sometimes the honest answer is that you do not need advice at all, or not yet — and we would rather say that than bill you for finding out slowly.
Before any work starts you get the scope, the approach, who will do the work and what it will cost, in writing. Independence means we are paid by you rather than by a provider, and you should be able to see exactly what you are paying and for what.
A written recommendation you can read, question and keep, setting out what we suggest and why — including the options we rejected. Then a review at agreed points, testing the plan against what actually happened rather than restating it.
A first conversation at our cost, and an honest view on whether advice would change anything for you.
