Coping with difficult times

Meet Cath. A keen gardener, Cath is happiest when pottering outdoors, come rain or shine.

Following the sad passing of her father, Cath then tragically lost her husband Henry. With her mother suffering from dementia and two family deaths so close together, Cath was struggling to cope.

The couple had been clients for more than 30 years and so Cath turned to Bob, her trusted Independent Financial Adviser for help. Bob was able to support with all the financial implications of Henry’s death but as an adviser with an in-depth understanding of their history, he was also able to provide the emotional support that Cath desperately needed. He had become a family friend too over the years.

With the pandemic taking hold of the country, Bob stayed in touch and although Cath’s parents weren’t clients, Bob was able to support Cath with their finances too. This became all the more poignant when Cath’s mother sadly passed away later that year.

Whilst the last year has been incredibly difficult for Cath, she has, at least, some peace of mind that her finances are all taken care of. So, she can concentrate on taking care of her beautiful garden, helping her find some solace in nature and plan what lies ahead for her.

When family comes first

Meet Geoff. 85 years old and happily enjoying retirement, Geoff whiles away time in his daughter’s coffee shop. A very proud dad with a rather sweet tooth.

Unfortunately, when the pandemic hit, Sarah’s hard-earned business was badly affected. With the coffee shop on the verge of collapse, Geoff was anxious for her and keen to help her find the funds she needed to keep her business afloat.

But he wasn’t sure how. The widower had worked and planned all his life for a safe and secure future for him and his family. However, his investments were part of his retirement income. And whilst he owned his beautiful home in Buckinghamshire, he had planned to leave the property to his children to provide for their future.

Having worked closely with Sheetal, his Independent Financial Adviser for some time, Geoff knew exactly where to turn for help. Sheetal organised for Marie, one of our specialists, to help Geoff release some of the equity from the family home to support his daughter when she needed it most. Working with his solicitor, Sheetal also helped Geoff adjust his will to recognise his early gift to his daughter.

Thankfully by doing things as quickly as possible and taking advice, Geoff was able to remain in his home and minimise any additional cost like further tax. He could carry on enjoying his retirement and relax knowing he had done everything he could for his family, now and in the future.

A proud Dad with peace of mind during the pandemic.

Seizing the day

Meet Gail and Tim. Avid golfers and dedicated to their lifetime careers in the events industry. A solid and enjoyable career, until now.

When Coronavirus struck, the couple were hit hard. With all events cancelled and an uncertain road to recovery, the future looked gloomy for Gail and Tim.

The couple decided to reassess. Like so many, the pandemic had given them time to reflect on how valuable and short life can be. Following the tragic loss of a recently retired friend too early, Gail and Tim were determined to seize the day and enjoy life, whatever it threw at them.

They were particularly keen to explore early retirement and enjoy more of their favourite hobby, as well as spend time with their beloved grandchildren, so they got in touch with Aaron, their Independent Financial Adviser.

Aaron sat down with them to help them visualise different options and financial scenarios that would help them see the choices they had. With the possibility of future contracting work and taking into account how much they needed to live on and how much they owned already, Aaron helped Gail and Tim work out how they could semi-retire.

With a plan in their pocket and a golf-ball in hand, Gail and Tim are now living life to the full. They can while away hours on the golf course, plan future holidays abroad and spend precious time with grandchildren, confident that they have enough money for a fulfilling future too.

Going the distance

Meet Elsie. Occasional pianist at her local care home, Elsie lights up when playing the piano to her fellow residents; a remarkable escape from her dementia.

Elsie has a number of investments and trust funds which pay for her care but, with her daughter, Francesca, living in Australia, Elsie’s accountant was the co-trustee.

When Elsie’s accountant died unexpectedly, there was suddenly a gaping hole. There was no-one to act as a signatory and no-one to administer Elsie’s finances including her care home payments.

Without anywhere else to turn and feeling further away than ever, Francesca got in touch with Elsie’s Independent Financial Adviser, David.

David, who had kept meticulous records over the years, managed to trace the now retired family solicitor and lasting power of attorney. With David’s help, Francesca and the solicitor were able to work together to resolve immediate issues so that her care home bills could be paid.

With travel restrictions making home visits unlikely any time soon, Francesca was incredibly grateful for David’s help, as he sorted it all out from a distance. She now has peace of mind knowing that her mother’s financial affairs are in order and Elsie can remain in her care home, keeping everyone’s spirits up with her memorable melodies.