GIFP

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you charge?

Our initial meeting is free of charge, with no obligation. Our fees will be discussed fully at the initial meeting when we have assessed the amount of work that is required. Sometimes companies give us the option of commission and we can consider using this to offset against our fees, and again this is something which can be discussed at our meeting.

We will talk you through our client agreement which sets out all our services and associated costs.  We will agree all services and fees with you before we commence any work.

What is a chartered financial planner?

Chartered Financial Planner status is the gold standard for financial advisers. It lets you know that we are highly qualified, reputable and capable of providing advice with integrity. The status also gives you confidence that we are committed to your best interests when giving our advice and we can be trusted to protect your interests, and work within the limits of our abilities and what you authorise us to do.

The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) site states “The RQF Level 6 Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning builds on existing knowledge enabling advisers to develop specialist planning capabilities and offer a sophisticated and comprehensive approach to financial management”.

I have multiple pensions but I don't know what to do with them, can you help?

As lot of people have pensions with a few different companies after moving jobs throughout their working life. We can help by reviewing your existing pension arrangements and advise on whether it is in your best interests to consolidate your pensions with one company to make it easier to keep track of. Our pension consolidation service can help you to combine all of your current pensions.

I am retiring now, can I get a better deal elsewhere?

You may be able to get a better retirement deal elsewhere and you do not have to take your pension from the company or provider you have saved with. We often meet clients who have received a lot of complex paperwork about their pension, which might be difficult to understand, so our team can help and advise.

How do you select investments for a client?

First of all, we need to find out about you, your circumstances, your financial objectives and risk tolerance. After gathering the information, we develop appropriate asset allocation based on investment time horizon, cash flow considerations and overall investment objectives and goals.

Once we have developed and agreed an asset allocation appropriate to your personal circumstances and risk profile, we will select funds to match. These may be No-load Mutual Funds i.e. funds in which shares are sold without a commission or sales charge, and/or Exchange Traded Funds (ETF’s) i.e. investment funds that trade like a common stock on the stock exchange. For each of these types of fund, we select those with strong, sustainable, long term performance within their respective market segment. In addition, we pay close attention to fund expenses and transaction costs while managing the tax aspects of the overall portfolio to achieve the highest possible after-tax return.

Can you help me find the best mortgage rates in the market?

Yes, we can find the best mortgage for you from the whole of market using the latest system, which is updated daily to provide the latest mortgage rates and deals. We can help you apply for and obtain a mortgage offer much faster than the high street banks and can provide you with a ‘decision in principle’. This will tell you how much you can borrow, which will help you to negotiate on the property you want. We offer all types of mortgages for first time buyers and people who want to move on to subsequent properties, re-mortgage, release equity in their home in retirement, invest in a buy to let or purchase a commercial property. Whatever your mortgage needs, we can help you get the best deal and help manage the process from application to completion.