Let’s talk about your finances.

Not for most of what we do. There is no minimum for one-off needs such as mortgage advice, protection, care fees planning, equity release or pensions on divorce. Ongoing investment advice is different, and is typically most suitable for people with £300,000 or more in investable assets, because that is the point at which ongoing, tailored advice adds real value. If you are not sure where you sit, get in touch anyway and we will point you in a helpful direction either way.

That depends on what you need. Our fees are based on the work involved in advising you properly, so a straightforward case costs less than one with more complex affairs behind it. We think that is a fairer way to charge than a percentage of the assets you have invested, which can bear little relation to the work actually involved. You will always know the fee before anything begins, and the initial consultation is free whatever you decide afterwards.

Most of the financial decisions that matter in life. What you need from us depends on where you are and what you're trying to achieve. From choosing your first pension or buying a home, to protecting your family, building wealth, running a business, planning for retirement, receiving an inheritance or windfall, managing finances after divorce, or planning for care and the future.

That can include pensions, investments and responsible investing; mortgages, equity release and protection; inheritance tax and care fees planning; divorce finances and personal injury settlements; as well as advice for business owners, working alongside the solicitors and accountants who refer clients to us.

As an independent, whole-of-market firm, we're not tied to one type of product or one stage of life. We can look at your finances as a whole, so your mortgage, pension, investments and estate can be considered together, rather than as separate decisions.

During the initial consultation our advisers are happy to discuss your situation in broad terms. Answering specific questions counts as financial advice, though, and as a regulated firm we can only give that once you become a client. The initial consultation is where we work out whether that makes sense for you.

We are an independent, privately owned Chartered firm, and we have been advising from Tunbridge Wells since 1986. Our advisers are salaried rather than paid by commission, our advice is whole-of-market, and our fees are fixed and agreed before any work begins. That combination matters more than it sounds. It means the advice you receive is shaped by your circumstances rather than by what earns us the most.

Chartered status is awarded by the Chartered Insurance Institute, and a firm has to qualify for it rather than simply claim it. At least half of a Chartered firm's advisers must individually hold the Chartered Financial Planner title, at least one board member must hold it as well, and the whole board along with 90% of customer-facing staff must be members of the CII. A firm also has to have traded as an authorised and regulated business for three years before it can apply, and to operate in line with the CII Code of Ethics. It is a standard about the qualifications and conduct of the people advising you, not a label a firm can simply adopt.

Everyone is in a different financial position, with different challenges and different goals. During the initial consultation one of our advisers finds out what your situation actually is, which parts of your finances you want help with, what you are hoping to achieve and explain how we can help.

Typically around 30 minutes. That is enough time to tell us the full story, give us the background, and ask us whatever you want to know about how financial advice works.

Not unless you would like to. Initial consultations are available by phone, by video call, or in person at our offices in Tunbridge Wells, whichever suits you best. We advise clients throughout the UK and it makes no difference to the advice you receive.

Your adviser will tell you whether financial advice is right for you, how you might benefit from it, how we could help you meet your goals, and what our charges would be. If advice is not the right answer for you, we will say so.

Of course. Call us on 01892 612500, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and we will arrange it from there.