Covid-19 has changed the way most financial planners, we included, are able to deliver advice – at least for the time being. At the drop of a hat, the industry has had to embrace years’ worth of technological innovation so that we could continue to provide our services to you during a tumultuous time.
The financial advice sector has traditionally relied primarily on face-to-face meetings. A client would go to their adviser’s office, or we to their home, for a coffee and for a detailed review of their financial planning. This meeting was always something of a very pleasant ritual … until Covid struck and social distancing measures were introduced rendering this format of meeting difficult to arrange.
Many have adopted apps such as Microsoft Teams, Messenger, Webex, or Zoom to discuss their financial planning situation. One result of this is that we, and many of our clients, have become better connected than ever before. Multiple short video/telephone meetings have for many clients replaced the longer meetings in our office or at your home (although we continue to carry out a formal annual review of the portfolio).
Although stock markets have, to some extent, recovered since the 2020 ‘Covid Crash’, a climate of uncertainty is likely to continue. In this scenario, ‘little and often’ contact will be the norm for many people.
Lightening the weight of clients’ financial stresses is crucial when so many people feel profound uncertainty and vulnerability in all areas of their lives, and so regular and more frequent review meetings continue to be a vital part of our advice process.
And remember, we are here to help so please do not hesitate to contact us regarding your financial planning situation. Reviews and our Lifetime Financial Planning Service are all part of our added-value services for our clients.
Barry Fleming & Partners has grown from a tax advisory background into a broader business that encompasses investment management. Both things matter for wealth management, retention and creation. That expertise makes the company strikingly different from others.
This capability allows Barry Fleming and Partners to use its strength in tax advice to take a 360-degree-view of a financial situation to give much broader, more comprehensive advice.
We bring together up to the minute tax, estate, investment and retirement planning advice to create individual, ‘joined up’ financial strategies. This allows our clients to understand and have confidence in how they can best control, retain, and build their assets and income to achieve their objectives with least risk.
A high level of service is key to our long-term client relationships. We work collaboratively. That means our clients can benefit at all times from having ready access to our team of financial planners.
Barry Fleming & Partners are an independent financial advisor specialising in ISA’s, Pensions, Tax, Trusts, Estate Planning, Inheritance Tax Planning (IHT) and other Financial Planning areas. Please don’t hesitate to call on 01488 608 686 and ask to talk to one of our financial advisors. Alternatively use the contact form on our home page.