FAQs

About Financial Advisers

What is financial planning?

Financial planning is about helping you make the most of your money and ensuring you are in the best financial shape possible. This covers investments, pensions, mortgages – any assets that money can be accessed from.

Why do I need a Financial Adviser?

Everyone has different goals and objectives, a financial adviser will consider every aspect of your situation and Tailor their advice to your circumstances so you can achieve your goals.

Why should I use Liberty for financial advice?

We offer expert financial advice but without the expensive service costs. We are able to do this more efficiently than most advisers, through experience, the use of technology and being a Senior Partner Practice of St. James’s Place.

When should I seek financial advice?

A good time to seek advice is when you are about to undergo a significant lifetime event such as buying a house, getting married, moving jobs or if you haven’t already done so when your approaching retirement or if you receive an inheritance.

Who are Liberty Wealth Management?

Established in1994, Liberty are a Senior Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management offering holistic financial advice to Individuals and families.

Are you contactable?

Of course, you can contact us. Head to our contact page for details of how to get in touch. We are always around and on hand. If for some reason there is nobody in the office, please use the enquiry form – we do get the email from the form, and will reply to the submission.

Does Liberty hold onto my money?

No. Liberty never holds onto client money. All money is held by authorised investment companies, pension companies or insurance companies. All Liberty advice and products are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Are you registered with the FCA?

Yes, we are authorised to provide financial advice and products by the FCA. Our FCA Number is XXXXXX – we are on the FCA register.

Can I meet Liberty face-to-face?

Of course. We would be delighted to meet with you face-to-face. We much prefer to meet people, whether at the beginning of the relationship or at any point throughout the process.

How much money do I need to become a Liberty client?

There is no actual sum of money required, Liberty are committed to helping everyone achieve their financial goals.

How much does an initial meeting cost?

There is no obligation or charge made for an initial meeting, however if we visit you at your home a cup of coffee and a biscuit never goes amiss.

Where are you clients based?

Liberty is based in Essex. Most of our clients are based in Essex, with the vast majority from the South of England, but we do have clients throughout the UK. We use virtual meeting technology to service our clients from further afield.

What type of information do you need?

We require details regarding investments held, family situation/set-up, income and expenditure details, savings and financial planning needs. The more information, the better we can tailor the financial plan.

Clients & Fees

What is your minimum portfolio size?

There is no minimum portfolio size. We do have minimum defined fee levels for each of our services. Liberty will tell you if we believe that our minimum fee is too high to provide you with good value. It is a balance between the possible or expected performance of the service and the defined fee cost.

If I hire Liberty, do I have to sign a long-term contract?

No, any agreement can be cancelled with immediate effect on receipt of your written instruction. Our contracts typically run in three month quarters of the year. Typically a financial plan can take longer to bear fruit.

What is the cost of your services?

Liberty fee rates are standardised, and do not take into account the clients assets. We have a few table for each aspect of our service. If client requests fall outside of our fee structure, we will discuss an appropriate fee.

Do you charge entry or exit fees?

We do not charge any entry or exit fees for services.

Do you charge annual fees?

Service fees are accrued. These are typically on a three-month, six-month or yearly schedule. The frequency is discussed and set at the initial meeting and can be amended. We will not apply fees when implementing recommended changes. It is considered that the cost of advising on and implementing such changes is covered by the service fee.

Planning

What does a financial plan look like?

Planning covers your complete financial situation and highlights the essential steps required to achieve your goals.

What is covered in a financial plan?

Every financial plan is unique and tailored to your needs and goals. We focus on your most pressing needs first. In terms of what is covered, the plan covers these key areas:
Goal Planning
Financial Forecasting
Financial Organisation & Budgeting
Tax Planning
Saving & Investment Planning
Property Planning
Retirement Planning
Debt Management
Estate Planning
Family Financial Planning
Financial Protection
Disaster Planning
Emergency Fund

Why is a plan beneficial?

People with plans are much more likely to achieve their objectives. The plan helps people focus on the tasks required to achieve the objective and to identify the obstacles that need to be overcome.

How often should the financial plan need to be reviewed/updated?

The plan should be reviewed yearly. If circumstances change, the plan will be reviewed and amended according to the situation and requests. We will inform you before the year has elapsed, and contact you to arrange the yearly review.

I am a little confused on what my objectives and goals should be – can you help?

This is not unusual. Financial planning can be complex. Liberty can provide clarity, focusing on the requirements of what you can achieve.

Can you review my existing investments and assets?

Yes. Liberty are able to review your existing investments and see if they are suitable for you. Typical investments we review include stock market investments, ISA, Trusts, pensions and Investment Bonds. Once we understand your personal situation and objectives, we’ll assess your risk profile and tailor a financial plan.

Service

Is it easy to gain access to my money if I need it?

Yes, you can request access to your money at any point, and upon receiving your request, Liberty will discuss the most tax-efficient way to withdraw your funds. If the assets are required urgently we will discuss the best route for achieving your instruction.

I have existing investments, pensions, assets that need to be reviewed. Can you help me?

Yes, as part of our investment, retirement and estate planning services, we can review and understand your situation and needs.

Do I have to use all your services?

Of, course not. You can pick and mix. From an initial meeting, the focus will be narrowed to which services you need.

Can I increase or reduce my contributions?

Yes, of course. We can start, stop, increase or reduce your contributions. Just let us know what you want to do and why. You can also add one-off payments into the account.

What about taxes?

It is important that financial plans are tax efficient. Your financial plan should help you in minimising your tax liability and reducing your after-tax returns from your investments.

What is a fiduciary?

A fiduciary is generally defined as an individual or entity that can act on behalf of another person or persons to serve their best interest; holds themselves to be an expert, by education and experience, in a particular field of study or specialty; is obligated under the law to serve the best interest of their clients (beneficiaries) and to avoid conflicts of interest; no one is held to a higher standard of care under the law than a fiduciary.

What is asset allocation?

Asset allocation is the diversity of your entire savings and investments across asset classes. Stocks, bonds, cash, real estate, are examples of asset classes.

Investing

What is diversification in investing?

Diversification reduces portfolio risk by allocating investments across a range of assets in order to maximise returns while reducing risk.

What is risk tolerance?

Risk tolerance is a measure of the degree of uncertainty that an investor is willing to accept with respect to his or her investment strategy.

What is ethical investing?

Types of funds or companies that scores high on their ethical nature. Whether this is through sustainable, green, management or other identifying aspects. Please see Liberty’s Responsible Investing Planning strategy.

Retirement

Can you review my existing pensions?

Yes, absolutely. We conduct pension reviews for our clients. In many cases we can recommend a much better pension in which to invest.

Do I need a will?

For most people, a will is extremely important. If you die without making a will, you cannot allocate who will inherit your assets.

I want to make sure my family are looked after if I die suddenly. Can you help?

Yes, we can help. There a number of different ways you can achieve this.

Can I start a pension?

Almost everyone can start a pension. There are lots of advantages to having a pension, but the type that is most suitable for you depends on your objectives and circumstances. We can help you identify the features you need and set this up to make sure you have your ideal pension.

Should I consolidate my pensions to one single provider?

Yes. One of the things we consider when reviewing pensions is the benefit of consolidation. Bringing all your pensions under one roof can make management simpler. As part of a pensions review we will consider whether consolidation is the best route.

Other than a pension, what else could I use to provide for my retirement?

Pensions are a great way to save for retirement because of the tax benefits they provide, but there are other ways. This may be by using ISAs or other forms of investment or by using a property investment such as a buy-to-let.

How can I use the money in my pension?

When you come to draw your pension, you will usually be entitled to take a quarter of it tax-free, whether as a lump sum or as a quarter of each withdrawal. You may purchase an annuity to provide a regular income for life with the remainder of your pension. Alternatively, you are free to draw any amount at any time from your pension as long as you pay the required income tax.

What is a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)?

LPA is a legal document that lets you appoint one or more people to help you make decisions or make decisions on your behalf. This gives you more control over what happens to you if, for example, you have an accident or an illness and can’t make decisions at the time they need to be taken.

Do I need an LPA?

Most people should have an LPA. This is typically handled when making a will.

Estate Planning

I’ve just bought a new house with a mortgage. Can I protect my income in case I lose my job?

Yes you can. We can help you get the best type of income protection. This will help protect you from the implications of losing your income.

I’m worried there will be a big inheritance tax bill when i die. Is there anything i can do now to plan for this?

Yes there are lots of things you can do. Some of these are very straightforward but can save a lot of Inheritance Tax. We can tailor a strategy to your specific objectives.

About St. James’s Place

What does St. James’s Place do?

SJP is one of the UK’s largest advice-led wealth management companies. We advise our clients through our 4,834-strong Partnership of highly qualified advisers. Money is involved in almost every major decision we make about our lives, our lifestyles, and our future. So our Partners are here to build longstanding relationships so you can confidently make the right financial decisions to live life the way you imagine.

Who owns St. James’s Place?

From 2013, St. James’s Place have been fully listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), and therefore the ownership is like any other listed company. Whilst there are some substantial shareholders who may own up to 10% of SJP, 100% of St. James’s Place shares are freely traded on the LSE and therefore there are no “owners” apart from the individual shareholders.

Is St. James’s Place financially strong?

St. James’s Place is a financially robust business. We operate with a simple business model, a prudent approach to risk and solvency, and high corporate governance standards. Together, these contribute to ensuring client assets are safeguarded in all foreseeable circumstances. St. James’s Place has robust statutory and regulatory controls which protect clients and their investments across all our products. This happens via a range of protection measures including regulatory protection, industry compensation, safekeeping, and the assets held to back client products.

Other FAQs

Can you help if I already have a financial adviser/planner?

Yes, we can. We would be delighted to talk to you to see if the service and solutions we can offer are more closely aligned to your objectives. We can work outside of the other financial planners, or alongside them.

How do I check my Liberty account?

You can use the client portal to view and review investments, pensions and other analytics. The client portal is available via the Client Login link or by https://clients.sjp.co.uk.

How do I make a complaint to Liberty?

Please get in touch with us – via email or phone call. Your complaint will be dealt with in the utmost privacy. We want all our clients to be happy.

Are my personal and financial details protected?

Yes. We use the highest level of security, including 128-bit secure socket layer (SSL) to protect all digital or server held information.

Investing Glossary

Active Fund

A portfolio of investments that is selected by a professional investment manager and managed on an ongoing basis with the aim of achieving a performance objective.

Absolute Return Funds

Absolute return funds are a form of alternative asset. They actively adjust their positions between equities, bonds, gold and other asset classes, typically with the aim of providing investment return across all market conditions.

Bonds

Bonds are debt securities issued by governments and corporations to raise money. Similar to an IOU, the investor lends money with the agreement that it will be paid back by a specific date, and they will receive periodic interest payments along the way. Bonds come under the umbrella of ‘fixed income’ investments.

Defensive

Defensive positions prioritise preserving capital over growth. It is important to hold such positions in periods of market turbulence.

Delisting

When a stock exchange removes a company’s shares, making them no longer publicly traded.

Diversification

Spreading your money across different types of investments, such as equities, bonds, and property, instead of putting all your money in just one type of investment. By doing this, you can reduce the overall risk of your investment portfolio.

Dovish

A supportive and accommodative approach to monetary policy, favouring measures like lower interest rates and stimulus to encourage economic growth.

Duration

The sensitivity of the price of a bond to changes in interest rates. A bond with a longer duration will typically be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than a bond with a shorter duration.

Earnings Season

The period during which publicly traded companies release their quarterly financial results to the public.

Earnings Session

The length of time when publicly traded companies announce their financial performance, usually on a quarterly basis, influencing market activity and stock prices.

Fixed Income

Investments that provide regular, set interest payments, such as bonds or treasury bills, and return the principal at maturity.

Gift

A type of fixed income investment issued by the UK government. They are considered to be among the safest investments available. They have a fixed interest rate and a specific maturity date, which can range from a few months to several decades.

Global Index Fund

Investment fund that aims to replicate the performance of a broad international market index. This fund typically invests in a diversified portfolio of securities from various countries.

Growth Fund

Investing in companies that are expected to offer future growth prospects that are above the average in their industry or sector.

Growth vs Value

Most stocks are classified as either value stocks or growth stocks. Generally speaking, a value stock trades for a cheaper price than its financial performance and fundamentals suggest it’s worth. A growth stock is a company which comes at a higher price however, its profits are expected to grow significantly in the coming years as the company develops – this is typical for technology firms.

Index Fund

Fund that aims to track the performance of a market index.

Index / Indices

A benchmark that tracks the performance of a specific group of assets, such as stocks or bonds.

Index Linked Bond

A type of government issued bond which has its interest payments and principal value tied to inflation.

Magnificent Seven

Group of high-performing companies in the US stock market: Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, NVIDIA and Tesla.

Market Capitalisation / Mega-Caps

Market ‘cap’ is the market value of a company based on its current share price and total number of shares. Ultra-large cap companies have the largest market capitalisation. The largest companies by market cap are currently Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Nvidia and Meta (Facebook).

Market Sentiment

The attitude or outlook of investors towards a particular security, sector of the market or economy as a whole.

Maturity

The length of time until the bond issuer must repay the original bond value to the investor.

Put options

A form of downside protection. They provide an investor with the ‘option’ to benefit should an asset fall.

Quality

Considered to be financially stable, profitable, and well-managed.

Rally

A sustained and widespread increase in the prices of financial assets, driven by optimistic investor sentiment, positive economic indicators, or favourable corporate earnings.

Selling Off

A sell-off is when holders of an asset collectively sell their holdings at the same time, in quick succession. The consequence is a large reduction in price.

Sentiment

Market sentiment is the overarching attitude or outlook of investors towards a particular security, sector of the market or economy as a whole.

Soft vs Hard Landing

A soft landing refers to a gradual economic slowdown or adjustment, usually avoiding a recession, while a hard landing is a sudden and severe economic downturn often leading to a recession.

Soft Landing

Controlled economic slowdown, avoiding sharp contractions or recessions for a smoother transition to sustainable growth levels.

Strategic Bond Fund

Adjusted portfolio of fixed-income securities, including government bonds, to optimise returns in response to changing market conditions.

Ultra Large Gap

Market capitalisation – cap – is the market value of a company based on its current share price and total number of shares. Ultra-large cap companies have the largest market capitalisation. The largest companies by market cap are currently the Magnificent Seven (Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, NVIDIA and Tesla).

Value-trap

An investment that is currently selling at depressed or cheaper prices but is often cheap for a reason due to intrinsic issues.

Volatility

Volatility refers to the degree of fluctuation in a security’s price or a market’s performance over time. A highly volatile share experiences larger price changes compared to more stable investments, indicating higher risk.

Yield

The income you receive on an investment, such as dividends from shares or interest from bonds.

Yield Curve

A visual depiction of how the yields of bonds vary at different maturities. It shows how much you’d earn if you invested your money for a short time, e.g. six months, versus if you invested it for a longer time, e.g. 10 years.