I am a GP partner with 10 years to retirement. Over the years, financial advisors have encouraged me to put my savings into PEPs, ISAs, pensions and unit trusts which, at the time, I felt was appropriate.
However, as my portfolio increased, I became overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork that was being generated and eventually became confused about what these investments meant for my future.
One day, after an exasperating morning sorting out my finances, I did a search in google and read the booklet ‘The 7 most common retirement mistakes’ by Ray Prince and Graeme Urwin. This rang true for me and so I contacted Graeme.
What most struck me about this initial encounter was that he was the first financial adviser to really listen to me. He started by asking me what my personal goals for the future were, an exercise I found challenging, but a novel way of approaching investment. This exercise empowered me to become in control of my finances rather than vice versa. I am a cautious investor and I was surprised that a large proportion of my investments were in fact risky and with his help, I was able to transfer into a portfolio that equated to the risk I was comfortable with.
I now have a clear idea of what my investments allow me to do for the future.
Graeme, unlike previous advisers, actually encouraged me to spend more! With this in mind, I am now planning a sabbatical.
I would recommend Graeme wholeheartedly to others not only for his sound knowledge base but also his enthusiasm and personal approach. He listens to what clients want, yet is not afraid to challenge their pre-existing perceptions about financial planning.
Dr Catherine Bratty,
GP partner,
Surrey
