Financial Advisor Bridgewater

At some point in our lives, most of us are required to give serious consideration to our finances. Whether it be ensuring we have enough saved for our retirement, or help securing a mortgage when it comes time to buy a home. Successfully navigating the complexities surrounding important financial decisions requires time and knowledge, a combination that few of us, outside of the world of finance, readily possess. At this point many of us will turn to an independent financial advisor Bridgwater for help, knowing that a small outlay now can help save thousands in costly mistakes down the line.

With an estimated 27,000 financial advisors in the UK, it can be hard to know who is the best person to trust with your hard earned money. Independent financial advisers can wear many different hats, and equally possess hugely differing levels of qualification and experience. Our free service can help you find local financial planners. The service you get from one can vary significantly from what you would expect from another, which is why it is so important to do your due diligence before committing to any one provider. Here are some pointers to help you secure the best possible advisor for your needs.

Services on Offer by IFAs

Many financial advisers will offer a free consultation in order to discuss their expertise and the fees.

Top 10 Independent Financial Advisors in Chigwell

Rank	Advisor	Description	Find An Advisor
1		At Chartered Financial Management, the level of qualification is conveniently in their name, leaving you with one less thing to consider when assessing whether they are suitable for your needs.	Find An Advisor
2		Stephen Elvin has been providing independent financial advice for over 15 years to customers in Bridgwater Somerset and the surrounding areas.	Find An Advisor
3		Invest Southwest continues to draw in five star reviews and awards on the back of the great service they deliver to clients in Bridgwater Somerset and the surrounding areas.	Find An Advisor
4		At Forward Financial Planning, they want to ensure you always see the very best advisor for your situation. So when you walk through the door as a new client, they will take the time to identify which advisor, from their team of specialists, would be best suited to meet your enquiry.	Find An Advisor
5		Being fully independent, Nexus can offer advice on a full range of products from across the entire market to suit your individual needs.	Find An Advisor
6		At Custodis they like to keep their message simple, fundamentally, their mission is to help you achieve your financial goals.	Find An Advisor
7		Blackdown Financial have been providing independent financial advice to clients in Bridgwater Somerset since the 1970’s. They offer new clients a completely free initial consultation, where they can discuss how they can add value to your existing arrangements and take you through their completely transparent fee structure so you know exactly what to expect.	Find An Advisor
8		There are several reasons why Skipton Building Society is worth considering if you are looking for financial advice.	Find An Advisor
9		Northseam specialise in providing independent, personalised financial planning and wealth management to customers all over the country including Bridgwater Somerset and the surrounding areas.	Find An Advisor
10		Romilly Associates have been proudly providing their clients with quality independent financial advice in Bridgwater Somerset for many years and continue to strive towards excellence in the service they deliver.	Find An Advisor

Choosing an IFA

Consider Your Options

Below we have outlined ten financial advisors in your area which is a good place to start, but bear in mind that financial advisors are all competing for your business and you are therefore in a position to be choosy. If your requirements are likely to lead to an ongoing relationship, then it might be worth meeting with more than one provider to ensure that you engage the services of an advisor with whom you can develop a healthy relationship. Initial consultations are often free of charge, so a bit of leg work now, could save you regrets in the future.

Personal recommendations are also a great way to find the best providers.The experiences of your friends and family can speak volumes as to the level of service you can expect from an advisor.

Check Qualifications

As mentioned above, the qualifications possessed by financial advisors does vary significantly and it is therefore prudent to check. At the very least, it is important that you understand whether the advisor you are considering is offering independent or restricted advice, as independent advisors are able to to source the best products for your requirements from across the entire marketplace, whereby restricted advisers are limited to a few products, or even just the products offered by their own company. The difference can have a substantial impact on your bottom line.

Understand the Costs

This is a tricky area to navigate, as lower costs are not necessarily a money saver over time when it comes to independent financial advice. However, it’s important that you ascertain whether you will be charged a fixed fee upfront, an hourly rate, or a percentage of the amount invested. Currently the average hourly rate is around £190.

Check They are Regulated

It is vital that any firm you consider is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. It should be easy to check this on the company website and this offers you assurance that the advisers will operate in your best interest.

Here is our round-up of top IFAs in Bridgewater

At Chartered Financial Management, the level of qualification is conveniently in their name, leaving you with one less thing to consider when assessing whether they are suitable for your needs. They offer a comprehensive financial service to both individuals and businesses and claim to be competitively priced with their ‘advice for life’, in part due to the use of cutting edge technology, that they employ to help drive down the costs for their customers.

At Chartered Financial Management they invest heavily in their staff, delivering a team of highly qualified and passionate people who provide advice to clients from all walks of life. They believe that independent financial advice is not just for the affluent, and that everyone should be able to enjoy clearly communicated, professional advice with a human touch in order to best meet your needs and help you achieve your financial goals.

Tailored to Your Requirements

The advisers at Chartered Financial Management offer a range of services which are all bespokely delivered in order to match your exact requirements. They understand that no two clients are ever the same, and therefore take the time to get to know you, your family, your aspirations, and your circumstances so they can deliver the perfect solutions. Regardless of whether you are looking for a one time consultancy, or wish to engage their services over your lifetime, the advisers are on hand to deliver quality advice to get you to where you need to be.

Chartered Financial Management offer this level of personal service across a wide range of services, including protection, mortgage advice, retirement and pension planning, and savings and investments.

Honest and Ethical

The advisers at Chartered Financial Management are all trained to give honest advice, that is free from financial jargon and complicated rhetoric. They can help you understand how your finances are working towards your secure future, so you can relax with the confidence that everything is taken care of. This is all part of the special relationship your adviser will build with you, ensuring you are comfortable and happy with every step of the process.

Stephen Elvin has been providing independent financial advice for over 15 years to customers in Bridgwater Somerset and the surrounding areas. Stephen understands that gaining your trust as a client is of paramount importance if you are to relax in the knowledge that all your finances are being taken care of. Therefore Stephen works hard to build long lasting relationships with all his clients, providing a valuable service built on the back of honest, open and transparent advice.

Stephen offers all new clients a completely free initial consultation, allowing you the opportunity to assess whether the service he offers can bring real value to your current circumstances. As a somewhat unique offering, Stephen also has a handy little messenger icon on the home page of his website, whereby you can get in touch and have a candid conversation about whether it would be beneficial to move forward.

Pensions

Regardless of your current situation, Stephen has the knowledge and experience to evaluate your existing provisions and identify areas of improvement moving forward. This not only includes funding a pension, but also helps navigate the complex area of retiring, tax breaks, and ensuring you are sufficiently funded for the retirement you aspire to. Stephens professional advice spans across the following areas:

• Self Employed Setting Up Pensions
• Pension Transfers
• Work Based Pensions
• Drawdown Pension Advice

Investments
Stephen can help identify the most intelligent way for you to invest, given your current circumstances and your attitude to risk.

Protection

Protecting you and your family from unexpected events in life can help ensure your family continues to prosper when the worst strikes.

Mortgage Brokers

Getting the exact right mortgage to suit your unique situation, can be a daunting task, with thousands of products all competing for your business from across the marketplace. Stephen works closely with a trusted whole of market mortgage adviser to ensure you receive the best possible advice to suit your needs.

Inheritance

Inheritance tax can be a significant bill for your family when the time comes for them to inherit your estate.

Invest Southwest continues to draw in five star reviews and awards on the back of the great service they deliver to clients in Bridgwater Somerset and the surrounding areas. Being fully independent, Invest Southwest are able to offer clients a wide range of products and services from across the marketplace, to best service your unique requirements. They are also fully authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority so you can trust that the advice you receive will always be in your best interest.

Savings & Investments

Invest Southwest are experts at matching your requirements with the best product to get you to where you need to be. Regardless if you are saving for education, a home, or simply to achieve financial freedom, they can help match you to the following products in order to best achieve your goals:

• Individual Savings Account (ISA)
• Lifetime Individual Savings Account (LISA)
• Junior Individual Savings Account (JISA)
• BED and ISA (Individual Savings Account)
• OEIC & Unit Trusts
• Investment Bond
• Investment Trusts

Pensions and Retirement Planning

When it comes to saving for your retirement, it’s important that first and foremost you are certain you are making adequate provision. Invest Southwest will work with you and your current circumstances to ensure you are making the most of the new pensions freedoms across the following products:

• Personal Pension Plan
• Pension Annuity
• Flexi Access Drawdown
• Pension Death Benefits
• Tax Free Cash (UFPLS) Full Withdrawal
• Tax Free Cash Series of Withdrawals

Protection

The advisers at Invest Southwest are able to source affordable protection, providing an adequate level of cover for you and your family across the following services:

• Level Term and Critical Illness
• Decreasing Term and Critical Illness
• Family Income Benefit Policies
• Income Protection Policies
• Accident Sickness and Unemployment

Mortgage Brokers

Invest Southwest are fully qualified mortgage brokers meaning that following a thorough analysis of your circumstances, they are able to offer comprehensive recommendations on the best possible product for you.

Financial Planning

Because their advisers are never set targets, at Invest Southwest, you can always be sure they are acting solely in your best interest. They take the time to understand your short, medium and long term objectives so they can work with you to ensure all their recommendations are tailored to your specific requirements.

At Forward Financial Planning, they want to ensure you always see the very best advisor for your situation. So when you walk through the door as a new client, they will take the time to identify which advisor, from their team of specialists, would be best suited to meet your enquiry. At Forward Financial Planning they offer a fully independent service, ensuring you are always matched with the best product or service from across the entire market. They have a range of clients, from all walks of life, and will happily offer you a comprehensive financial review in order to identify areas where their service can add value to your current arrangements.

Mortgage Brokers

At Forward Financial Planning they help clients find the best possible mortgage product to suit their circumstances, helping you answer important questions about what you require from your mortgage. The cost for this service can vary, depending on the complexities of your requirements, but for a standard service you can expect to pay as little as £250 which is considerably less than securing the wrong product might cost you.

Equity Release

Clients can expect to pay in the region of £1200 for qualified, specialist advice on equity release from one or more of your assets should you be in need of a lump sum of money. The size of your lump sum can vary according to a number of factors which your adviser will happily guide you through.

Savings and Investments

At Forward Financial Planning you can expect tailored, independent advice on simple products offering tax free savings, all the way through to complicated offshore investment planning.

Pensions

The financial advisers at Forward Financial Planning can help you successfully navigate the complicated pensions landscape in order to achieve the best possible retirement.

IHT & Estate Planning

The advisers at Forward Financial Planning, work alongside solicitors and accountants to mitigate your exposure to inheritance tax using the simplest methods and the minimal amount of fuss.

Long Term Care

Forward Financial work with SOLLA (Society of Latter Life Advisers) in order to ensure your financial planning can provide a positive outlook in your latter life, even when you might need additional support.

Life Cover & Protection

There are literally thousands of products available across the market and whilst the price has become more affordable recently, the level of cover has often got better. This is why the services of an independent financial adviser can help you secure the best product for your needs, ensuring you and your family are covered with a complete program of protection, bespokely built for your exact needs.

House Insurance

The advisers at Forward Financial can help you ensure you have the right level of cover for your situation at the best possible price.

New clients to Nexus can take advantage of a free initial consultation which includes the following:

• Free financial health check
• Free investment health check
• Free mortgage review
• Free pension check

The results of this should provide you with an indication of where Nexus can add value (if at all) to your existing arrangements before you commit to engaging their services. This consultation can even take place in the comfort of your own home, and during this meeting your financial adviser will explain all the fees to you in detail as part of their transparent level of service.

Pensions and Investments

Being fully independent, Nexus can offer advice on a full range of products from across the entire market to suit your individual needs. They will take the time to sit with you and gain a clear understanding of your objectives, whether it is to save for your retirement, or maybe your kids education, so they can offer advice on the best possible vehicle to get you to where you want to be.

This process is much more complicated than simply getting the best rate of return, it includes ensuring you are fully tax efficient utilising products such as ISAs, and taking advantage of investment solutions and pension products.

Financial Planning

If you have a goal of where you want to get to, then financial planning may well be the best way for you to make that dream a reality. In simplistic terms, the advisers at Nexus will use your current circumstances to forecast whether you are on track to realising your financial goals, and using a completely holistic approach, they will offer solutions to how you can ensure you achieve your goals.

Financial Protection

Your independent financial adviser will take the time to explain to you the importance of protection. This can make the difference between securing financial freedom for you and your family should something go wrong, or living in poverty, reliant on the state. The cost of protection has gone down in recent years and you may be surprised at how affordable it now is.

At Custodis they like to keep their message simple, fundamentally, their mission is to help you achieve your financial goals. How do they plan to do this? They listen. You tell them where you are now, and where you want to get to and by when. It’s as simple as that. They will then design a practical plan with enough detail to get you to where you want to be.

With their guidance and regular reviews, achieving your financial goals can become a reality. Being independent they can source the best products and services to help you achieve your dreams while you sit back and relax in the knowledge that all your finances are being taken care of.

Protection

The advisers at Custodis can help find the best products at the best price, to suit your budget and the level of cover that is appropriate for your circumstances from the following options:

• Level Term Assurance
• Decreasing Term Assurance
• Family Income Benefit
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Keyperson/Shareholder/Partnership Protection
• Income Protection
• Accident, Sickness and Unemployment

Mortgages

At Custodis your financial adviser can help you make sense of the crowded mortgage market in order to secure the best possible product for you. They can help you ascertain whether you would be better repaying your mortgage using a repayment method or if interest-only would be better suited to your needs.

Savings and Investments

There is an important distinction between savings and investments, and it is important you understand the difference so you can make informed decisions as to whether saving or investing your money is the right course of action for you. The advisers at Custodis can help identify the best strategy to compliment your current financial situation and help you meet your financial goals.

Pensions

Pensions can be complex, with new flexibilities adding to the confusion, and mistakes made now can end up costing you dearly in the future. Your financial adviser can help you understand some of your options when it comes to saving for your retirement and help you make the right decisions on what source of pension income is best for you from the following:

• Single Tier State Pension
• Basic State Pension
• Additional State Pension
• Occupational Pension
• Personal Pension Scheme
• Retirement Options

Blackdown Financial have been providing independent financial advice to clients in Bridgwater Somerset since the 1970’s. They offer new clients a completely free initial consultation, where they can discuss how they can add value to your existing arrangements and take you through their completely transparent fee structure so you know exactly what to expect.

Importantly, the advice you receive at Blackdown is completely independent with a sustainable investment focus and access to funds without penalties. They have a completely comprehensive approach to financial planning, utilising their years of experience, and independent status to provide you with impartial advice that is always in your best interest.

Financial Planning

The sole aim for the advisers offering you financial planning at Blackdown is to help you realise your financial goals and maintain your desired lifestyle. Certainly there are some people who can benefit more from this service, however, financial planning can help shape anyone’s life and provide financial freedom with the peace of mind that you will have enough money to sustain your lifestyle until you die.

The planners at Blackdown achieve this level of service by implementing financial forecasting so you can see what your future might look like. This is calculated using your current financial position and looking at elements such as longevity, inflation, investment returns, tax rates, etc to get a picture of the future. Changes to your current circumstances can then be used to predict how these might affect your future so you don’t leave anything to chance.

Mortgage Services

Whilst acquiring comprehensive mortgage services from Blackdown can set you back around £495 on average, the potential savings you can make from their service could end up saving you thousands in the long run and is therefore worth your consideration. The advisers can help you answer important questions such as:

• How big a deposit do you need?
• How much can you afford to borrow?
• What is the best way to save for your deposit?
• Should you consider Shared Ownership schemes?
• Can Government schemes help you?

There are several reasons why Skipton Building Society is worth considering if you are looking for financial advice. Firstly they have been established for 167 years, no mean feat, and testament to their ability to adapt to volatile markets and changing financial landscapes, never more important than in today’s turbulent times. They now have over a million customers, and as a mutual, they continue to invest in the company rather than in their shareholders, meaning they continue to grow and improve their services.

Skipton have readily adapted to the current pandemic and offer clients webchat, video appointments and phone appointments as part of their award winning service.

Savings

In 2000 Skipton won the Moneyfacts High Street Savings Provider of the Year award giving customers confidence that they can get savings advice that is appropriate to their needs and will help them provide for their future. Their website provides links to useful resources such as a savings calculator, allowing you to work out how much you could save over a specific period of time, as well as the ability to compare all the rates from their entire range of savings accounts in one handy place.

Skipton’s choice of savings accounts includes:

• Cash ISAs
• Easy Access
• Fixed Rate Bonds
• Lifetime ISA
• Childrens ISA

They are also protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, meaning that your money is covered up to the sum of £85,000.

Mortgages

No two buyers are ever the same, and therefore finding your perfect mortgage product is a lot more complex than simply finding the best rate. Regardless of your personal situation, the advisers at Skipton are highly skilled at finding you the best product, at the best rate for the term that suits you.

• First time buyers
• Remortgaging
• Moving home
• Landlords
• Managing your mortgage
• Changing your mortgage

Financial Planning and Advice

The financial advice at Skipton is all tailored around you and your goals and all starts with their free financial fitness report. This is designed to provide you with tangible suggestions on how you can improve your current financial situation and whether financial advice could be of benefit to you.

Northseam specialise in providing independent, personalised financial planning and wealth management to customers all over the country including Bridgwater Somerset and the surrounding areas. Northseam was founded by Sam Thorne, an award winning HSBC adviser who set out to provide a high standard of independent advice to his clients and has since earned an outstanding reputation in the area.

At Northseam they prioritise understanding what’s important to you, working with you to make your aspirations a reality and providing you with complete financial freedom.

Investments

At Northseam the investment strategies they put in place are all planned around you and your aspirations. They want you to feel the security of knowing that your money is working hard towards your future under the watchful eye of an adviser with the knowledge and experience to monitor your portfolio and continually get you the best results possible.

With Northseam they can offer you a completely unrestricted choice of investments from across the entire market, matching you to the right investments to help you achieve your goals, whilst carefully balancing your portfolio in line with your attitude to risk.

Pensions and Retirement

Sam Thorne is a pension specialist, meaning you can rest assured that you are getting the best possible advice to ensure you are adequately provided for in your retirement. He will review your current arrangements so you can make decisions on what is required to get you to where you need to be.

Inheritance Tax and Estate Planning

No one wants to think of a large portion of their estate ending up in the tax man’s pocket, but failure to adequately plan for handing over your estate to your beneficiaries can lead to this conclusion. At Northseam they can provide comprehensive independent financial advice to mitigate your tax bill in the following areas:

• Passing on your assets effectively
• Knowing how much you can afford to spend or give away
• Trusts
• Gifting
• Investment trusts
• Passing on a pension
• The residence nil rate band
• Wills

Romilly Associates have been proudly providing their clients with quality independent financial advice in Bridgwater Somerset for many years and continue to strive towards excellence in the service they deliver. They have a fee structure that puts you, the client, in control and provides you with the following options:

Advice only. Based on the estimated time it will take your adviser to meet with you, discuss your current finances and provide you with a written report confirming any action you may wish to take.

Advice and implementation. Further to what they offer above, this will include implementing the products and services recommended, either as a fixed price, or as a percentage of the amount considered.

Annual review. To ensure your finances remain on track despite changes to your circumstances or to the financial market. This is charged for either as a fixed amount or as a percentage of the value of your funds.

Mortgages

Romilly offer their clients independent mortgage advice on buying a property, buy to let, remortgaging, commercial lending, bridging and development finance. They can access the entire market in order to source the best product for your circumstances and it doesn’t end there, they can provide assistance with solicitors and offer advice on the survey.

Pensions

Ensuring you have enough funds to comfortably retire is one of the most important undertakings of your lifetime. The advisers at Romilly can break down the complex jargon in order to offer you sustainable advice on ensuring your pension pot is adequate for your retirement and you are making the most of the provisions available to you.

Investments

Romilly work hard to match their customers with the perfect investments to meet their needs while staying in line with their appetite for risk. They will guide you through thousands of funds to find the one that suits you the most from the following products:

• Bank or building society accounts
• Collectives
• Exchange traded funds
• Fixed rate bonds
• Cash ISAs
• Equity ISAs
• Life assurance bonds

Protection

Romilly can help secure the perfect level of cover for you and your family from the following key areas:

• Life Protection
• Critical Illness
• Income Protection
• Estate Distribution

Useful links:

• Stepchange.org
• National Debt Help UK
• Citizens Advice – Financial Advice
• Financial Services Compensation Scheme