At Protection and Investment, we very much believe that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

We can look at your savings, your investments, your income, your pensions and your expenditure – and how these may change in the years to come, as well as discussing your hopes and dreams – and we can advise you if there is a shortfall.

We can further advise you on your options. Even if things look good, you may be able to generate more income simply by moving funds. And if you do need to make changes, then we can help you do so in the most effective and painless way possible.

Investment is all about your attitude to risk. Generous returns are potentially available to those prepared to take greater risks, providing they can afford to see their investments fall. But you do not have to go out on a limb to see excellent returns on your money – potentially greater than you would achieve by simply banking your hard-earned cash.

We can discuss with you every aspect of your financial hopes and fears (that you are happy to share with us) and explain the implications of the various possible changes. We can then agree on a portfolio of investments that suits your risk profile, as well as having the best likelihood of fulfilling your needs, whilst satisfying any ethical concerns you may have.

You may have concerns as you approach retirement age, or perhaps you are looking forward to a comfortable retirement. You may wish to help your children get on the housing ladder by providing them with mortgage deposits or assist with your grandchildren’s school fees. We can help you.

Whatever your situation, it is important to rationalise your finances, so that your position is clear and you are certain that you are reaping the best reward. In our experience, many people reach later life with an assortment of investments and pensions, which may not be working as hard as they could for you.

We are here to clarify the picture, to advise on your options, and to activate any changes that you require.

Financial planning is all well and good – until the unexpected happens. If your financial hopes and dreams rely on the continued earning power of one or more family members, and this income is lost in full or in part for one reason or another, then the plans go out of the window.

In association with wise financial planning, it is also prudent to put protection in place in the form of life cover, income protection and critical illness policies. Financial instruments like these, properly structured so that they give the right amount of cover, mean that you can plan with real confidence.

It is perhaps not the most pleasant subject to be thinking about, but we are here to discuss, advise and reassure.

The importance of securing a mortgage and the associated stress is only matched by the complexity of the mortgage marketplace. One lender will tell you categorically that a certain amount cannot be offered, whilst another will happily go ahead.

We have a track record of securing mortgages for clients who have despaired of ever crossing that finish line, often fulfilling the very tightest of timescales when couples or individuals have been let down at the last minute.

We are here to discuss your needs, to advise on your options and to help you move forward and remain stress-free every step of the way.