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Lifting the lid
FAQs
About us
Do you offer independent financial advice?
Yes, we’re independent financial advisers offering products and services from the whole market.
Who are you regulated by?
What is your FCA reference number, and where can I prove your regulation?
Our regulatory reference number is 458879.
Can I choose between meeting in person or on a video call?
We normally prefer to have our initial meetings face to face, but can accommodate video meetings if required.
Where are face-to-face meetings held?
Normally we have face-to-face meetings in one of our offices close to you, but we can meet in your own home or work location if you prefer.
Do you have parking at your office?
Yes, we have parking spaces at our offices which are complimentary.
How long has Robson Laidler Wealth been providing financial advice?
The business was formed in 2005 and we’ve been providing financial advice ever since.
Where are you based, and do you work with clients outside your local area?
We have offices in Newcastle, County Durham, and Teesside. We can work with any UK-based person.
What additional certifications and accreditations do your advisers or firm hold?
Our existing advisers are all Chartered financial planners (via the Chartered Insurance Institute). Neil is also a certified financial planner (via the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment).
Do you have any client reviews or written/video testimonials, and where can I view them?
We have Google reviews and video testimonials which can be viewed throughout our website or on our "Rated by clients" page.
What makes your firm different from other financial advisers and planners?
We believe in creating a clear financial plan supported by cashflow forecasting before we provide any product recommendations. Our fees are not reliant on you “buying” a product.
What are the key cities, towns and areas you work with clients in?
Most of our clients are based within a small radius of our three offices, although we do have a number of clients in other parts of the UK.
Advice areas
Can you advise on mortgages?
No, we’re not authorised or regulated to provide mortgage advice. Instead, we can refer you to a mortgage adviser.
Can you advise on equity release?
No, we’re not authorised or regulated to provide equity release advice. Instead, we can refer you to an authorised adviser.
Can you advise on personal pensions?
Yes, we regularly advise on personal pensions. We’re a whole-of-market advisory firm.
Can you advise on occupational pensions?
Yes, we’re authorised to advise on occupational pensions. We’ve given up our permissions to advise on defined benefit pensions.
Can you help me consolidate multiple pensions?
Yes, where appropriate and suitable we can help consolidate multiple pensions.
Can you help me take my pension tax-efficiently?
Yes, many of our clients have started to draw benefits from their pensions. This is one of our core services in line with the financial plan.
Can you help with ethical or sustainable investing?
Yes, we can advise on ethical or sustainable investments.
Can you help me invest an inheritance I’ve received?
Yes we can.
Can you advise on Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs)?
Yes, we can advise on SIPPs.
Can you advise on final salary or defined benefit transfers?
No, we gave up our permissions to advise on final salary or defined benefit schemes. We can refer you to a pension transfer specialist if appropriate.
Do you offer advice on long-term care or later-life planning?
Yes, Amanda Cowie is able to offer advice on long-term care or later life planning and is an accredited member of the Society of Later Life Advisers (SOLLA).
Can you help with Inheritance Tax planning or estate planning?
Yes, estate planning or Inheritance Tax mitigation advice is very much a core service and something we review with clients on an ongoing basis.
Can you advise on investments such as ISAs (Individual Savings Accounts)?
Yes, we can provide advice on ISAs from the whole of the market.
Can you advise on protection such as life insurance, critical illness cover, and income replacement?
Yes, we can provide advice on protection products.
What other areas can you advise me on?
We provide comprehensive financial planning advice that incorporates protection, investment, and pension products along with tax-planning strategies.
Client types
Do you work with British expats?
Yes, if they’re UK residents for tax purposes. We’re unable to advise on US financial products.
Do you work with American expats?
Yes, if they’re UK residents for tax purposes. We’re unable to advise on US financial products.
Do you work with Australian expats?
Yes, if they’re UK residents for tax purposes. We’re unable to advise on Australian financial products.
Do you work with Canadian expats?
Yes, if they’re UK residents for tax purposes. We’re unable to advise on Canadian financial products.
Do you work with French expats?
Yes, if they’re UK residents for tax purposes. We’re unable to advise on French financial products.
Do you work with German expats?
Yes, if they’re UK residents for tax purposes. We’re unable to advise on German financial products.
Fees and value
Do you offer a free initial consultation?
Yes, our initial meeting is at our expense. It’s an opportunity to get to know each other and to determine whether our financial planning services will be a good fit for you and value for money.
How do you charge for financial advice?
We charge fees for financial advice. The cost of any advice is clearly presented to you before you commit to a service. We prefer to work on an ongoing basis and we typically charge a fee based on the value of investments we influence.
What is your minimum fee?
Our minimum fee for comprehensive advice is a one-off initial fee of £2,495. Our minimum ongoing advice charge is £1,495 per year.
What do you typically charge for a financial plan?
Our fee for a financial plan is typically £2,495 (the fee is higher when incorporating final salary pension assumptions ie. NHS/university/teachers/Local Authority). We also charge a one-off implementation fee for setting up new pension or investment products.
Do you charge fixed fees or a percentage of my investments?
Our implementation and ongoing fees are typically based on a percentage of your investments.
Do you get commission?
We typically receive a commission for arranging protection policies. You do have the option of paying a fixed fee instead of commission if you prefer. We don’t receive commission on any new investment or pension products.
How do I know if your fees are competitive?
Although we’re unlikely to offer the cheapest fees, we feel confident that our financial planning and investment management services offer value for money and will provide long-lasting value to you and your family. We have a regulatory responsibility to ensure our fees represent good value to our clients.
How do your fees compare to other advisers/planners?
We believe our fees are competitive in the marketplace, and are confident they represent long-lasting value to our clients.
How can I find your fees?
Details of our fees are available on our website, and a clear quote of the fees involved for any service will be provided to you before you commit to working with us.
Trust, safety, and compliance
What happens if something goes wrong or I have a complaint?
We welcome constructive feedback and understand sometimes things don’t go as planned. If you have a complaint, you can contact Amanda Cowie via our website.
How do you keep my personal data secure?
We take data security very seriously. All the systems we use comply with the GDPR regulations and all staff undertake regular training.
Are you insured to give financial advice?
We have Professional Indemnity Insurance which we review and renew each year.
Do you have client stories or case studies I can read?
We publish client testimonials and stories on our website.
How do you measure client satisfaction?
We encourage clients to give regular feedback about our service to ensure it continues to fulfil client needs and expectations. We also typically run an annual client survey and call a number of clients following their annual review to ensure that they have everything they need and have a full understanding of the advice provided.
Have you won any awards or accreditations?
We don’t typically put the business forward for awards, but we have Chartered firm status under the Chartered Insurance Institute’s accreditation programme.
Are you featured on any review sites?
We’re featured on Unbiased and VouchedFor.
Who we work with
Our typical clients are business owners or other professionals.
Retirement planning is very much one of our core services.
What type of clients do you typically work with?
Our typical clients are business owners or other professionals.
Do you work with younger clients who are still building wealth?
Yes, we believe financial planning is appropriate for all life stages.
Do you work with company directors or self-employed clients?
Yes, our typical clients are business owners.
Do you work with clients approaching retirement or already retired?
Yes, we can help clients with inherited money.
Can you help clients who have inherited money?
Yes, we can help clients with inherited money.
Can you help clients who have sold, or are in the process of selling, a business?
Yes, a number of our clients have come to us for advice on business sale proceeds.
Do you specialise in working with business owners, retirees, or professionals?
Yes, our typical clients are business owners or other professionals, either working or retired.
Can you help if I already have existing investments or pensions elsewhere?
Yes, we can review existing pensions or investments to ensure they’re helpful in achieving your financial planning objectives and appropriate to your risk profile.
Is there a minimum amount of investable assets or income I need to become a client?
Typically we advise clients with more than £250,000 of investable assets.
Can you help me manage my assets in other countries?
No, we’re only authorised to advise on UK-based clients and investments.
Can you advise on my UK State Pension?
Yes, we can help you obtain an estimate of your UK State Pension and consider any missing contributions.
Working together
How can I book an initial meeting?
To request an initial meeting, you can call us, email us or complete the enquiry form.
Do I have to pay for an initial meeting?
The initial meeting is at our expense. We’ll confirm the cost of any service or advice after this initial meeting
What do I need to bring to an initial meeting?
Ideally, you have a reasonable understanding of your current financial position including income, lifestyle spending, and assets and liabilities. It’s also helpful if you’ve considered what’s important for you as well as the reason you’ve come to see us. You don’t need to bring anything specific with you to our first meeting.
What happens in the first meeting?
The first meeting is an opportunity for us to get to know each other and to determine whether we can provide the advice you are after. Hopefully we’ll be a good fit for each other.
How long should I allow for an initial meeting?
Typically our first meetings last between 60 and 90 minutes but may be longer if you have complex advice needs
Do I have to sign up to your services at an initial meeting?
No, you’re under no obligation to engage us for paid-for services. We may agree we’re not the right fit for each other or that you may be able to do what you need yourself without paid-for advice.
Do you have a female adviser or planner I can work with?
Yes, 50% of our advisers are women.
What happens if my financial adviser or planner is away on holiday?
Simple questions can usually be answered by our experienced support staff, but we always have an authorised adviser present to cover annual leave.
How often will I hear from my financial adviser or planner?
Typically we find most clients benefit from an annual face-to-face planning meeting, although we can meet more frequently than that if required at no extra cost. We’re available via email or phone at any time during working hours throughout the year
Do you offer cashflow forecasting/planning as part of your service?
Cashflow forecasting and planning is very much at the heart of our advice process.
What happens if my circumstances change?
Your financial planning advice is likely to adapt over time as circumstances change. By meeting regularly, we can provide you with the right advice when you most need it.
Can you work alongside my accountant or lawyer?
We prefer to involve your other professional advisers to ensure any advice we give is in line with their recommendations and guidance.
Can you co-ordinate with my mortgage adviser if they need information from you?
Yes, with your authority we can provide relevant information to your mortgage adviser.
What happens if my adviser leaves the firm?
We’ll assign a new adviser who’s the right fit for you. All of our advisers deliver a very similar service and are equally qualified.
Can I see an example of a financial plan?
Financial plans are bespoke to each individual so they reflect their unique circumstances and objectives. We can show you examples of a financial plan, but this will be of limited value to you.
Will I be able to see the value of my investments online?
We set up online access for each investment product we establish so you’ll be able to view your investments.
Do you provide an online portal for clients to view their investments?
Yes, we provide online access to each client’s investments.
It all starts here
Get in touch
When you’re ready to transform your life through financial planning, why wait? Reach out to us today to arrange a no-obligation initial chat about your circumstances.
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