A horizontal promotional image featuring Jon Hall of Scottish Widows pictured left of centre on a bright yellow-green background. The text reads 'A guide to protection essentials for paraplanners' which is an online Assembly taking place at 1pm on 5 February 2025 with 1 hour CPD available.

Do you find that, even though you spend each and every day working on financial plans for clients, you hardly ever get mixed up in protection? 

Well you’re not alone. Because despite being a foundational long-term financial security, for paraplanners, the topic of protection often takes a back seat compared to consideration of investment and retirement strategies.

Which invites the question: what happens to that carefully crafted financial plan if a client’s income falls or they’re faced with the financial consequences of a bout of serious illness or worse? 

In other words, what does every self-respecting paraplanner need to know to make sure their clients plans don’t unravel when the unexpected happens unexpectedly?

To find out join us online at 1pm on 5 February 2025 when Jon Hall, protection specialist at Scottish Widows, will explore protection essentials for paraplanners. Whether you’re new to protection or need a refresher, this session will help you understand:

Jon brings real-world experience as both a protection specialist and former adviser focusing on high-net-worth and complex cases. He’ll share insights on how paraplanners can help build protection into the advice process, even in firms where it hasn’t traditionally been a focus.

This is an interactive session – bring your questions and challenges around protection planning. The chat room will be open for discussion throughout.

Want to join in? Save your spot now.

A promotion for an online Assembly called "LTA abolition: are we there yet?" that is taking place at 1pm on 29 January 2025. The promotion features prominent headshots of the two guests for the Assembly: Brian Radbone from Transact and James Jones-Tinsley from Barnett Waddingham.

The saga of the Lifetime Allowance abolition.

That’s soooooo 2023!

And 2024.

Surely not 2025 too?

Well, for our very first online Assembly of the new year, we’ll be asking whether we’ve absolutely definitely seen the back of all the corrective legislation, clear-as-mud HMRC guidance, and LTA limbo that paraplanners, advisers and clients endured for long periods over the last two years.

So if you’d like to be certain where things stand, and confirm for yourself that the LTA saga is absolutely definitely over, join us at 1pm on Wednesday 29 January 2025 when James Jones-Tinsley from Barnett Waddingham and Transact’s Brian Radbone will be joining us to put us all straight – once and for all.

(Maybe.)

Over the course of one lunch hour, James and Brian will offer their insights on all the corrections, clarifications and considerations that you could possibly want to know when it comes to the lifetime allowance.

Come armed with your questions and comments to share in the chat. Or just tune in to hear what our experts – and paraplanners just like you – have learned from the saga of the LTA abolition.

Want to join in? Save your spot now.

Each of us shares an ever more complex and connected planet. One where we’re all facing the consequences of a human-made climate emergency and conflicts. A world of profound inequalities in health, economic and social outcomes between – and within – populations. 

So it shouldn’t be a surprise to learn that more and more clients are looking for returns that aren’t measured financially, but by effecting positive economic, social and environmental change.

But how many of your clients think this way? And if you did know how many, how confident are you that you can help clients make their social and charitable ambitions part of a practical financial plan? 

What you’ll learn from this Assembly

To explore this topic we gathered together three wise people (appropriate for the time of year) to help us:

Host Richard Allum is joined by pioneering ethical investing advocate and financial planner Jeannie Boyle of EQ Investors, Jack Chellman chief project officer of the innovative Global Returns Project and David McIntosh of chief executive of ShareGift – a brilliant service that has turned the shareholding equivalent of spare change into more than £50 million in donations to UK charities since 1996.

Watch or listen now

Once upon a time, philanthropy was something that only the very wealthiest would consider. But in this season of goodwill – and in a world that doesn’t half need it – find out why that’s no longer true – and how paraplanners can help clients put their money to work in powerfully positive ways more easily than ever before.

Aegon UK’s Sarah Purves and Succession Wealth’s Ellie Welling return for a follow-up to last month’s ‘What kind of paraplanning leader will I be?’ Assembly.

Picking up where they left off in November, Sarah, Ellie and host, Richard Allum, explore a topic that every aspiring and existing leader will experience during their career: difficult conversations. 

Sarah shares ideas and techniques that can help paraplanning leaders successfully prepare for and navigate discussions that you might otherwise dread.

During the second half of this episode, our guests focused on questions, ideas and topics raised by paraplanners during the first Assembly.  

But whether or not you joined Sarah and Ellie last time, and haven’t had a chance to listen or watch it on catch up yet, you’re sure to gain plenty to inform your reflections on successful leadership by tuning into this discussion.

Watch or listen now

So if you’re on the lookout for an hour that’s packed with practical ideas and insights that could prove vital to your next steps in paraplanning, look no further.

This image displays text promoting Aegon's association with the workshop outsourced paraplanners. The text reads "A personal and business power-up for outsourced paraplanners would not be possible without the generous support of Aegon UK". On the far right of the image is Aegon's logo. The overall design is minimalist with black text on a white background.

Perhaps you’ve been thinking about stepping into a leadership role in paraplanning. Or you’re already managing others and want to build your skills. Either way, our specially extended lunchtime Assembly at 12.30pm on Wednesday 13 November is for you.

What’s in it for me?

Over 90 minutes, you’ll explore what kind of paraplanning leader you could be and discover how you can make that step with confidence – all from the comfort of your own desk (or canteen, cafe, or kitchen table).

Wherever you’re joining from, we’ll have Aegon UK’s learning and organisational consultant, Sarah Purves, on hand to help. Throughout the Assembly, Sarah will be inviting you to try out a series of exercises that will help you:

What’s more, Sarah will be joined by paraplanner Ellie Welling from Succession Wealth who will be sharing her own experience of moving into a leadership role – what she’s learned, what she wishes she’d known, and how she’s gone about developing her own approach to managing a team.

It’s an Assembly that’s specially designed so you can:

Save your spot now

There’s no magic formula for becoming a leader. But there are tools and techniques that really work. Whether you just want to tune in to listen and learn, or get stuck in and share your thoughts in the Chat, you’ll be really welcome.

So how about it? Save your spot now.

Don’t miss part two!

This Assembly was the first of a two-parter on paraplanning leadership. In the second part, Sarah, Ellie and Richard will dig into dealing with difficult conversations as well as exploring the questions raised in the Chat at today’s Assembly.

To save your spot for that Assembly, visit the event page.

Scottish Widows’ pensions specialist (and Big Day Out 2024 ‘Quiz the Expert’ alumnus), Gareth Davies, joins host, Richard Allum, for the follow-up to his popular ‘Is there a recipe for successful retirement income advice?‘ Assembly which we held back in June.

Why a second helping?

An unbelievably busy Chat meant that Gareth fielded a fair few comments and questions which left too much ground to cover in just one lunch hour. So Gareth agreed to come back later in the year to conclude his survey of the retirement advice landscape.

In this concluding Assembly, Gareth and Richard…

It makes for a lunch-hour Assembly that’s packed with valuable insights and practical ideas that you can apply to client cases right away.

You can’t beat a good case study or two for discovering and consolidating technical knowledge, insights and practical ideas. 

So you’re going to love this special episode in which Steve Sayer of Utmost International explores not one, not two, but three case studies that – together – spotlight essential planning considerations for clients who have spent time overseas, and have invested abroad or hold offshore bonds.

Because in this hour-long case study investigation special, Steve steers us through time apportionment relief, personal portfolio bonds and deficiency relief.

Time apportionment relief: The lion’s share of the recording focuses on time apportionment relief – a vital consideration for clients who spend time abroad or return to the UK with existing investments. Steve shows how pre- and post-2013 rules can significantly impact tax calculations, explores the potentially valuable concept of ‘material interest periods’ and covers plenty more besides.

Personal portfolio bonds: Using case study scenarios, Steve illustrates the potential pitfalls of non-compliant policies and the hefty tax implications of deemed gains.

Deficiency relief: Steve offers a comprehensive overview of the applications of deficiency relief and considers its limitations.

It’s no accident that Steve’s sessions are some of the most popular among paraplanners. His forensic knowledge, clarity of explanation and use of case studies bring topics to life and make episodes like this a must-watch or listen.

Grab your CPD

Scroll down the page and you’ll find links to receive a certificate for your CPD records plus a link to download a copy of Steve’s slides.

Perennial Assembly favourite, Les Cameron of M&G Wealth, joined us to share his thoughts on Labour’s Budget on 30 October.

As well as the fact that Rachel Reeves made history by becoming the first woman to deliver a budget as Chancellor of the Exchequer, were there measures that are sure to feature when Budget history is written?

Or were the widespread jitters among savers and investors ill-founded as Labour delivered its first Budget since Alistair Darling’s on 20 April 2010 – no fewer than 5,334 days earlier.

What actually happened?

Were the headlines screaming about capital gains and inheritance tax? How about pension tax relief and fuel duty? Or national insurance and the British ISA? Perhaps even VAT on school fees or measures affecting non-doms? And what about a wealth tax?

Les was on hand to offer his thoughts and insights, and address lots of questions and comments posted by paraplanners in the Chat.

So did it turn out to be one of the most consequential Budgets of recent years? Was it more of a ‘pitch-rolling’ statement in preparation for future measures? Or something else altogether?

Tune in and find out.

What steps can you take to make sure your client’s plan will deliver a reliable income in retirement nowadays?

After all, it’s an area of advice that is coming under some significant regulatory attention. Because not only is it the subject of a thematic review but the arrival of The Consumer Duty has also turned the spotlight on the suitability of advice too. 

Retirement income advice: why all the fuss?

The last few years witnessed big challenges for paraplanners seeking secure incomes in retirement for clients thanks to significant economic and political events.  

First there was pension freedoms and the surge in drawdown strategies. Next, rising inflation and interest rates conspired to squeeze income during the cost of living crisis. And that crisis prompted the search for secure income and a revival of annuities.

The paraplanner’s dilemma

But what’s the right balance between drawdown and secure income strategies? (Is there a balance to be struck at all?) What steps can you take so your client won’t simply run out of money? And how can you be sure that the FCA will agree that your approach to retirement income is consistently suitable?

Patrick’s practical planning pointers

That’s where our guest expert at this Assembly, Parmenion‘s head of strategic partnerships, Patrick Ingram, comes in. Because Patrick shares some practical ideas that you apply straightaway to cases, and offers insights that will help you think through the planning challenges.

Among the areas that Patrick and host, Richard Allum, cover in this lunch-hour Assembly are:

There’s nothing paraplanners love more than a case study to help bring a technical topic to life.

And that’s especially true when it comes to getting to grips with the complexities of inheritance tax (IHT) calculations.

Which is why you’re invited to join us online at 1pm on Friday 20 September 2024 for a case-study led online Assembly that’s all about calculating IHT.

Join Graeme Robb from M&G Wealth as he guides us through a case study in which he will break down each stage and address common misconceptions. During the lunch-hour Assembly, Graeme expects to cover:

Because it’s an Assembly, you’ll have plenty of chances to ask questions, share examples and make suggestions.

How does that sound? If you fancy joining in, save your spot now.