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:

• look at different ways in which clients can give these days
• why they might want to give in the first place; and
• the evidence that clients do want to give but their advisers don’t seem to realise

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.

Think you know how to stay safe online? No matter how tech security savvy you think you are, even people who have never known a world without the web can fall victim to sophisticated scams (listen out for the case of a 20 year old digital native who nearly lost £000s in a fake HMRC email scam). 

Which is why you should tune in to this eye-opening conversation with Sarah Coles, Parmenion’s head of cyber and resilience. 

As a seasoned cybersecurity expert, whose blog posts have acquired almost cult status among readers of the Assembly’s monthly newsletter, Sarah has spent a decade protecting wealth management professionals and practices. In this conversation with host Richard Allum, Sarah shares five practical tips that will help shield you and your business from a world of cyber threats.

Be in the know

Want to know why storing passwords in your browser might be riskier than you think? Or why relying on SMS codes for two-factor authentication could leave you vulnerable? Sarah breaks down complex security concepts into actionable steps you can implement right away.

In fewer than 30 minutes, you’ll discover:

• Why length matters more than complexity for password security
• The truth about backup solutions (no, Dropbox sync isn’t enough)
• How to spot sophisticated phishing attempts that can fool even experts
• Simple ways to protect client data that meet regulatory requirements
• Real-world examples of common security mistakes and how to avoid them

Whether you’re a solo paraplanner or part of a larger team, this conversation offers valuable insights for protecting not only your practice and your clients’ sensitive information but your personal information too. 

Tune in and adopt healthy habits

These days, good security isn’t just about the tech you use. It’s about developing smart habits that become second nature. Tune in and, in half an hour, you could be setting out on a lifetime of freshly minted healthy cyber security habits.

Thank you for joining us on 15 November to take your outsourcing game to the next level.

Thanks to the generous support of Assembly supporter, Aegon UK, we were able to team up with coach and consultant Rachael Hurdman to create a workshop where paraplanners could gather to exchange practical insights, knowledge and experience.

We hope you agree it turned out to be a day out of the office that made a real difference to you and your future in outsourcing.

Are you an outsourced paraplanner?

Whether you’re the only employee of your paraplanning practice, or you lead a paraplanning powerhouse with employees and a hefty bank of clients, outsourced paraplanners share lots of things in common.

You just do.

But here’s the thing: despite the growing number of outsourced paraplanners in the UK these days, opportunities to get together to talk only about things that matter in the outsourced world, are surprisingly few and far between.

Switch off. Show up. Join in. 

So, if you’re an outsourced paraplanner, here’s our invitation: at 10am on Thursday 12 December 2024, set your notifications to ‘do not disturb’, click on the Zoom link in your event invitation and gather with other outsourced paraplanners across the UK for an hour of conversation, ideas and practical insights.

There’s nothing to prepare. Just come along ready to share your answer to one question: 

‘What’s on your mind today?’

Spaces are limited. To save a spot hit ‘Book Event’ and look out for the calendar invitation in your inbox.

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.

Rachel Reeves will become the first woman in UK history to deliver a Budget statement on Wednesday 30 October. But how exactly will the measures that she has announced become law – and how quickly?

That’s the question that host Leanne Pickering of Pivotal Paraplanning and James Jones-Tinsley of Barnett Waddingham tackle in this Assembly. 

Together, Leanne and James explore how Budget measures contained in the Finance Bill are transformed into client advice – from Parliament, through providers, paraplanners, and other advice professionals – ensuring compliance with the latest laws and regulations.

Along the way, they explore examples of when things go well (like the pensions industry’s prep for A-Day) and when they don’t (the ongoing saga of lifetime allowance abolition). 

You’ll learn about the stages that the Finance Bill must pass and why some changes can happen overnight while others take months to implement. Plus Leanne and James share some ideas about client questions during periods of uncertainty including sources of information that can be helpful.

Whether you’re puzzled by parliamentary processes and want to understand more, or just want to brush up on your knowledge of how Budget measures become a feature of your daily work, this conversation offers you a really accessible and interesting primer.

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:

• Identify the paraplanning leadership qualities you already have (you might be surprised)
• Discover your natural management style by learning from what’s worked (and what hasn’t) with your own managers
• Get better at those tricky conversations that come with leading others
• Build a practical toolkit you can use straight away to have more impact in your role

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:

• share your thoughts about the challenges of leadership without judgment if you’d like to
• learn from the experience of others at different stages of their career
• gain practical tips you can actually use right away
• work out if leadership is right for you and what it could look like
• ask questions you’ve always wanted to ask about managing others

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…

• Revisit the annuities vs. drawdown debate – examining the case for ‘annuities plus drawdown’, exploring the latest annuity features, and discussing strategies for annuitising fully crystallised pension pots.
• Dig into pension death benefits: they’ll consider the options and potential pitfalls of death benefits – plus focus on the importance of nomination forms and their regular review.
• Assess the effect of regulatory change: if there’s time, they’ll consider how the FCA’s thematic review is influencing retirement income advice, what it may mean for centralised retirement propositions, and what it means for your ongoing assessment of suitability.

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.

Are you ready to take your outsourcing game to the next level? Then join us from 10:30am on Friday 15 November 2024 for a day that’s tailor-made to inspire you to achieve your personal and professional ambitions in the world of outsourcing.

Thanks to the generous support of Assembly supporter, Aegon UK, we’ve been able to team up with coach and consultant Rachael Hurdman to create a workshop where paraplanners can gather to exchange practical insights, knowledge and experience. So whether you’re already running an outsourced business, working for one, or just thinking about it, this is your chance to:

• Get a fresh take on the outsourcing landscape
• Swap ideas with other paraplanners who really get what you do
• Leave with a solid plan you can put into action straight away

Plus, you’ll bag 5 hours of CPD.

Hosted at Aegon UK’s offices on the 26th floor of the landmark Leadenhall Building in the City of London, even the awesome views will do their bit to spark your big ideas.

It promises to be a day out of the office that could make a real difference to you and your future in outsourcing. Why not join us?

Why should you come?

The day’s content has been designed exclusively as a result of research conducted with outsourced paraplanners – plus insights gained from our regular informal outsourced Assemblies. That means we know we’ll be tackling the topics that are front-of-mind for practitioners leading or working for outsourced paraplanning businesses. It’s a tailor-made opportunity to gather with paraplanning peers where you can listen, learn and share experiences about things that really matter.

The morning sessions

Session 1: How to navigate the ups and downs of business

In this interactive session Rachael will help you to focus on how to successfully navigate and succeed through the inevitable opportunities and challenges that are part and parcel of being in business. 

Get stuck in with this hands-on session that will tackle the roller-coaster of business ups and downs head-on. Pick up practical tools to build your resilience and keep your mind sharp – stuff that’s really useful for you and your team. Learn how to stay on top of things when life feels a bit uncertain. By swapping stories and experiences with other participants, you’ll walk away from this session with simple, effective ideas to help you flourish at work.

Session 2: Make every work relationship count

Our second session in the morning is all about getting more from your work relationships – including those vital ones with clients. Designed especially for this Assembly event by Rachael, this session will help you to:

• Spot the connections that really matter – and make them even better
• Use Rachael’s tried-and-tested ‘contracting’ template to build stronger partnerships
• Set boundaries that really work for you and the people you work with
• Develop a flexible approach to being assertive when you need to be

It’s an Assembly, so roll up your sleeves for this interactive session where you’ll work in groups to try out your new skills right away.

The afternoon sessions: Group discussions

Sam Davies (In Step Paraplanning) and Richard Allum (The Paraplanners) will be joined by Rachael to help facilitate an afternoon of three x 40-minute group-based discussions in true Assembly style. The first two topics have bubbled up consistently during informal outsourced paraplanner gatherings. They are:

Efficiency boost: What can you do to squeeze that extra bit of time and attention from your practice’s workflow? What ideas, tools and techniques have worked for other outsourced businesses that might also work for you? And what wisdom can you share that might prevent a paraplanning peer from repeating a mistake you made? This session is all about efficiency: how to achieve it, how to sustain it and how to keep things fresh.

Smart growth: What does your business’s future look like? Do you want more clients? Level up the services you offer? Or something else entirely? Even if it’s all three, getting your bearings in business is an essential step before deciding on a destination and plan. This session will allow you to test your ambitions and thinking by exchanging ideas and experiences with paraplanners just like you – and those who have seen it, done it, and continue to learn from it.

The third topic? As a group, you’ll decide the third and final topic on the day, which means you already know that it’ll be a topic that really matters right now.

The wrap up

As we wrap up, Rachael will guide you through a collaborative session to consolidate your insights. You’ll have the chance to pinpoint your key takeaways and consider how to apply them in your day-to-day work.

There’ll be time to bounce ideas off your peers and ask those burning questions. Our goal? To send you back to the office feeling energised, well-informed, and equipped with practical knowledge you can use right away.

The wind down

If you have time before heading home, we’ll find a suitable venue to gather for a bit of post-workshop conversation. Perhaps even somewhere in the historic Leadenhall Market right next door!

Your Commitment Log

During the day we will share a simple and effective Commitment Log with you to encourage you to capture your key learns and take-aways from each of the sessions throughout the day. If you took part in September’s Big Day Out, the Commitment Log is the ideal tool to inform your development plans. If you didn’t take part in The Big Day Out this year, we will have copies of the development plans for you too.

The running order