An odd feature of paraplanning is that quite a bit of our time is spent designing strategies that are all about the inevitability of death but – just like in our everyday lives – lots of our clients seem reluctant to talk about death and dying and being prepared for it.
Yet the financial grief that families and friends face following a death serves only to compound the overwhelming emotional kind.
That’s what this Assembly is all about. Kylie Clark of Wealthtime, Katy Hancock of Dorothy House Hospice Care and Lucy Halliday from Argonaut Paraplanning joined Richard Allum to talk about death and dying.
Because at a time when a growing percentage of clients are reaching an age when they should be dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s in plenty of time before they die, what can paraplanners do to help them get death-ready?
What you’ll learn
- Out-of-date expression of wish forms, account and app passwords, overseas accounts, tracking down former advisers and solicitors – what are the biggest and most frequent problems following death? And what can clients and their families do to avoid them?
- The way firms handle bereavement is one of the most significant sources of complaints across financial services. With bereavement support about to come under the FCA’s spotlight, what can advice practices do to improve things?
- Learn how the ‘last 1,000 days’ concept could offer a lens to help clients and their families plan
- Grief isn’t just the client’s, it’s the paraplanner’s too. How we’ve been able to acknowledge grief in the past influences how we’re able to help clients experiencing it now and in the future.
Watch or listen now
Paraplanners from all across the UK got together to share ideas, ask questions and break the big taboo about death. Plus there’s one hour’s CPD available.
Missed it? Then follow the links below and watch the replay or catch up with the podcast now.
What knowledge, experience and skills will help you get hired? And, once you are hired, how will you know you’ve actually made the right choice?
Whether you want to get into paraplanning, are just starting out, or know someone who would love to get their break, this online Assembly – recorded on 9 July 2025 – is jam-packed with insights on making your move into paraplanning.
Hear for yourself how our guests took their unique paths into paraplanning
Host Caroline Stuart is joined by paraplanning guests Chris Wormwell, Ceetal Katechia and Kez Condy, plus personal development expert Sarah Purves of Aegon.
Over the course of one podcast, you’ll discover how each of our paraplanners took very different routes into the profession.
One is a former barista who swapped one daily grind for another kind altogether. Then there’s the university marketer who yearned to change career. Finally, there’s the ex-administrator who set their heart on changing lanes into paraplanning.
Among the topics covered are
- The multiple pathways into paraplanning (because there’s never a ‘right’ route is there?)
- Tried and tested strategies for overcoming obstacles when starting out (or just started)
- Building a career plan that works for you
- Creating your support network
- Tackling imposter syndrome head-on
- Vital conversations to have with current or potential employers
Let’s be honest, how many of us can claim that we had our careers sussed out from day one? So don’t miss this fantastic chance to listen, learn and take your first step into paraplanning.
Don’t forget your CPD
Once you’ve listened to this Assembly, you can request a certificate for 1½ hours CPD. Just follow the link below.
Thank you Aegon
This online Assembly would not be possible without the generous support of Aegon. Thank you to the team at Aegon for supporting this Assembly – and for backing the development of paraplanners and paraplanning in the UK through their support of the Paraplanners’ Assembly.
Now don’t take this the wrong way, but is there a chance that last time you put together recommendations or financial plans for a woman, the approach was unknowingly influenced by assumptions that generally apply to a man?
As paraplanners, we have the power to directly influence financial outcomes that are better for women – whether we’re reviewing fact finds, drafting recommendations, or creating financial plans.
But are we truly creating plans for the individuals in front of us? Or are we unwittingly relying on conventional thinking and assumptions which are actually more likely to be rooted in men’s experiences rather than women’s?
It matters because, more often than not, women’s financial lives are very different to men’s. So to deliver genuinely effective financial planning, it’s important to understand the differences and how to adapt our approach.
A chance to challenge your thinking
In the recording of this online Assembly, host Sam Tonks invited Sam Secomb of Women’s Wealth and Susan Hope of Scottish Widows to explore how paraplanners can better understand and address the unique financial planning needs of women.
Together, they discussed women’s distinctive financial journeys and the stark disparities that exist – including the startling 30 per cent gender pension gap – and asked how paraplanners can help create better financial outcomes for female clients. During the session Sam, Susan and Sam discuss
– what makes women’s financial experience so different from men’s
– the real-world impact of the ‘parenthood penalty’ on long-term financial planning
– our assumptions about vulnerabilities, risk profiles and investment preferences
– practical strategies paraplanners can implement to better serve female clients
What will you learn from this Assembly?
You’ll gain actionable insights that we’re certain will help you improve your paraplanning approach, challenge conventional thinking and assumptions, and help deliver more tailored financial plans for your female clients.
Plus, you’ll discover practical tools and ideas so you’re equipped to improve financial outcomes for women right away.
Interested? Then tune in now.
How often do you recommend investment bonds compared to ISAs or GIAs for non-pension money these days?
If it’s rarely or not at all, that’s not so surprising.
Because bonds seem to have become a bit neglected planning option in recent years haven’t they?
It’s a trend which means that paraplanners can be forgiven for being a bit rusty when it comes to the latest investment bond knowledge.
Yet they’re an option which offers plenty of planning potential. So we thought it was about time we hosted an online Assembly where you can rekindle your bond with bonds.
So you’re invited to join us online at 1pm on Wednesday 16th April for a lunch-hour refresher on the essentials of investment bonds.
To guide us, we’ll be joined by bond expert, M&G’s Barrie Dawson, who plans to cover:
- What bonds actually are
- Common jargon (that’s often misunderstood)
- How bonds are taxed internally – and why the ‘20% tax rate’ misunderstanding persists
- When bonds make sense: practical comparisons with other investment options
Whether bonds are something you’re just getting to grips with, or you just need a refresher, this Assembly will offer clarity about when and how bonds bonds can feature in your planning recommendations.
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.
Believe it or not, it’s already been nine years since the introduction of pension freedoms. And while it’s fair to say that the arrival of drawdown has transformed the way that clients can plan income in retirement, when the new measures were announced back in 2015, they were made against the backdrop of a generally benign economic climate.
What had changed and what could paraplanners do?
Today, high interest rates and stubborn inflationary pressure, coupled with greater regulatory scrutiny courtesy of The Consumer Duty and the FCA’s retirement income review, make for altogether more changeable weather.
So how are paraplanners expected to make forecasts and hatch plans that will deliver sustainable incomes for clients in their retirement? Plans that stack up under scrutiny – and against the demands – of The Consumer Duty?
During this lunch-hour Assembly, Gareth not only explored these issues but dug into other considerations that could influence paraplanners, advisers and clients when thinking about accumulation and decumulation strategies including:
- Cash flow modelling and stress testing – and its importance
- Is it ‘annuities vs drawdown’ or ‘annuities + drawdown’?
- Platform selection and what to consider
- The abolition of lifetime allowance – what does it mean?
No matter what your experience or expertise as a paraplanner, this 60-minute session offers insights and ideas when considering options for successful and sustainable income in retirement for your clients.
Richard Allum and Paradigm Norton’s Dan Atkinson get to grips with the topic of planning assumptions.
For what seemed like AGES, low interest rates and low inflation rates gave the impression that the factors affecting a client’s future were pretty predictable.
But more recently, roller-coaster interest and inflation rates, combined with pandemics and wars, could leave you thinking that the future is altogether more unpredictable.
But is it?
Assumptions that are fit for purpose
During this online Assembly, Dan and Richard explored ways to think about planning assumptions in future.
They considered the kind of indicators you can use to form a set of assumptions with the durability to withstand those periodic headwinds sparked by social, economic and environmental events – the kind that have dominated our lives lately.
Of course investments are important but healthspans, death, inflation, spending, retirement, care and more have the potential to feature.
And then there are clients with specific outcomes in mind to add to the mix – for instance, meeting school fees, saving to offset childrens’ university tuition fees or deposits for their first homes.
Don’t miss out
Tune in and you’ll discover you’re in good company. Not only is Dan responsible for Paradigm Norton’s financial planning assumptions, he also owns a crystal ball (he actually does) so – one way or another – he’ll have all bases covered.
Listen now
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Popular Assembly regular, Les Cameron of M&G Wealth, joined us in something of a follow-up to last November’s online Assembly on financial planning essentials for small businesses.
As you’ll know if you tuned into that Assembly, there are already plenty of reasons for business-owning clients to consider investing surplus profits rather than, for instance, taking them as income.
But April’s 6p rise in corporation tax could add impetus to business owners interest in weighing up their options.
Yet there’s so much uncertainty around these days – even about once relatively dependable vehicles like bonds – so what strategies should you be considering for clients with businesses?
During this lunch-hour online Assembly, Les explored investment options, discuss tax treatments and tackle the topic of demonstrating suitability.
So if you have clients with businesses – or run a business yourself – why not tune in?
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This was the third in our three-part series of It’s all kicking off in the world of retirement income planning Assemblies exploring the new practicalities of retirement income planning – a series made possible with the support of our friends at Just.
In the first Assembly, we looked back at the events that changed the world of retirement income and what the consequences of this change means for paraplanners, advisers and clients.
In our second, we considered the practicalities of researching, creating and executing a plan for clients.
In the third and final part of the series, we explored three case studies – each allowing us to consider the suitability of different strategies to meet the ambitions for retirement income of each client. To help, we were joined by Karl Steadman from Just.
Naturally, we also considered how the Consumer Duty affects the choices available too.
CPD and resources
Scroll down to see links to resources mentioned during the event plus a video replay and podcast episode link.
You’ll also see that we’ve published a link to a CPD survey. Once you complete the survey, a CPD record of your attendance will be emailed to you automatically.
Catch up with parts one and two
If you missed the first two Assemblies in the series, pop over to the Why is it all kicking off in the world of retirement income planning? (Part 1) and Getting real: the new practicalities of retirement income planning (Part 2) where you’ll find a video replay and podcast episode link plus links mentioned during the event.
Join us online at 1pm on 1 June 2023 for the second in our series of It’s all kicking off in the world of retirement income planning Assemblies exploring the new practicalities of retirement income planning – a series made possible with the support of our friends at Just.
In our first Assembly, we asked why it’s all kicking off in the world of retirement income and considered events that have prompted paraplanners to consider an expanding range of strategies to help clients achieve their retirement income goals.
In this Assembly we’ll be getting real by digging into the paraplanning practicalities. During the lunch hour session we expect to cover:
- what the research says
- using forecasting software to consider annuities and secure lifetime income
- looking at modelling examples
- what it all means for assets under management and client risk profiles
- how it works on a platform
To help, we’ll be joined by guests Jean-Paul Grenade and Karl Steadman from Just.
CPD and resources
Following this Assembly we’ll publish links to resources mentioned during the event on this page plus a video replay and podcast episode link,
We’ll also publish a link to a survey. Once you complete the survey, a CPD record of your attendance will be emailed to you automatically.
Book the final session in the series now
In the third and final part of the series – you can book your spot here now – we’ll be gathering online at 1pm on 8 June 2023 to explore three case studies. Each case will allow us to consider the suitability of different strategies to meet the ambitions for retirement income of each client. Naturally, we’ll be considering how the Consumer Duty affects the choices available too.
Watch part one
If you missed the first Assembly in the series, pop over to the event page – visit Why is it all kicking off in the world of retirement income planning? – where you’ll find a video replay and podcast episode link plus links mentioned during the event.