Your Financial Plan
At White Oak every one of our clients has different values and goals. What they have in common is their desire for independent, personal and easy-to-understand advice with their finances.
We don't do jargon and we won't impose our ideas on you. We take pride in knowing our clients well - because we listen. We never forget that it's your financial future.
At the core of our service is a deep understanding of your finances, collaborating with you to achieve your unique goals. Once your objectives are established, we craft a comprehensive plan to fulfill them. Whether it's preparing for retirement, investing for the future, safeguarding your family, or other aspirations, we provide guidance every step of the way. Cashflow planning is a crucial component of our approach, enabling us to forecast and optimise your financial journey. Watch the video to see how a cashflow forecast plays a vital role in effective financial planning. Trust us to pave the path to your financial success.
Cashflow Planning
Family Wealth
Every family looks to pass on their advantage to future generations, whether that be financial assets or the knowledge and experience they have built along the way.
Often you want your wealth to benefit future generations whilst balancing this with the prospect of maintaining your own financial independence. There is also the myriad of financial and tax issues which will impact you and them which need to be considered and addressed.
We are often asked to view our clients affairs in the context of the family. Listening to you and understanding your family goals is imperative to building a successful plan. We build a successful plan by taking the time to get to know you and your family.
Tax & Estate Planning
Investment Planning
Whilst the world of investing is constantly changing, some basic principles continue to hold true. For example, before we can help you, we must understand your attitude to risk, your circumstances, your existing investments, your views and objectives. We believe that every investor is unique, and the advice we give you will be tailored to your individual needs. Once we understand you and your goals, we perform an analysis to find the appropriate investment vehicle, so that we can take full advantage of any tax break or relief. We take great care in allocating your assets and diversifying your portfolio, ensuring that we match the right investments for growth and/or income to your needs.
Keeping an eye on your investments
Constant monitoring is essential to the future success of your investments, and we will always review and reflect the changes in the markets and your personal circumstances in your portfolio. Our industry-leading software enables us to give real time information and to respond quickly to change.
Fresh thinking that helps you succeed
We have in place a thorough investment research process, which is regularly reviewed in order to seek out funds and investments that we believe will perform. We will also think outside the box and bring to your attention alternative investment asset classes and opportunities when we think they will benefit you. Are you interested in a fresh approach to your investments? Let’s talk.
The UK has one of the most complex and opaque tax codes in the world – it costs more than £11billion just to operate it (that’s equivalent to nearly £180 for every man, woman and child – simply to collect it). Compared to your home or your pension, tax can easily be your biggest single cost. It’s taken from your earnings, business profits, your investments, and ultimately, your estate.
Over their lifetime (and even on their death) most people will pay significantly more tax than they need to. Even simple tax-saving actions are regularly ignored or done late. Using allowances at the earliest opportunity each year would amount to a significant tax saving over time.
Our clients for example are encouraged to transfer investments from taxed accounts into their Individual Savings Account (ISA) at the beginning of the tax year, avoid the usual end of tax year rush, and enjoying a whole year of tax efficiency. It’s a simple thing, but it works.
We consider how the pension rules can be used to save tax more effectively, particularly for people who earn enough to see their personal allowances cut.
We work with clients and business whilst also working alongside our client’s solicitor and accountant to provide a cohesive approach to managing their wealth in a tax efficient way. And with your professional advisers working together, it allows you to relax and enjoy life more.
Retirement Planning
What do you want your pension for: Income Drawdown? Flexible Access? Tax-planning purposes? Funding early retirement? Or protecting your assets for your family after you are gone? Whatever your reason, White Oak believe that the success of your pension provisions can only be achieved by understanding your personal objectives and needs thoroughly.
Careful management of your pension is critical. Too often we meet clients who have not regularly reviewed their pension for charges, fund performance, asset allocation and suitability. These people are not to blame. They simply have not had either the time or the right services to manage this situation.
Pensions can be a useful part of your portfolio and overall financial planning, and we like to demystify them for you. We make sure you know what the limits are for funding, how your contributions can help you avoid paying capital gains tax and corporation tax, and when not to use pensions at all.
We work extensively with clients in income drawdown. Ensuring that their funds last. that their risk is commensurate with their objectives and income levels. Whilst pension freedoms have opened the doors of pensions to many, it is now more important than ever to make sure your pension is right for you.
Divorce
Navigating a divorce is tricky enough as it is. Trying to understand the true value of assets and how they will fit into any settlement or -more importantly - your life going forwards, can be tough. We have extensive experiencing helping clients along this path.
From valuing investments and pensions (including defined benefit, final salary schemes) to building cashflow forecasts for future income/wealth needs, we are able to advise independently.
It is a little known fact that pensions can be under valued by as much as 30% in divorce proceedings. Traditionally pensions are dealt with as a side issue and not enough emphasis is placed on what can often be one of the most valuable assets to the marriage. It is therefore essential that specialist advice is taken.