Monday
It is Monday and I am usually in the office by 8am. I like the quiet time before my day starts and the phones begins to ring.
Also, I like to park around a mile-walk from the Leicester office, which allows me to clear my head before the working day.
At this time of the year, the cold is also setting in, and I layer myself up and start to mentally prepare a to-do list on my commute.
Today I check all my letters are ready for issue following my previous week’s meetings, before beginning my meeting preparation for the week ahead.
I usually set out Mondays for my administration days. This is where I prepare all of my notes and valuations for upcoming client meetings. This is my favourite part of the job. It is so rewarding working with clients and seeing them fulfil their short, medium and long-term financial goals.
Tuesday
I have a very early start today as I am out on the road, travelling up to Newcastle to meet a client for an annual review for 10am.
At our last meeting the client informed me that he may be due to receive some inheritance, and this was very much a case of looking at suitable options with the funds.
The client is in a fortunate position of having a secure income stream sufficient to service his and his wife’s expenditure requirements, and now wishes to use the funds to be of maximum benefit to his children. He also wants to protect the funds in the best way possible.
Wednesday
Today I am in Loughborough with a longstanding client.
She was one of my first clients when I joined Mattioli Woods, and our meetings these days tend more to discussions about families and holidays, and less about retirement income.
My afternoon centres on a new enquiry. A client and I spoke over the phone to get an understanding of what areas of advice he requires. He is a self-employed local businessman who has been referred to me by his accountant to discuss how best to invest his late mother’s estate. Once inheritance tax has been paid, he is due a rather large portion as he is an only child.
Thursday
My second day on the road this week involves a trip to Oxford to see an elderly couple who are planning on passing down wealth to their three children. All five are present at this meeting and it feels more like a family gathering than a financial planning meeting.
I consider it such a good idea to involve the whole family in these discussions, as sometimes it is better to skip a generation and pass wealth onto the grandchildren, something I find that I am increasingly discussing with elderly clients.
Friday
Today is my second administration day of the week and thankfully all my dictations have been returned to me for checking. It is a great use of time as dictation allows me to complete my post-meeting letters from this week, and it is done immediately after a meeting when everything is fresh in my mind.
Paul Cliffe is consultant at Mattioli Woods
If you are interested in writing a Diary of an Adviser then contact Ima Jackson-Obot at ima.jacksonobot@ft.com
