Monday
Once I eat and have my morning coffee, I review my to-do list and diary and have a quick read of the news.
My first meeting is a client review and we conduct the meeting using WebEx, now my usual practice.
The client’s circumstances have just changed, so the review was brought forward a couple of weeks.
Later on, I have my regular catch-up with one of my colleagues to discuss cases and share ideas.
I spend the evening relaxing with my girlfriend.
Tuesday
I have an early telephone meeting with an existing client’s son. Unfortunately, my client’s husband recently passed away, so they want some guidance on his pension death benefits.
I spend most of Tuesday afternoon planning for a new client meeting I have later that evening.
The client, who is London-based, has been referred by one of my existing clients. Pre-coronavirus I would have spent a day travelling to London from Liverpool and back.
But video conferencing tech means I am no longer constrained by time or distance.
Wednesday
Today, I have a retirement planning webinar with one of our affinity partners.
Usually I would deliver these sessions as a seminar, with a limited capacity for approximately 20-30 attendees.
But thanks to webinars, we can host more people from different geographical areas.
Later on I have a meeting with a client who has recently stopped working for the NHS and wants to understand what happens now she is a deferred member of the NHS pension scheme and will be working via an agency.
Thursday
My first meeting is with a potential client I first met in 2019. Both he and his wife have recently retired and they want to understand their retirement provision.
We revisit their fact-finding, risk assessment and conduct a new income and expenditure analysis, then we chat about their objectives and plan a further meeting.
Afterwards, I have a client who wants to review her pension provision to ensure she is able to retire at age 60.
She has a public sector defined benefit pension and we had previously identified a potential shortfall in the income.
Based on her current level of disposable income, we have discussed an affordable amount she could contribute regularly to a product that could boost her retirement income, while giving her additional flexibilities.
Friday
I tend to keep Fridays free for outstanding admin work and to give my clients or potential clients an update before the weekend.
To close my week down,I send a weekly reporting update to my regional director discussing that week’s activity.
Finally I review and update my to-do list for next week.
Scott Portman is a financial planner at Lighthouse Group, part of Quilter
If you would like to write a Diary of an Adviser then contact Ima Jackson-Obotat ima.jacksonobot@ft.com
