Chasing up ongoing cases, reviewing 2018 business plans, a webinar and several client meetings all make for a busy start to the new year
Tuesday
As the first working day back after the New Year, I start Tuesday planning my to-do list and priorities for the week, as I know it is going to be a busy one. It is our new office manager’s first day, and I spend a few hours getting her up and running. I also spend some time with my assistant who had been on holiday between Christmas and New Year, updating her on the new clients I have seen over the festive period.
During the afternoon I spend some time chasing up ongoing cases and pursuing solicitors for a client’s land purchase within their self-invested personal pension.
A lot of people have clearly made new years’ resolutions to sort out their finances, as I have received a number of online enquiries for advice on a variety of areas and spend some time arranging initial consultations.
Wednesday
The morning starts with a telephone appointment with my architect, finalising plans for the renovation project my partner and I bought last year.
Following a review of case progress the previous day, I contact two clients to arrange follow-up meetings.
I like to maintain a close relationship with my existing clients and one of the ways I do this is to send birthday cards.
My assistant and I review client birthdays in January and she prepares the month’s cards. I also prepare a list of clients I need to see for annual review meetings in the coming weeks.
In the afternoon I review the 2018 business plans from the three IFAs and two mortgage advisers in the firm in preparation for formalising the Whateley Wealth Management business plan for the year ahead.
The remainder of Wednesday is spent on analysis of a defined benefit pension case, the policy information having arrived in the post that morning.
I also finalise two new pieces of business for two of my existing clients and send these off to our paraplanner for report writing and research.
Thursday
After a couple of days catching up with post-Christmas administration, I have my first client meetings of the new year. The first meeting of the day is a referral from an existing client with a woman who very sadly has a terminal illness and is looking for advice on estate planning.
In between client appointments I manage to pop into the office to ensure that the new office manager is settling in and deal with queries. I then travel across Birmingham and, tackling the rush-hour traffic, I finally arrive at my next meeting of the day with a lady who had initially approached me looking for guidance on purchasing a second property following a new job offer.
During our meeting it quickly becomes apparent that she may have other financial needs as her salary is significantly increasing and this may cause pension annual allowance tax implications. I take details and authorities for her pension arrangements to allow me to research this in more detail.
Friday
I have an interim client meeting in the morning during which findings and possible outcomes are discussed. I then return to the office in time to receive the news that one of our mortgage advisers had successfully passed her Advanced Mortgages exam; the congratulatory card and flowers had already been purchased as I had every faith that she would pass first time.
I have a webinar with Expert Pensions, arranging my own study plan for AF1, part of the advanced diploma in financial planning, which I will be sitting in April this year. This is the next stage of my journey towards becoming a chartered financial planner.
After this I meet with an external HR consultant who conducts an audit of employee contracts, policies and procedures. Having founded Whateley Wealth Management in 2016 and following the rapid growth of the company during 2017, I am pleased to learn that the HR expert has no concerns and that this is an area where no further work is required.
Following a final catch-up with my assistant and new office manager I manage to finish relatively early.
Nicola Whateley is an independent financial adviser at Whateley Wealth Management
