Lever 1 of 7
Asset allocation
Impact: +0 to 0.42% per year
How much should you invest in equities, bonds, and cash — and which equities and bonds should you hold? Too cautious and you won't get the returns you need. Too aggressive and you might find yourself losing sleep. A financial advisor will define your objectives and identify the right mix for you, helping you increase returns and avoid over-concentration risks that could severely damage your portfolio.
Signs you'd benefit from expert asset allocation advice:
- ▸You're unsure of your split between cash and equities right now.
- ▸You're still adding to cash each month despite your balance being larger than the next 3-6 months of expenses.
- ▸You're not 100% confident your allocation matches your financial goals.
Lever 2 of 7
Investor coaching
Impact: +0 to 1.5% per year
It's about time in the market, not timing the market — easy to say, much harder to do the day your investments fall by 20%. A financial advisor acts as a voice of reason between you and an expensive mistake: helping you stick to the plan, remain invested, and buy low rather than sell low.
Signs you'd benefit from expert investor coaching advice:
- ▸You are not a professional investor.
- ▸It's been two years since a professional reviewed your investments.
- ▸You're unsure of the best course of action if your investments dropped by 25% or more.
Lever 3 of 7
Tax management
Impact: +0.5 to 4.2% per year
Being tax-efficient is one of the most important ways to improve your financial well-being in the UK. The country has effective tax rates of up to 60% for those earning £100,000–£125,140. By using tax-efficient wrappers like pensions, ISAs and Venture Capital Trusts, you can generate tax relief that boosts your investments without reducing your disposable income.
Signs you'd benefit from expert tax management advice:
- ▸You earn more than £100,000 (you're paying up to 60% effective tax at this band).
- ▸You're not paying into a pension, or unsure how much you should be contributing.
- ▸You're maximising your ISA but not paying into a pension or VCT.
- ▸You're a business owner or self-employed.
Lever 4 of 7
Cost management
Impact: +0.66 to 0.92% per year
A financial advisor can reduce your charges by providing access to institutional investments with lower costs. They can also review insurance products to ensure you only pay what you need. Cost savings get funnelled into well-managed investments — letting your wealth compound and grow.
Signs you'd benefit from expert cost management advice:
- ▸You haven't reviewed insurance products in the last two years.
- ▸You've just experienced a key life event (bought your first home, had a child, retired) and haven't reviewed your cover.
- ▸You use multiple providers for saving and investing and aren't sure of the costs of each.
- ▸You're not sure what fees you pay on your savings and investments.
Lever 5 of 7
Portfolio rebalancing
Impact: +0 to 0.42% per year
Once you've got the right mix, someone needs to make sure it stays that way. A financial advisor reviews the portfolio objectively and rebalances as required. This is particularly important if you're paid partly in equity — your employer concentration can grow silently if no one is watching.
Signs you'd benefit from expert portfolio rebalancing advice:
- ▸You haven't reviewed your portfolio composition in the last two years.
- ▸You've recently changed role and haven't reviewed in light of your new compensation.
- ▸You've just experienced a key life event and haven't updated your portfolio.
Lever 6 of 7
Withdrawal management
Impact: +0 to 0.48% per year
At some point you'll want to withdraw money from your investments — otherwise there's not much point in having them. The best way is to plan ahead. Once you've decided to upgrade the house, send the kids to private school, or whatever the reason, your advisor can move you to cash at the right time so you're not forced to sell in a dip. In retirement, choosing which pots to draw from first can have major tax advantages.
Signs you'd benefit from expert withdrawal management advice:
- ▸You're planning a large expense (new home, university fees) in the next five years.
- ▸You're planning to retire in the next ten years.
Lever 7 of 7
Income management
Impact: Up to 1% per year
Diversified portfolios produce multiple types of income at different points in time. Some is taxable; a portion is capable of tax relief. An advisor ensures all income remains invested tax-efficiently. They can also help with budgeting so you don't need to dip into investments prematurely.
Signs you'd benefit from expert income management advice:
- ▸Your portfolio includes income-generating assets like buy-to-let property or dividend stocks.
- ▸You don't have a three-to-six-month emergency fund and a clear monthly budget.
