Equilibrium Financial Planning LLP

Am happy to have to face to face contacts and 2 online contacts per year. Jason is easy to get on with and always willing to explain my queries.

It is very reassuring to know that my investments are being regularly monitored so that I don't have to worry about all the vagaries of the stock market.

My reviews and any interim actions have always been clear, relevant to my/our circumstances and any actions carried out promptly.
The comments and suggestions are clear and understandable, and any queries answered fully.
Also, any “what if” questions I have are covered and any proposals are clearly given in a report.

Excellent Service. Very informative and useful advice, delivered in a language that we can understand.

Very approachable and always very helpful.
Always treated as a friend that Paul wants to do the best for.

Firstly, Equi. Is local and not some London based remote organisation. David has always understood our situation, gave the relevant advice advice as the situation changed, always with an eye for our future. It is that essentially personal commitment that is so important to us.

Review was in mid October 2023 so difficult to remember what happened in detail.
Since then not had any need to make contact other than when attending some events like Masterclasses or Christmas lunch.
Remember being told my account would now be handled by another Ben but so far have had no communication.

The last couple of years have seen poor returns. We are always told investment is for the long term. My wife is 85 and I am 87. We do not have a long term. We recently with reluctance invested in a NW isa giving 5.4 %. That means our Equilibrium fees are covered and we make a profit. Why could we not have had a similar return from Equilibrium? We are open-minded about whether we stay with NW or reinvest with Equilibriam, our hearts are with Equilibriam, but we must look to the short term.

Efficient and prompt in communications. Very helpful in dealing with family units and intergenerational planning.

Advice is always consistent with final decision down to the client.

Since Christmas 2022, I have acted as the executor of the estate of my mother-in-law who was a client of Equilibrium. During this time, I have made a number of requests to David and Steve McNicholas for her account data and to the transfer of her account to her beneficiaries. These were all addressed very efficiently.

Now that I am expecting to finalise the estate within the next few weeks or so, David and Steve are also providing approaches to managing future IHT issues to create a tax efficient portfolio.

David and Steve have a very friendly manner during our discussions. I would gladly recommend Equilibrium.

Very knowledgeable and helpful session following my house move and subsequent changes to expenses. Covered everything I wanted and very proactive re new possibilities. Also very friendly.

Having known David for many years I have always found him to be professional friendly and not only extremely knowledgeable but able to demystify the complexities of finance and investment.

Communication is good but I do not support the courses they have introduced, I feel they are a distraction from their main objective and means the use of scarce
resources are used for purposes other than the main objective.

Easy to get a hold of. Quick to answer questions and give support/advice/direction.

Thought provoking examples as to why setting up an LPA is so important.

Have been with Equilibrium for several years now and they have assisted in managing my pension investments but also other useful financial advice. I have found them very straightforward to deal with.

Advice to my wife and me (who have invested through Equilibrium since 2001) with respect to giving the proceeds of a trust to our two boys who both have wives and children. Both boys who are in their 50s are now retired from full time work. My wife and I have never been big spenders but have enjoyed our 23 years of retirement without any money worries and with a substantial portfolio. We have already sold our family home and have been in our bungalow for 8 years. Equilibrium arranged for us to liquidate sufficient funds to enable us the buy the bungalow for cash.
Several years ago we sold our holiday home in Anglesey and because our two boys did not want to take the responsibility for it. We asked Equilibrium for the best way of giving the sale proceeds to our two boys. Equilibrium suggested in Investing in personal pensions for them, which we did. In addition we have (with Equilibrium advice) bought pensions for each of our 4 grandchildren.

Regular communications via the Equilibrium portal messaging facility. The portal is also very useful for seeing all of our portfolio at any time.
We are unlikely to use the money in the trust we are giving to the boys as we still have sufficient funds for long term care should we need it.

The magazine with relevant articles. The company seems to treat its staff well.

When we have a discussion with Paul it is always informative and we take actions away with us! Very professional and with a real interest in us as people not just finance. It is the added value which makes your offering special and we look forward to meeting up in February to do a death rehearsal - having recently suffered a bereavement that will be a really useful tool for us to make sure everything is in order.