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FAQs
As a PenLife client, you’ll never be left in the dark. We’re committed to being open and transparent in all we do, and that includes answering any queries we receive. Find our responses to the most common ones here.
What does PenLife being regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) mean to me as a consumer?
Firms that are authorised by the FCA adhere to strict regulations to protect consumers. If you think you’ve been wrongly sold a product or plan, you can complain to the firm directly. If you’re unhappy with their resolution, you can escalate this to the Financial Ombudsman, an unbiased appointed official who’ll investigate your claim.
What’s a Chartered independent Financial Planner?
Financial Planners holding the Chartered qualification demonstrate the highest standard of knowledge, technical skill, and quality of service.
What is holistic financial planning and how does it differ from standalone advice?
Holistic financial planning is “big-picture” planning. It involves an in-depth exploration of your life goals and aspirations, then creating and implementing a plan to make it all happen.
What type of things would be discussed in an initial phone call, and how can I get the most out of it?
These calls serve several purposes. They allow you to speak to a Financial Planner before you actually meet them, it allows us to assess whether we can help you and which of our Financial Planners will be the best fit for your circumstances. You can discuss what’s on your mind, and they can explain how we work with our clients to help them achieve their goals. There’s no time limit on these calls – they take as long as they take.
What happens in an initial meeting, and what should I bring with me?
The most important part of the process is the first meeting. This gives you the opportunity to meet us and ask any initial questions you may have. It also gives us the chance to learn more about you, including your life goals and financial aims and concerns. At the end of this meeting, you’ll be more aware of your options, how we might be able to help you, and what the next steps could be.
We recommend that you bring any relevant financial files and statements, in case we’d like to take copies to refer back to when putting together our recommendations. It’s also helpful if you bring some ID with you, such as your passport and driving licence.
When are your Financial Planners available for meetings?
Our office is officially open from 9am-5pm, but in special circumstances, we can arrange earlier or later appointments. We can occasionally offer home visits, depending on how far away you live.
Which areas of the UK do you cover?
We don’t have a “catchment area”, so as long as you’re happy to work with us and we feel we’d be able to help you, we’d love to take you on as a client.
How can I get in touch?
We’re available to our clients in a number of different ways. The most common are face to face, telephone, email or letter. We can be contacted by telephone on 01904 661140 or via email enquiries@pen-life.co.uk.
We offer video chats over Teams, Zoom or Skype for those who would prefer this. We’re also actively trying to reduce paper waste.
What if I change my mind and don’t want to proceed?
All of our initial meetings are without obligation, so you can walk away with no commitment. If you decide you’d like to take our recommendations but change your mind further down the line, you can cancel our agreement and transfer any plans away from us. Generally, no additional fees are involved at that stage.
How does your referral scheme work?
A few years ago, we realised that the majority of our new enquiries came via referrals from existing clients, which was a huge compliment. Not only were these clients helping our company grow, but they were also enabling their friends and family to access proper financial advice to help them achieve their goals! To acknowledge this, we decided to reward those clients for their loyalty with a crisp £50 note.
More information and terms and conditions can be found here.
Will you review my entire financial plan, and how much will it cost?
We’ll gather all your personal and financial details to help us understand your present position.
If existing plans are in place, we’ll write to the relevant companies to ensure we have the information required. Then we’ll confirm your options, make our suggestions, and formulate a plan.
Once we’ve gathered everything we need and reviewed your overall circumstances, we’ll invite you back for a further meeting. Here, we can talk you through your current arrangements, put forward any recommendations we have, and explain how they fit into your plans. You’ll be provided with a report detailing our recommendations in full.
The fees we charge depend on the work we are doing for you and the solutions we implement. We’ll always tell you the applicable fees before you agree to proceed with any of our recommendations.
Get in touch if you’d like more information about our fee structure and what we charge for.
Is there a minimum investment amount required to become a PenLife Client?
It’s unlikely we can offer a value-for-money service to clients who have less than £125,000, but it’s always best to speak to one of our Financial Planners. They can assess your individual position to see if we could form a mutually beneficial relationship.
How many meetings does it take to put together a complete plan?
After the first meeting, it can take another couple of meetings to work through all of the details and get any paperwork signed, depending on the complexity. Some people prefer more meetings before making a decision, which is also fine.
Refer a friend
Hundreds of people have benefited from our expert support over the years. If you’re one of them, why not spread the word? For each of the first five referrals you make, we’ll pay you £50. For every referral after that, we’ll increase it to £100. And you can refer us to as many people as you like.