How we charge
Our charges fall into the following categories:
- Initial charges: these are the upfront costs of our services. We offer several types of initial service depending on your needs.
- Ongoing charges: once your financial plan is in place it is important to keep it under review so it can be adapted, where necessary, as your circumstances change. Our ongoing services are designed to do this.
Initial charges
Service Description
Financial Planning Service
- An initial meeting to find out more about you (we do not charge for this meeting)
- Agreeing your financial goals and objectives
- Establishing your attitude to and understanding of risks
- Reviewing your current plans, investments and assets
- Undertaking research to identify appropriate plans and solutions
- Assessing the potential impact of key events to your plans (where necessary using cash flow modelling)
- Providing a personalised report and recommendations
- A face-to-face meeting to discuss our recommendations
- Implementation of agreed recommendations
Charges
We operate on a fee basis; prior to starting any work for you, we will agree a cost. Our fee is based on a time cost basis.
Service Description
Referrals to a discretionary fund manager
Where we recommend that some or all of your funds are invested with a discretionary fund manager (DFM) we’ll help to manage the relationship between you and the DFM.
This work typically includes:
- Undertaking appropriate due diligence and recommending a DFM service that we believe best meets your needs and objectives
- Attending initial meetings with you and the DFM (where they are offered) and ensuring that your relationship with the DFM is established correctly
Charges
We do not add any extra charges for a DFM recommendation.
Service Description
One-off advice service
We appreciate that sometimes you may just be looking for help in a particular area on a one off/ ad hoc basis. For example, you may just want us to review your current pension plan(s) to provide a snapshot of your current retirement provision. You may just want a second opinion on advice provided by a third party. You may be nearing or at retirement and want help considering your retirement options.
This service may be suitable if you are looking for a specific piece of one-off advice, limited to a particular area
Charges
Where we charge on a time cost basis this will be based on the amount of work required to meet your needs and would be agreed before work commences.
Service Description
Protection Planning
- An initial meeting to find out more about you (we do not charge for this meeting). Either by telephone or face to face
- Agreeing your financial goals and objectives – specifically relating to protection
- Reviewing your current protection policies if necessary
- Undertaking research to identify appropriate protection plans and solutions
- Obtaining quotes from a fair and personal analysis of the market.
- Providing a personalised report and recommendations
- A telephone or face-to-face meeting to discuss our recommendations
- Implementation of agreed recommendations
- Processing the application(s)
- Dealing with any subsequent underwriting queries from the provider(s)
- Confirming when the policy or policies are in force and issuing policy documents
Charges
Our fee will be based on an hourly rate basis.
Where we are paid by commission, we’ll tell you the amount before we carry out any business for you. Any commission we receive from the product provider can be used to offset this fee.
Implementation charges
Our implementation charges and services are the same for each client type and include confirming details, pre-populated forms, application checking, follow through, regular updates, collating information and, where necessary, professional liaison and referral.
Ongoing charges
Our ongoing services are optional. If you agree to purchase an ongoing service, unless otherwise agreed, the service will be provided as a follow up to the initial service.
Ongoing Service
Financial Planning
This service includes:
- An annual face to face or telephone meeting (your choice) with your adviser
- A review of your financial goals and objectives
- An up-to-date valuation of your current investments
- A review of how your investments are invested
- Assessing the potential impact of key events on your plans (using cash flow modelling where necessary)
- Implementation of agreed changes
- A report setting out the results of the review and confirming any changes made
- Access to our client services team with a named point of contact who will respond and deal with any ad hoc queries
- A monthly email bulletin updating you on current financial issues
Ongoing charges
We agree ongoing fees on a bespoke basis. We offer fixed costs and costs based on a percentage of assets under management. The fees agreed will be dependent upon the level of service you require.
What our clients say
The majority of my time has been spent running a business and concentrating on making the correct day-to-day decisions; it was essential for me to gain advice and guidance. Phill and his team at RPG have been able to guide me and provide a balanced portfolio. Without turning to RPG, I would have been unable to arrange my long-term financial future. They have a vast amount of knowledge and have produced the results essential for when I decide to retire.
Director
Because our business was growing every year, we didn't really look at how the money we were making was put to best use. We needed some expert advice to lead us in the right direction. Anthony O'Connor has always been very helpful and approachable whilst dealing with our affairs. We are left to do what we do best: run a business. We would highly recommend anybody who is seeking financial advice to look at the services Anthony and his team can provide.”
Business owners
We decided to use Phill Owen to help us with our financial planning as our savings, mortgage and life policies did not seem coordinated. Phill provided a clear plan for the future. He helped us organise our wills, inheritance matters and our future retirement. With our face-to-face catchups and regular emails or phone calls, Phill has always given us sound advice. This, in turn, has given us the peace of mind that our financial matters, now and in the future, are in good hands and in good order.
Retired Dairy Consultant and Retired NHS Therapist
I started using RPG on the advice of my bank when I started my own limited company. They have guided me through potential pitfalls in such a friendly manner that, even though our relationship has always been professional, I still consider them as friends. This journey has gone through setting up my company, tax, VAT, insurance advice, setting up wills, buying a different house and ensuring my wife and sons are provided for, both now and in the future. It has been such an easy journey. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone.
Aircraft Engineer
My wife and I have been clients of Phill's for 25 years; 20 of which were with RPG Chartered Financial Planners. 17 years were prior to retirement and nine years have been post-retirement. Their involvement has been crucial to dissipate our financial and estate management concerns. RPG’s staff have been exemplary; always approachable and quick to respond. We have no reason to believe that this tremendous working relationship will not be as successful in the future as it has been in the past. We have no hesitation in recommending them.
Retired Veterinary Surgeon and Retired College Lecturer
I am a Chartered Structural Engineer and have very little knowledge, experience or understanding of financial affairs and investments. Approximately six years ago I started to think about early retirement. For the past six years RPG have provided excellent financial planning and tax-efficient advice in the form of a combination of pension and cash ISA investments, which have grown significantly to such an extent that early retirement is imminent.
Chartered Engineer
Early in 2000, we decided we needed financial advice. We contacted Phillip Owen, who created a financial planning strategy that addressed all our needs. We were impressed with his advice, and so a partnership began that has lasted. Original goals are still being met and often exceeded, and investments are successful. There is long-term financial planning in place, even for the youngest family members. I highly recommend Phill and his team.
Retired Teacher and Volunteer Sector Adviser
We were in need of an adviser who could provide a wide spectrum of advice for managing our portfolio. We met Anthony on several occasions to understand his breadth of experience, and we were very impressed. Anthony's team took the reins in consolidating and rationalising our portfolio. We are very pleased with Anthony's service and we look forward to a long-lasting relationship with him.
IT Consultant & Accountant
Anthony O’Connor has advised me over several years about pensions and general financial planning. I have found him knowledgeable, supportive and a person who provides good solutions . He has a “can do “ approach and makes things happen.  I have recommended him to a number of friends and they are all happy with his support and advice He is always good humoured which is a good quality when planning ones financial affairs.
Solicitor
