Craig Parkinson Independent Financial Adviser

09/10/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸… 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗥&𝗥! 🏎️☀️

A slightly different Friday update this week!

The desk has been swapped for Singapore, some sunshine, a few drinks and a weekend watching the Formula 1! 🏁🍻

It’s been great to switch off from work, enjoy some downtime and make the most of being somewhere a little different.

No mortgages, pensions or investments to report on this week, and none next week either!

For now, the plan is simple: relax, be merry and enjoy the Singapore Grand Prix!

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

30/09/2026

Really pleased to share my new flyer 😊

Lewes and the surrounding areas are close to my heart, and I’m excited to keep building my business here and help as many local people as possible.

Whether you’ve got pensions you’ve lost track of, retirement on your mind, a mortgage to sort or savings you’re unsure what to do with, I’m always happy to talk things through. The same goes for making sure your family is financially protected.

You don’t need to know all the answers or have everything organised before getting in touch. We can start with a coffee, a chat and whatever’s on your mind. No jargon, no pressure.

If that sounds useful for you, or someone you know, please feel free to drop me a message. A share would also be much appreciated to help me reach a few more local faces!

📧 [email protected]
📞 07841 829101

25/09/2026

Could I retire earlier? Could I afford to work a little less? Will my money last?

These are the questions that cash flow modelling can help explore, bringing your pensions, savings and spending together to show what retirement could look like.

I find that seeing the numbers mapped out can make those decisions feel much clearer. It’s a projection, with assumptions we need to revisit, but a useful starting point.

This article explains how it works 👇

https://mycontinuum.co.uk/how-cash-flow-modelling-can-help-you-plan-for-retir

Cash flow modelling can help you understand your retirement income, spending and options, so you can make more informed financial decisions.

21/09/2026

Having savings to fall back on is reassuring. But money sitting in cash for years can lose buying power if interest doesn’t keep up with rising prices.

I’m sharing this article on finding a balance between accessible savings and investing for the future, whether that’s retirement, helping family or simply having more choices further down the line.

📧 [email protected]
📞 07841 829101

15/09/2026

Pensions are easy to put on the “I’ll look at it later” list. A big part of my work is helping people understand what they have and what that could mean for their retirement.

Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 07841 829101

11/09/2026

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆

A busy couple of weeks meant last Friday’s update slipped through the net! Here’s a little of what I’ve been working on:

💷 Structuring a couple’s retirement income around a £5,000 monthly target, while keeping the option of an annuity open for later.

🌱 Reviewing pension allowances for a senior executive changing roles, factoring in a substantial joining bonus and unused allowances from previous years.

📈 Considering the timing of investment bond withdrawals and how inherited investments and trusts fit into a client’s wider income and estate planning.

🛡️ Reviewing life cover and income protection to protect family income and cover substantial mortgage commitments.

🏡 Arranging borrowing for a higher value property move, combining an existing mortgage with additional lending for the new home.

If any of these are things you’re considering, you’re welcome to get in touch. Always happy to have a chat.

Have a lovely weekend!

Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 07841 829101

28/08/2026

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸…

A quick Friday round-up this week...

🏡 Helping clients plan their next house move and work out the mortgage numbers.

💷 Reviewing fixed-rate mortgages coming to an end and weighing up fixed versus tracker options.

📊 Starting retirement planning conversations and bringing together pensions built up over many years.

🏖️ Helping clients approaching retirement understand how they could turn their pensions into an income.

🏠 Looking at how mortgages fit alongside plans to retire earlier.

👩‍💼 Starting longer-term financial planning with business owners, including pensions, tax planning and investments.

🛡️ Reviewing employee life insurance and comparing different levels of cover for a business.

🏠 Exploring additional later-life borrowing while looking to leave an existing mortgage arrangement untouched.

Plenty covered, but all with one thing in common: helping people get a clearer picture of where they are now and what their options might be for the future.

Have a brilliant Bank Holiday weekend everyone!

24/08/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲?

People often first speak to a financial adviser because they have one particular area they would like help with. This might be arranging a mortgage, reviewing a pension or planning for retirement.

However, good financial planning can become valuable at many different stages of life, particularly as your circumstances and priorities change.

📄 In the attached article, I have set out nine occasions when speaking to a financial adviser can make a difference. These include changes within your family, preparing for retirement, helping loved ones, making the most of tax allowances and considering major financial decisions.

💭 Sometimes the reason can be much simpler. You may just want reassurance that your plans remain on track and continue to reflect the life you want.

Please take a look through the attached article when you have a few moments. 👇

📧 [email protected]
📱 07841 829101

22/08/2026

𝗔 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸…

It’s the weekend again, and looking back over the week there have been quite a few different reasons for people needing some financial advice.

🏡 Mortgage rates coming to an end – reviewing options for a number of clients approaching the end of their current fixed rates. For those fortunate enough to have been on some very low rates, the important part is understanding what today’s rates actually mean for the household budget.

💷 Borrowing a little more – working through the cost of additional mortgage borrowing for clients considering home improvements and other plans. Sometimes seeing what an extra £25,000 actually costs each month makes the decision much easier to assess.

🔑 Extending a lease – looking at refinancing an existing flat to fund a lease extension, while also adding a partner to the mortgage and moving from interest-only to repayment.

🛡️ Life insurance and critical illness cover – reviewing existing protection alongside new mortgage arrangements. This isn’t always about arranging more cover. It’s about understanding what’s already there, what is actually needed and what comfortably fits within the household budget.

📊 Finding old pensions – continuing to gather information on several pension arrangements so we can put everything together and start looking at the bigger retirement picture.

🏠 Raising money in later life – exploring whether an existing lifetime mortgage could provide additional funds for home improvements and future healthcare, while ideally retaining a very attractive existing interest rate.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Wills, trusts and estates – continuing conversations with clients and solicitors around some more complicated family arrangements, particularly understanding what happens to property and investments following a death and who is responsible for the decisions that follow.

Quite a lot can sit behind what initially sounds like a fairly straightforward financial question.

And that’s probably one of my biggest takeaways from this week: sometimes the answer isn’t about finding a new product at all. It’s about understanding what you already have and how all the different pieces fit together.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07841829101

20/08/2026

A little office refresh ✨

It’s amazing what a few changes can do. I’m really pleased with how the office is looking and it feels like a much brighter, more welcoming space.

For me, having somewhere comfortable and relaxed to sit down with clients is really important; financial planning conversations are personal, and the environment you have them in matters too.

Looking forward to welcoming both existing and new clients through the door over the coming months.

E: [email protected]
M: 07841 829101