Simmons Financial Planning

So much been going on lately that posting fell by the wayside.
With health back on track (well pretty much), a clear plan for the year ahead and lots to be working on, the start of a new tax year - with a bit of sunshine thrown in the mix - means I’m full of motivation (and caffeine) to get cracking. Thanks for the pick me up.

When you’re contemplating strategy at 10am…

And have a team meeting at 2pm.

Lovely to meet a bunch of interesting people at the Business Junction breakfast event last week, hosted by Nicole Bachmann in The Legends Suite of Selhurst Park.

Then heading to the roof top terrace of our City offices for a meeting to discuss business growth and strategy in the sunshine.

There’s many plates to spin running your own business and this was a day focusing primarily on internal stuff (technical term) with a little client work sprinkled in to keep those things going.

On reflection, I think I’ll leave the football management and tactics to the experts and I’ll stick to wealth management and financial planning strategies…. Even if it was fun to sit in their seat for a moment.

Star Wars, tape cassettes, boom boxes, detachable roller skates and View-Masters… a few things that get Gen-Xers thinking about ‘the good old days’.

But what gets the people of this amazing generation (I might be a little biased) thinking about their future?

Is it the thought of ‘retirement being a new begining’? 🎉🎬
Is it fear that there’s not enough money in the pot to stop working? 💰📉
Or …. is it just not thought about at all for whatever reason? 🙈🙉🙊

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting the offices of Just Group plc to attend their excellent seminar on retirement and later life planning focusing on Generation X.

Really interesting content including:
- discussion points around the solutions to be considered when advising Gen-Xers
- the thinking that tends to be done by those considering what that stage of their life looks like.
- the behavioural aspects of Gen-Xers’ retirement plans

Thanks in particular to Dan Haylett for the insights on how he approaches retirement planning with this generation given the challenges they face, often including those that have earned them the Sandwich Generation tag.

🌐 Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are causing unease in global markets, with oil prices surging nearly 20% recently.



While the broader market reaction has been relatively contained so far, uncertainty is in the air.



SJP’s investment experts highlight five things to consider when market volatility creates worry: 👆 Link in Bio 👆

As an entrepreneurial, growing business, it’s easy to dismiss some of the basic business disciplines as involving too much “bureaucracy” and “red tape”.

However, a mature and responsible approach to business expansion should be based on establishing a solid foundation that draws upon the benefits of sound governance and the effective management of business risks.

Here’s what to consider: ➡️ https://partnership.sjp.co.uk/article/detail/sjpp/build-your-business-on-solid-foundations-dont-overlook-the-business-basics-of-management-and-control.html ⬅️

Starting a business is an exciting yet challenging journey. Whether you’re launching a tech startup, a retail store, or a consulting firm, success depends on careful planning and ex*****on. Knowing how to build a solid foundation for your new business is therefore key.

Here’s some tips: https://partnership.sjp.co.uk/article/detail/sjpp/top-five-tips-for-starting-a-successful-business.html

There are two key questions people tend to ask about retirement.

“How much money do I need?“
and
“Have I left it too late to start saving?”

Here’s what you need to know:

https://partnership.sjp.co.uk/article/detail/sjpp/when-do-i-need-to-start-saving-for-retirement.html



SJP Approved 01/05/2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📣 Review incoming 📣

After months of back and forth with the mighty Google I have finally managed to get the Simmons Financial Planning business profile set up (the irony of ‘computer says no’ is not lost on me when dealing with Google).

Really pleased to be able to get such positive feedback and for it to be visible (at last!).

I’m very fortunate to deal with some lovely clients and helping them towards a better future is something I love doing.

When I get asked what I do, it’s not always easy to explain quickly and not everyone is ready for a long answer. 🤔

Also, there’s so many elements that may or may not resonate with someone or some might have a preconceived idea of what I do so…

I thought, as I tend to take things in when they’re explained visually, I’d try and bring it to life a bit and explain with a quick video… ▶️

Simmons Financial Planning is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James's Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority).

SJP Approved 4/11/2025