Applewood Independent Limited predominantly works in three specialised areas of advice as truly independent financial advisers. By specialising in these three areas we are able to focus on the very best advice by not being a 'jack of all trades' and spreading our resources too thinly.
Our experience allows us to help clients manage their investment policies to suit their individual needs.
Investments
Inheritance Tax Planning
Pensions
Investments
David Pritchard, our Managing Director, worked at director level for a large regional discretionary investment manager and has a wealth of experience in advising clients in investment areas. From ISAs, Unit Trusts, Investments Bonds etc we have an excellent and quantifiable track record of showing that we are able to help clients protect on the downside in volatile times, whilst providing plenty of upside when markets do well to provide a total return that outperforms our benchmarks over the medium to longer period. We monitor our investment funds every month to see how well they perform against their individual sector averages to make sure that our clients are getting the best possible returns for the level of risk that they are willing to take.
There is a huge difference in the performance of funds, even within the same sectors. We have thorough analysis systems that we use to help us review a new client's existing portfolio and to constantly monitor our own portfolios to ensure that our performance is maintained.
We make sure a client has the right investment portfolio to match their attitude to risk. We usually invest through a supermarket platform which, at either no or virtually no extra cost, offers a range of 50-60 difference fund managers and over 1,000 individual funds. We do not believe in just using one fund manager and placing your investments under one roof but go for the supermarket approach which has a huge range of funds with either no cost or very low cost switching for when funds need to be moved in the future. If we feel that one of the funds in our 'model portfolios' is underperforming, we notify our clients so that action can be taken to rid ourselves of underperforming fund managers.
We invest in a wide range of different asset classes by recommending our clients have some money in cash for rainy days, and look at investments in Gilt & Fixed Interest funds, Equity-based funds (both UK and overseas) and finally Commercial Property funds that invest predominantly in bricks and mortar. Each portfolio is designed to match the client's attitude to risk.
Inheritance Tax Planning
This has been a specialist area of David Pritchard for the last decade. Things are ever-changing under legislation and the opportunities for inheritance tax, and reviews need to be made on a regular basis.
We are able to assess an overall inheritance tax position. Calculate any tax that is due and when, and offer simple, easy to understand solutions that will suit each individual's personal circumstances. We work very closely with a number of leading solicitors' practices who are members of the Society and Trust Estate Practitioners, who themselves specialise in will and estate planning.
We also, where appropriate, utilise the use of trusts. These can be some of the most effective inheritance tax planning solutions, with some allowing access to either income and/or capital whilst still being inheritance tax efficient. We are well versed in the use of trusts and keep up-to-date in our continuing professional development in this area to ensure that we are providing the very best advice possible for inheritance tax planning.
The number of estates that are caught by inheritance tax has continued to grow over the years and, whilst recent legislation changes made use of two nil-rate bands for married couples, this still leaves a considerable number of people whose estates are over £650,000 for whom inheritance tax advice is imperative.
Pensions
We have nearly 28 years of experience in dealing with pensions for both individuals and companies and David Pritchard has a number of advanced qualifications specialising in retirement planning, through the Chartered Insurance Institute. Whether it is a Stakeholder Pension, Personal Pension, Self-Invested Personal Pension of Company Pension Scheme, we are able to help and advise in this area.
Pension legislation changed dramatically in 2006 and careful thought for people still working and/or approaching retirement age is imperative to make sure the right decisions are made to get the most out of your pensions. Whilst you are saving in pensions it is also extremely important to make sure your funds are working hard for you within today's pension schemes. Pension scheme charges have reduced over the years and nowadays are lower than they were in the past, whilst offering a wide range of different fund choices, including some of the leading unit trust houses.
For those approaching retirement age and purchasing an annuity we offer an Open Market Option service whereby we search the entire market, including ill-health retirement annuities to find the best rate available for individuals about to purchase an annuity.
