Why make the switch to sustainable investing?

Why make the switch to sustainable investing?

Why make the switch to sustainable investing?
Why make the switch to sustainable investing? 1

Written by Sebastian Elwell

November 20, 2020

Sustainable Investing

There’s a growing move from both institutional and individual investors towards sustainable investing. Ethical considerations are becoming more important to investors of all types, and with the positive performance of many sustainable funds, these decisions are based not just on moral considerations but also on financial return.

What is sustainable investing?

Sustainable funds set their own individual criteria for investing, but in general they are looking at projects and businesses that are:

  • Committed to ethical and diversity-led employment and supplier policies.
  • Involved in relevant sectors, including renewable energy and climate control innovation.
  • Operating in line with the Sustainable Development Goals set out by the United Nations.
  • Transparent about processes and projects.

Fund managers in the UK are adding to their portfolios with dedicated ethical or sustainable funds, partly driven by the positive performance of companies that qualify for those funds, and partly by a growing demand from investors to move from more ‘traditional’ investments such as oil, gas and other fossil fuel companies to those that are actively working towards producing renewable and sustainable energy and related projects.

Traditional companies with ESG agendas

The swing towards sustainable investing is pushing more traditional companies to invest in – and prove they are committed to – Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) agendas. Listed companies are expected to report on these issues whenever they issue results, and fund managers and analysts are increasingly favouring businesses who do so. When you are looking at companies for sustainable investment, it’s always worth checking their ESG criteria and activities, as that will give you a clear indication of how committed the business is to contributing to a better world.

A growing number of sustainable funds

According to Investment Week, 36% of UK equity or bond funds launched during 2020 are sustainable in some form. This means there is more choice in the market, giving investors more of a chance to move some investments to suitable sustainable funds, or place new investments into these vehicles. And, as investors continue to demand better behaviour and more responsible actions from the companies they invest in – and as they continue to vote with their feet by moving their investments out of funds they believe are unethical and towards investments that meet their own ideas of a responsible attitude, there are only likely to be more funds launched and more businesses looking to capture that market.

For the investor – institutional or individual – sustainable investing can bring good rewards and also ensures that you are investing in line with your own ethics. At Switchfoot Wealth, we believe in advising and investing ethically and responsibly, and helping our clients choose funds that reflect their own interests and beliefs.

The value of your investment (and any income from them) can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. Investments should be considered over the longer term and should fit in with your overall attitude to risk and financial circumstances.

Switchfoot Wealth Limited Independent Financial Adviser

“

I started Switchfoot Wealth to offer financial planning that matches the way we live and work today. Using the best technology and offering expertise gained through both formal qualifications and years of working closely with clients, we are bringing financial planning into the 21st century, helping people, businesses and professional advisers make the most of their time and their money.

– Sebastian Ewell

Switchfoot Wealth Founder

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SwitchFoot Wealth Limited is an appointed representative of Sense Network Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. SwitchFoot Wealth Limited is entered on the Financial Services register (www.fca.org.uk/register) under reference number 808196.
Registered Address: 28 Upper Hale Road, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 0NS. Registered in England & Wales No.: 11220173.
The information contained within this website is subject to the UK regulatory regime and therefore restricted to consumers based in the UK.

The Financial Ombudsman Service is available to sort out individual complaints that clients and financial services business aren’t able to resolve themselves. To contact the Financial Ombudsman Service, please visit www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk.

7 reasons why we’re Transparency Task Force members

7 reasons why we’re Transparency Task Force members

7 reasons why we’re Transparency Task Force members
7 reasons why we’re Transparency Task Force members 2

Written by Sebastian Elwell

November 15, 2020

The Transparency Taskforce

7 reasons why we’re Transparency Task Force members

You may have seen or heard us talk about working with the Transparency Task Force (TTF). This is important to us as a team because it’s work we do on a voluntary basis and it’s helping to protect vulnerable people when they need reliable financial help. In fact, from our office in Farnham, we’re part of an international group of ambassadors who have spent their careers pursuing better and more ethical ways of working.

So we thought we’d share the 7 top reasons why we’ve chosen to stand up for transparency and clarity in the financial services sector.

  1. It’s a not-for-profit organisation that shares our values – our leading value is all about doing business ethically. That means treating people with respect, offering honest, clear and useful advice and going the extra mile to protect our clients. 
  1. It operates on a volunteer basis, so we know our TTF colleagues have the best motives – there are currently more than 2.600 finance professionals giving their time to help the TTF have an impact across the sector. This gives us hope that there is an increasing number of people who want to see changes in the industry and are prepared to stand up and make those changes happen. 
  1. It gives us the opportunity to share our expertise – our founder, Sebastian Elwell specialises in later life and succession planning and has built up a range of expertise and knowledge that he can share with others in an environment where it can start to make a difference. 
  1. It believes in the power and will of the financial sector to do good – the finance and banking industries do not have a great reputation among the general public. Yet there are thousands of qualified, ethical and trustworthy advisers and professionals in the UK who just want to do a good job for their clients. Taking part in the TTF demonstrates our commitment to the industry and our belief that it is a force for good. 
  1. It believes in changing the conversation to being about the individual, not the industry – for financial advisers like Sebastian, nothing is more important than the client. By focusing on a wide range of long-term issues in the sector, the TTF is hoping to show that the individual investor should be at the heart of everything we do. 
  1. It’s helping us to lead the drive to ensure vulnerable people get the best advice – Sebastian leads the team investigating ways to improve the transparency and oversight of Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) documents. This will help to protect vulnerable people who are no longer able to manage their own finances. 
  1. It allows us to get to know other leaders in the ethically-aware financial sector – we are keen to build a network of like-minded financial professionals, whether they are financial advisers or work within banks, funds and other financial management institutions. 

You can click to find out more about the Transparency Task Force, or contact us today to find out more about how we help individuals plan their financial futures, or manage investments and savings for vulnerable family members.

Switchfoot Wealth Limited Independent Financial Adviser

“

I started Switchfoot Wealth to offer financial planning that matches the way we live and work today. Using the best technology and offering expertise gained through both formal qualifications and years of working closely with clients, we are bringing financial planning into the 21st century, helping people, businesses and professional advisers make the most of their time and their money.

– Sebastian Ewell

Switchfoot Wealth Founder

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SwitchFoot Wealth Limited is an appointed representative of Sense Network Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. SwitchFoot Wealth Limited is entered on the Financial Services register (www.fca.org.uk/register) under reference number 808196.
Registered Address: 28 Upper Hale Road, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 0NS. Registered in England & Wales No.: 11220173.
The information contained within this website is subject to the UK regulatory regime and therefore restricted to consumers based in the UK.

The Financial Ombudsman Service is available to sort out individual complaints that clients and financial services business aren’t able to resolve themselves. To contact the Financial Ombudsman Service, please visit www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk.

Introducing the Personal Finance Society

Introducing the Personal Finance Society

Introducing the Personal Finance Society
Introducing the Personal Finance Society 3

Written by Sebastian Elwell

November 15, 2020

PFS Awards

 

Introducing the Personal Finance Society

As we celebrate our founder, Sebastian Elwell, being announced as the winner of the Personal Finance Society’s 2020 award for Retirement and Later Life Specialist of the Year, we thought this would be a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on what the Society is for.

Part of the Chartered Insurance Institute Group, the Personal Finance Society was established to give the public more confidence and trust in the personal financial advice profession.

It does this by making sure that its members meet strict standards of professionalism and governance, and that they comply with the Society’s Code of Ethics. This Code stipulates that all financial advisers should act in the best interests of each client, provide a high standard of service and treat people fairly.

Bringing finances to life

One of the key things about the Personal Finance Society is the initiatives it supports. Recently these have included financial wellbeing television programmes, a schools outreach programme called My Personal Finance Skills, a Forces MoneyPlan scheme, which offers free financial guidance to armed forces personnel and veterans, and a Find an Advisor tool, which gives individuals access to more than 20,000 qualified financial advisers.

In addition, the Society runs an e-mentor programme, and Sebastian also volunteers as a mentor with the programme, supporting, guiding and developing the next generation of financial planners and paraplanners.

Does my adviser need Personal Finance Society membership?

There’s no legal required for your financial adviser to be a member of the Personal Finance Society. However, it is a requirement to be a member of a professional body which can issue the adviser with a Statement of Professional Standing, which is reviewed every year. We have chosen to be a member of the Personal Finance Society because it is the largest of all the professional bodies in the UK for financial advisers.

As with all professions, membership of the PFS and other key bodies should give you confidence in your adviser’s qualifications, expertise and experience. Sebastian Elwell is also a member of STEP and SOLLA – all highly regarded organisations with strict membership criteria. So for people looking for financial advice in Farnham, these memberships and qualifications give additional peace of mind.

We would always recommend that you take your time when choosing a financial adviser. Look for:

  • An independent adviser who is not tied to any particular products or providers, and who can give you advice that covers the whole of the market.
  • Someone with expertise in the areas you’re interested in – for example, later life advice, inheritance and succession planning or wider family financial advice.
  • Someone with recognised qualifications, such as a Chartered Financial Planner, an Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning and relevant memberships of bodies that promote professional standards.

You can visit the Personal Finance Society’s website, or contact us today to find out more about how we work and how we can help support your financial planning.

Switchfoot Wealth Limited Independent Financial Adviser

“

I started Switchfoot Wealth to offer financial planning that matches the way we live and work today. Using the best technology and offering expertise gained through both formal qualifications and years of working closely with clients, we are bringing financial planning into the 21st century, helping people, businesses and professional advisers make the most of their time and their money.

– Sebastian Ewell

Switchfoot Wealth Founder

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SwitchFoot Wealth Limited is an appointed representative of Sense Network Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. SwitchFoot Wealth Limited is entered on the Financial Services register (www.fca.org.uk/register) under reference number 808196.
Registered Address: 28 Upper Hale Road, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 0NS. Registered in England & Wales No.: 11220173.
The information contained within this website is subject to the UK regulatory regime and therefore restricted to consumers based in the UK.

The Financial Ombudsman Service is available to sort out individual complaints that clients and financial services business aren’t able to resolve themselves. To contact the Financial Ombudsman Service, please visit www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk.

Why choose a financial adviser who is a STEP member?

Why choose a financial adviser who is a STEP member?

Why choose a financial adviser who is a STEP member?
Why choose a financial adviser who is a STEP member? 4

Written by Sebastian Elwell

November 1, 2020

STEP Advising families across generations

 

Why choose a financial adviser who is a STEP member?

It can be tricky to choose a financial adviser – particularly if you are working through complex financial arrangements, hold a power of attorney, or are making more complicated plans around inheritance and succession planning. It’s obviously important to ensure that the adviser you choose to work with is suitably qualified for the type of financial planning you need, which is why memberships of bodies like STEP and SOLLA are important.

What is STEP?

STEP is the global professional association for practitioners who specialise in family inheritance and succession planning. Members are financial advisers, lawyers, accountants and other professionals who help individuals make the best plans for their future, and the criteria for membership is exacting, so you know that it is worth using someone who has taken the time to become a member. For individuals and families in Farnham for example, Sebastian Elwell from Switchfoot Wealth is the only financial adviser in the area who has STEP membership and a STEP Diploma in Advising Vulnerable Clients*.

Why should I look for a STEP member?

STEP members are experts in helping families plan for the future, often advising two or three generations at the same time, to ensure that everyone has the advice they need for a secure future for themselves, their children and their grandchildren.

In particular, STEP members can advise on inheritance planning, trusts and legacies, long-term care planning and charitable giving. Your advisers can work together – so your financial planning may impact on the conditions of your Will, for example. Or you may want to look at succession or exit planning for your business, and your financial adviser can work alongside your accountant, solicitor and tax specialist to ensure that all requirements are met.

Aligning our values

The STEP values are very clear:

  • Promote professional educational attainment.
  • Act transparently.
  • Uphold professional standards.
  • Serve our members, whatever their professional background, wherever based.
  • Recognise our responsibility to the public interest.

They align well with our own values, which are:

  • Being ethical
  • Being qualified
  • Being independent
  • Being technology smart
  • Being collaborative

As a STEP member, Sebastian must work to the organisation’s values and commit to upholding its high standards of competence and advice. Being a member of STEP means that the clients we give financial advice to in Farnham and the local area can be confident about the standard of advice and planning they receive, and that they are choosing a financial adviser who can work closely and comfortably with your other professional advisers.

You can find out more about STEP and what it means to be a member, or simply contact us today for an initial chat about the plans you need to make and how we can help.

 

*Source STEP Member directory October 2020

https://content.step.org/search/members/?f%5B0%5D=specialism%3AInvestment&f%5B1%5D=city%3AFarnham

 
Switchfoot Wealth Limited Independent Financial Adviser

“

I started Switchfoot Wealth to offer financial planning that matches the way we live and work today. Using the best technology and offering expertise gained through both formal qualifications and years of working closely with clients, we are bringing financial planning into the 21st century, helping people, businesses and professional advisers make the most of their time and their money.

– Sebastian Ewell

Switchfoot Wealth Founder

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SwitchFoot Wealth Limited is an appointed representative of Sense Network Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. SwitchFoot Wealth Limited is entered on the Financial Services register (www.fca.org.uk/register) under reference number 808196.
Registered Address: 28 Upper Hale Road, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 0NS. Registered in England & Wales No.: 11220173.
The information contained within this website is subject to the UK regulatory regime and therefore restricted to consumers based in the UK.

The Financial Ombudsman Service is available to sort out individual complaints that clients and financial services business aren’t able to resolve themselves. To contact the Financial Ombudsman Service, please visit www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk.

What is SOLLA and why should I look for an adviser who is a member?

What is SOLLA and why should I look for an adviser who is a member?

What is SOLLA and why should I look for an adviser who is a member?
What is SOLLA and why should I look for an adviser who is a member? 5

Written by Sebastian Elwell

November 1, 2020

What is SOLLA and why should I look for an adviser who is a member? 6
 

Sebastian Elwell – Director of Switchfoot Wealth is Farnham’s only SOLLA Accredited Independent Financial Adviser*, what does this mean and why have we invested in becoming SOLLA Accredited?

What is SOLLA and why should I look for an adviser who is a member?

SOLLA is the Society of Later Life Advisers, and was established in 2008 to improve standards and accessibility to regulated financial advice specifically for older people and their families. SOLLA is a not-for-profit organisation, so any profits it makes are put back into SOLLA.

We believe it is extremely important that people in later life – and their loved ones – can be confident about the transparency, independence and honesty of the financial advice they receive. It’s vital to get planning and investment right at this stage of life, and matters that financial advice comes from someone who is empathetic to your needs and is genuinely giving financial advice that meets your needs.

SOLLA sets out the following commitments:

  • Promoting and raising awareness amongst people, their families and professional advisers of financial issues faced in retirement and later life
  • Building relationships with statutory and voluntary agencies, charities, housing and social care providers, financial services firms and those organisations who are involved in the financial wellbeing of those in later life
  • Raising the standards of practice of those engaged in advising older people by promoting the highest levels of professionalism in financial advice
  • Identifying and developing best practice by the provision of high-quality training and the distribution of the latest information and know how in later life issues
  • Acting as a source of technical excellence for later life advisers
  • Actively inputting into legislative and policy changes and contributing to debates on policy

The organisation also sets high standards for members. In order to be a full member of SOLLA, a financial adviser must achieve the Later Life Adviser Accreditation. This involves a detailed application that includes supplying evidence of technical knowledge, continuing professional development and examples of how the adviser has applied their technical knowledge in a client case.

Once the application has been approved, the adviser takes a face-to-face assessment, which is broken into two parts: and audit of evidence and a work-based assessment. A report following the assessment is then reviewed by an expert accreditation panel which makes the decision about whether to admit the adviser as a member.

An approved SOLLA member will have demonstrated expertise in a range of advice areas typically affecting later life clients including:

  • Retirement Planning – pensions and annuities
  • Funding for care home fees
  • Funding for care in your own home
  • Equity release and other property options
  • Savings and investment planning
  • Tax matters and estate and wealth planning

These are all important issues for later life financial planning and at Switchfoot Wealth, we believe in doing everything we can to give our clients confidence in our approach to financial planning and our commitment to getting the qualifications and memberships that ensure we work within the most appropriate codes of practice and affiliations. In addition to being a full member of SOLLA, Sebastian is also a member of STEP, a global professional association for solicitors, accountants, financial advisers and other professionals specialising in family inheritance and succession planning. This means that people looking for independent financial advice in Farnham and the surrounding area can rely on qualified, expert and friendly advice that will help during challenging times.

You can find out more by visiting the SOLLA website. If you’d like to talk to us about later life financial planning, please contact us for an initial chat today.

The value of your investment (and any income from them) can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

*Source – SOLLA Find an Adviser Tool – October 2020

https://societyoflaterlifeadvisers.co.uk/find-an-adviser/?SearchUnits=m&InclusiveSearch=false&SearchRadius=&Position%5Bsouth%5D=51.1765154&Position%5Bwest%5D=-0.8291997&Position%5Bnorth%5D=51.2421418&Position%5Beast%5D=-0.7467705&Location=Farnham

 

Switchfoot Wealth Limited Independent Financial Adviser

“

I started Switchfoot Wealth to offer financial planning that matches the way we live and work today. Using the best technology and offering expertise gained through both formal qualifications and years of working closely with clients, we are bringing financial planning into the 21st century, helping people, businesses and professional advisers make the most of their time and their money.

– Sebastian Ewell

Switchfoot Wealth Founder

Read more about Switchfoot Wealth

Read More

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May 21, 2021

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SwitchFoot Wealth Limited is an appointed representative of Sense Network Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. SwitchFoot Wealth Limited is entered on the Financial Services register (www.fca.org.uk/register) under reference number 808196.
Registered Address: 28 Upper Hale Road, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 0NS. Registered in England & Wales No.: 11220173.
The information contained within this website is subject to the UK regulatory regime and therefore restricted to consumers based in the UK.

The Financial Ombudsman Service is available to sort out individual complaints that clients and financial services business aren’t able to resolve themselves. To contact the Financial Ombudsman Service, please visit www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk.