Client Stories
Perhaps the best way to understand what we can do for you is to see what we have been able to do for others.
Below you can follow the journeys of some of our clients and discover how we worked together to create a personalised investment plan and arrive at their dream financial destination.
“Without the help from Lomond Wealth we would still be working. The way that Lomond Wealth planned out our future gave us the confidence to live the life we have been dreaming of together.”
Steve & Karen
Enjoying more time together
Karen is a 40-year-old receptionist and Steve is a 50-year-old builder. They have been working long hours for years to give their three children the best possible life.
Now their dream is to retire early, at 55, and make the most of life using their savings. And as they will be spending more time at home, they would like to create some additional space by building an extension.
However, they are unsure they can manage, and first want to know how long their savings would last, when they would need to start accessing their pensions, and the impact these retirement plans would have on their lifestyle.
We helped Karen and Steve to bring their future to life, using Cashflow Modelling to create a ‘Financial Plan’ that demonstrated a range of potential scenarios for drawing down their pension.
In Steve and Karen’s case, their savings were predicted to run out at age 60. We then anticipated for them to start drawing down their pension at age 60 and to reduce their income level once in receipt of their state pension at age 67.
We also took into account and planned for the unexpected death of either Karen or Steve – mapping out what their lifestyle might look like in this event. For example, Steve didn’t like the thought of having to worry about lifestyle costs, as Karen usually manages the finances. We advised using some of their pension funds to buy an annuity equal to their annual bills. This ensured the peace of mind that those expenses will be taken care of.
In the end, by bringing their plan to life using Cashflow Modelling we helped Karen and Steve to visualise their financial future with clarity. Giving them confidence that their dream of retiring early really was achievable after all.
Want to see what your financial future could look like? Get in touch for a free initial consultation. (Your last day at work might be closer than you think.)
Defined Benefit Pension
Henry is 55 and was recently made redundant by his employer. He isn’t very keen to return to full-time work, but he doesn’t feel comfortable that he has the financial resources to fully retire and wants to consider his options.
However, Henry previously worked for an employer with a ‘Defined Benefit Pension Scheme’ and found out he could request a cash-equivalent transfer value. He approached Lomond Wealth for further advice and is pleasantly surprised at the transfer value figure he was quoted. He now wanted to assess the possibilities.
After our triage process, Henry decided he would like to use our Defined Benefit (DB) transfer service. For a standard fee we provided him an independent report that explains the advantages and disadvantages of transferring out of his pension scheme in easy, simple terms that avoid industry jargon.
From the report, it was clear that taking the transfer is in his best interest and means he would not need to find new employment. Henry wanted to make the most of his early retirement with his wife and was pleased to learn of the flexibility to take more income in the early years when they would most require it.
Henry’s wife also has a public sector pension and, combined with their state pensions, they have enough guaranteed income for their later retirement.
By transferring Henry’s DB scheme, it allowed him to retire early and not go through the process of looking for new work. It also gave him and his wife the flexibility they wanted to enjoy their early retirement. He is fully aware of the risks associated with transferring out of his DB scheme, however for him the pros far outweigh the cons.
“Lomond Wealth were a pleasure to work with and really helped myth bust around my Defined Benefit Pension Scheme making my choice simple and easy to understand.”
Henry
