Financial Planning : FAQs
What is financial planning?
Financial planning is the process of organising your finances to help you meet long-term goals. It typically brings together pensions, investments, tax considerations, protection, and estate planning into one coherent plan, rather than looking at each area in isolation.
How is financial planning different from investment management?
Investment management is primarily about how money is invested and monitored. Financial planning takes a wider view: clarifying goals, understanding cash flow over time, and making joined-up decisions across pensions, investments, tax, and estate planning. Investments are usually one part of the overall plan.
When do people usually seek a financial planner?
Common triggers include approaching retirement, building meaningful pension or investment assets, a change in income, selling a business, receiving an inheritance, or simply wanting clarity and a structured long-term plan. The right timing depends on complexity and the decisions you are facing.
What does a financial plan typically cover?
A financial plan typically covers retirement planning, pensions, investment strategy, tax efficiency, risk management and insurance, estate and inheritance tax planning, and cash flow modelling. The exact scope will vary depending on your circumstances and objectives.
What is cash flow modelling?
Cash flow modelling is a way of projecting how your finances may evolve over time using assumptions about income, spending, inflation, pensions, investments, and taxes. It is commonly used to test different scenarios and understand long-term sustainability. It is not a guarantee of outcomes.
Do I need a financial planner if I already have investments or a portfolio?
Some people engage a financial planner to ensure their existing investments support a broader strategy, including retirement planning, sustainable spending, tax efficiency, and estate considerations. Whether planning is useful depends on the complexity of your situation and the decisions you need to make.
Why do people switch from a discretionary fund manager to a financial planner?
Some people feel discretionary fund management is primarily focused on managing a portfolio within a mandate, whereas financial planning looks at the bigger picture — including retirement planning, tax strategy, risk management, and estate planning. Switching is often driven by a desire for a more joined-up approach and clearer long-term decision support.
Is a discretionary fund manager the same as a financial adviser or planner?
No. A discretionary fund manager typically makes ongoing investment decisions within an agreed mandate. A financial adviser or planner considers a wider range of financial factors and can help build a broader strategy, with investments being one part of that overall plan.
Why do some people move away from percentage-based charging?
Some clients prefer fixed fees because they provide cost certainty and transparency. With percentage-based charging, the fee can rise as portfolio values increase, even if the day-to-day scope of work remains broadly similar. Cost is only one factor; the service and outcomes matter too.
How is a fixed-fee planning service different from percentage-based fees?
With a fixed-fee service, the price is agreed in advance and does not automatically increase simply because assets grow. With percentage-based fees, the fee varies with portfolio value. Which structure feels more appropriate depends on what you value: predictability, perceived alignment, and the scope of service.
Our fee comparison calculator shows how the two structures compare over time.
Are fixed fees always cheaper than percentage fees?
In many cases, yes though the overall comparison depends on your portfolio size, the scope of service, and the charging structure. A fair comparison should look at what is included, how often advice is reviewed, and the depth of planning - not just the headline fee.
You can compare the two using our fee comparison calculator.
How often should a financial plan be reviewed?
Many people review their plan annually, and also when circumstances change - for example, a career change, a move, retirement, receiving an inheritance, or changes to tax rules. Reviews help keep assumptions and objectives up to date.
Is financial planning regulated in the UK?
Yes. Financial advice and planning services are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Firms providing regulated advice must meet specific standards, including suitability requirements and clear disclosure of fees and risks.
Blincoe: FAQs
What is Blincoe Financial Planning?
Blincoe Financial Planning is a UK-based financial planning firm headquartered in Cheltenham, serving clients across the UK. We specialise in fixed-fee financial advice and planning for high-earning professionals and retirees with significant investable assets.
How much does financial planning cost at Blincoe?
We charge fixed monthly fees rather than a percentage of assets. Our services are priced at £200, £300, £400 or £500 per month, depending on complexity. All pricing is transparent and agreed in advance.
Our fee comparison calculator shows how a fixed fee compares with a percentage-based fee over time.
How is Blincoe different to other advisers?
Unlike most wealth managers who charge a percentage of assets, Blincoe offers fixed, transparent monthly fees. Clients know exactly what they pay and avoid percentage-based charges that grow with their portfolio. We also use modern technology and a streamlined process for efficiency.
Who are Blincoe’s typical clients?
- High-earning millennials and professionals with £150,000+ in investable assets
- Retirees or pre-retirees with £500,000+ in investable assets
- Families and individuals who value fixed pricing, clarity, and a long-term relationship
Is Blincoe Financial Planning regulated?
Yes. Blincoe Financial Planning is an appointed representative of Sense Network Ltd, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom.
What does a financial planner actually do?
A financial planner helps you make better long-term decisions across your whole financial life — not just investments. That typically includes retirement planning, pensions, tax efficiency, cash flow modelling, estate planning, and building a clear roadmap so you can act with confidence.
What services do you provide?
We build financial masterplans, enabling families and individuals to have confidence in their financial future. Depending on your situation this might include some or all of the below:
- Retirement planning
- Investment advice
- Estate and inheritance tax planning
- Risk management and insurance advice
- Cash flow modelling and budgeting
Are you independent, or tied to specific products?
We are independent. We are not tied to any provider or product range, so we can recommend solutions from across the whole of the market, based on what suits your circumstances and objectives. You pay us a fixed fee, so our advice is not influenced by which products we recommend or the size of your portfolio.
How does the Blincoe subscription service work?
Clients pay a fixed monthly fee of £200–£500, depending on the complexity of their needs. We will develop a personalised Financial Masterplan, based on an individual or family’s goals. Clients also have access to an online portal, educational content, and members-only events.
What happens when I become a client?
We start by understanding your current position and goals, then build a personalised Financial Masterplan. Depending on your needs, this may include cash flow modelling, retirement planning, tax efficiency, investment structuring, and estate planning. You’ll also have access to your plan and key information through the client portal.
What is cash flow modelling, and why does it matter?
Cash flow modelling helps you understand how your finances may evolve over time — including spending, income, investments, pensions, and taxes. It’s useful for testing decisions such as when you can retire, how much you can spend, and how resilient your plan is under different assumptions.
Do I need a certain amount of money to work with Blincoe?
We generally work with clients who have £150,000+ in investable assets or those approaching retirement with £500,000+. This ensures we can provide meaningful long-term value.
Where is Blincoe Financial Planning based?
Our head office is in Cheltenham, UK, but we serve clients across the UK remotely through secure video meetings and digital platforms.
Can Blincoe help with retirement planning?
Yes. We help clients plan for and navigate retirement, including pension strategy, sustainable spending, tax efficiency, and structuring investments to support long-term income needs.
Can Blincoe help with inheritance tax (IHT) planning?
Yes. We advise on inheritance tax, trusts, gifting strategies, whole-of-life insurance, and other estate planning solutions tailored to UK tax rules.
How often do we review the plan?
Typically, we review your situation regularly and update the plan as your circumstances change. The goal is to keep your Financial Masterplan relevant and practical, rather than creating a document that sits on a shelf.
What technology do you use?
We are a very tech-forward firm. We are continually trialling and testing many of the exciting new tools that are being developed. This relentless focus on improving internally makes us much more efficient than traditional financial planning firms, which is a key enabler of our fixed-fee pricing model.
How can I start working with Blincoe?
Book a free initial consultation through our website. After an introductory call, we recommend the service level that fits your needs, and you can subscribe or engage on a fixed-fee basis.
Next step
Got the answers you were looking for?
If you're ready to talk, answer a few short questions about your situation. If it looks like we can help, you can book a free introductory call with one of our planners at the end.
See if we're a good fitTwo minutes. No obligation.