Sean story

I retired about two years ago, at the age of 56. It was partly the conversations I’d been having with Neil that allowed me to do that.

Our conversations were and are never just about financial planning. Neil’s very good at placing your finances in context and exploring with you what it is you want to do with your life. As he says, if you purely focus on the financials, you don’t see the bigger picture.

When we talked about me retiring, we discussed three areas:

Professional – my career; had I achieved everything professionally that I wanted to? Did it feel the right time to retire?

Personal – He asked challenging questions of me and my life. What did I really want to do with the rest of my life? Did my wife and I want to retire together? (She is still working.) What are our life plans for this next phase of our lives? It was very helpful to think about it in that way.

Financial – Are your children independent? Are you mortgage free? What financial requirements will you have going forward?

I’d always had a plan I wanted to retire at around 60. It was because of the conversations with Neil that triggered the thought I could retire early.

I was a company director for a FTSE100 company. I was travelling up and down the country during the week. And it was a global position, so I travelled internationally a lot too. I loved my job – it wasn’t that I couldn’t wait to stop working – but I’d achieve everything I wanted to do and set a clear forward strategy for my successor and set a lasting legacy. I’d also seen health and lifestyle things happen to friends around me. There are tragic stories of people working until they drop and never getting to enjoy their retirement years. Work is an important part of our lives, but it should not define you. I feel strongly there’s more to life and life is short; you should enjoy it and make the most of it.

Neil and I explored several options and scenarios over a period of three to six months so this was a well-considered and planned process. He suggested things I hadn’t thought about and ultimately showed me that I could retire earlier than 60 if I wanted to. Neil’s Lifetime Cash Flow Planning Tool helped structure my plans.

Retirement is a huge transition in life. But because I’d planned it and talked so much through with my family and Neil, I was not only financially prepared, but mentally and emotionally prepared too.

Since retiring, I volunteer for the Lionsraw charity that Neil runs and also an animal conservation charity, Tigers4Ever. My wife and I travel and I have developed lots of new interests. A great book, I’d recommend is ‘Retirement The Psychology of Reinvention: A Practical Guide to Planning and Enjoying the Retirement You’ve Earned’ about the reinvention of yourself in retirement.

It’s important to note that people are now viewing retirement completely differently, people are retiring earlier and enjoying their “third phase of life”. So, it wasn’t a shock, it was phased and planned for. For some people, it may be really daunting no longer having a regular income from employment but because the financials were sorted, it didn’t feel like that.

The professional, personal and thorough approach Neil takes – it’s all part of a rounded conversation and the financial planning is just a part of that conversation – albeit an important part.

All of the staff at Alexandra’s are friendly, professional, (never stuffy!), and informal, but in the right way. I always feel I have sufficient time with Neil and can approach him and the team at any time if I ever have financial questions or concerns. Our meetings never feel rushed in any way.

Due care and attention is given to you as a valued client. If things aren’t clear, Neil will clarify them. He explains things very well which is incredibly reassuring. The fact he’s recognised as a trusted provider is great. More people need to be aware of the unscrupulous people out there and the benefits of seeking advice from a trusted professional financial adviser. Neil takes his fiduciary duty of care of his clients and their investments very seriously.