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Neil Smallwood
Partner

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My profile

Financial planning should be about living for today, knowing that I’m taking care of your tomorrow, no matter what it may bring.

I feel incredibly privileged to be a Financial Adviser and work closely with clients to give them the knowledge they need to make informed choices that help them enjoy today and plan for a better tomorrow.

I’m passionate about working with clients to help make sure they are in a position where they get to choose what is most important to them. I find it very empowering that I can be part of critical life decisions and support clients to plan the best possible financial future for them, their families and businesses.

I help clients with a range of financial advice but specialise in:

How I work

I am a big believer that money should be an enabler of dreams and not the dream itself. That’s why the first thing I like to do is get to know my clients on a personal level to find out what they want from life. I am also keen to understand what my clients hopes and dreams are, if they have any life plans, and what’s on their bucket list if they have one. This then helps me to find the most suitable ways to make these things happen.

Once I’ve got to know my clients, I use tools such as cashflow modelling to put together a detailed plan and run different scenarios, both good and bad, and look at what is most important to them. This can sometimes raise questions that might seem minor but can have big effects, however, making small changes now can prove invaluable for the future.

How I help my clients

I use a holistic approach to financial planning which enables me to provide the most appropriate services to my clients. I see the financial cashflow modelling as the core element, however once that’s in place, I believe the real value lies in the fine-tuning and refining.

I am a big fan of going through every aspect of a financial plan with my client and working out if anything can be done better, before running a few “what-if” scenarios and stress-testing it. When we see any potential problems at this early stage, it allows us to put solutions or protection in place.

I also work continuously with my clients as financial planning is never a static situation. From tax rules changing to different life events for clients, guidelines and peoples goals are forever changing. That’s why I believe it’s important to build strong relationships with clients so that they know how to adapt to fit the here and now issues as well as meet any new future goals.

Qualifications

I am a qualified Financial Adviser with the below qualifications:

  • Diploma in Financial Advice (DipFA) – Level 4
  • CII (MP & ER) – Mortgages & Equity Release
  • CII Level 3 Award in Long Term Care
  • BSc Hons Business Studies

About me

I worked as a marketing and business consultant for 23 years before becoming a Financial Adviser. I enjoyed helping people build their businesses and become successful, but conversations with a Financial Adviser who is a friend of mine, just before the Covid lockdown, made me wonder if I could have more impact helping them and others with their finances than I was through consultancy.

Following this, I started to study for my Diploma in Financial Advice during lockdown and the second I started I never looked back. I now wish I’d done it years ago. I can help change people’s lives in ways I never could as a consultant, and not just business owners either, now I can help people from all walks of life.

Outside of work, I am a huge fan of triathlon, both spectating and participating. Training for those tends to take up quite a bit of my free time. I was born a Liverpool football fan, but as a teen I discovered motorsport (F1, Touring Cars, Le Mans) which has also remained a passion.

Away from sport I am an avid reader. I enjoy reading a lot of history, nature and books that focus on developing a broader social awareness. But… I can never resist a good Agatha Christie or Clive Cussler either.

I am also a big dog-person and I love the time I get to spend with my dog each day, no matter how wet and muddy I end up.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate taxation and trust advice. The value of your investment can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount invested. A pension is a long term investment. The fund value may fluctuate and can go down, which would have an impact on the level of pension benefits available. Pension income could also be affected by interest rates at the time benefits are taken. The tax treatment of pensions in general and tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on individual circumstances, tax legislation and regulation, which are subject to change in the future. Foster Denovo Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.