Jeremy Hoyland
CEO
Welcome to the Winter edition of The Wire. This edition comes just as we begin our festive season, and the past quarter has given us a lot to be thankful for at HFMC Wealth.
Awards
We work hard to ensure that we add value to our relationship with our clients every day and we don’t take your trust for granted. We were asked recently by a new client referral how they could find out more about where we stand in what is perceived to be a crowded marketplace, and we recognised that we don’t shout enough about it. So, we are delighted to share with you some of the awards and recognition we have received recently:
- FTAdviser has included us in its Top 100 Financial Advisers list for the fifth year running. FTAdviser takes many factors into consideration when selecting the Top 100 Financial Advisers, based on external data from ISS Market Intelligence. It looks at growth, length of client relationships (important in a trusted adviser role), asset retention, breadth of offering, the number of years’ experience each business has managing assets in different economic and interest-rate environments, as well as a number of other factors.
- We were shortlisted for Best Financial Adviser in the south-east and winner of Citywire’s New Model Adviser’s Top 100, also for the fifth year running. The list celebrates the best of the professional financial planning community with its own set of criteria and represents the true spectrum of sizes when it comes to financial advice firms. This year, the criteria focused on how some of the best firms in the country are thinking about offering value to clients.
- We were also very privileged to have both our investment director, James Tuson, and our investment manager, Emma Clarke, feature in the Citywire Wealth Manager Top 100 2023. Now in its 12th year, the Citywire Wealth Manager Top 100 puts the spotlight those who leave an indelible mark on the investment world, reshaping client portfolios, and influencing the UK fund selection industry as a whole.
If you are sitting around the dinner table this Christmas with friends and discussions turn to the future, then do think of referring us. We are always open to helping the close friends of our clients.
Growth
We are proud to announce our fourth partnership of 2023. This year has already seen us benefit from two Chartered wealth planning businesses joining our group in R&S and Weston Cummins, whilst additionally welcoming the clients of LAS Tax Management into our Private Client Services team to help with their tax returns and compliance. We are thrilled to announce that we have strengthened our mortgage team with the acquisition last month of Harford Financial, with Eli Kosiner becoming our head of mortgages.
For you, Eli brings additional capability in arranging bridging loans, commercial finance and development loans, as well as the more traditional residential, buy-to-let, and later-life lending mortgages that are increasingly being used as part of Inheritance Tax (IHT) strategies.
Enough about us, now let’s see how we can help add value to you. In this edition…
With the start of the new year on the horizon, we have been looking ahead with some of our articles to help you navigate 2024 and beyond. Nick Frank, who joined us from Weston Cummins, looks at two practical strategies you may want to implement to help mitigate the IHT your heirs will likely have to pay. We also benefit from Philip Kingscott’s insights around how Lasting Powers of Attorneys are moving into the 21st Century.
With the festive season now upon us, spending money and time with our families comes part and parcel. Dominic Tryczynski explores why talking about money with your nearest and dearest might be daunting, but ultimately beneficial, leading to greater financial security and understanding for all.
With a festive flourish, we also look at the 10 best Christmas markets that Europe has to offer, some of which may surprise you.
Finnish winter thoughts
As winter approaches, bringing with it the festive spirit and the anticipation of many cozy moments, it occurred to me there’s much we can glean from Finnish traditions to enhance our wellbeing, and I thought I might indulge you with two of them.
Being half Finnish, and being lucky enough to spend many tens of summers in Finland, I’ve also learned a little about the Finns approach to winter, which is literally another culture to that of the Finns in summer!
“Yhteishenki” – “Community spirit”
With increasing isolation from actually being with people in our evolving world, a communal mindset emphasising togetherness and support, strengthening our connections with neighbours, colleagues, friends and family is a great thing with the Finns, often combined with a hot sauna; amazing for informality, coping with stress and enhancing overall health. If you can get to one, do!
Draw long strength from the Finnish concept of “Sisu”
Sisu has no English equivalent but embodies resilience, courage, and determination, underpinning the strength to navigate the darker days with fortitude and unwavering determination.
I hope you may each be able to incorporate some of these Finnish-inspired winter traditions to make this winter one to remember with the very best of memories.
And to all of you “Hauskaa Joulua!” – Happy Christmas!
