Category: LIFESTYLE

When we sit down to project a client’s retirement, one of the biggest variables we have to account for is longevity. Thanks to modern medicine, we are living longer than any generation in human history. From a financial planning perspective, a longer life means your capital has to stretch further. But there is a glaring […]

There is a very specific kind of quiet that descends on a house when the children finally leave. It affects our hearts, but it also affects our financial planning. If you’re in this situation, or know someone who is, here’s a little of the new reality… For a couple of decades, the home has been […]

When we sit down to build a financial plan, our eyes are naturally drawn to the summit, not the basecamp. We focus our energy on the big, inspiring goals: retiring with dignity, leaving a meaningful legacy, aiming for financial independence or funding our children’s education. We engineer our long-term investments to weather global economic storms […]

When working with a qualified and experienced financial planner, you should have a partner who will be exceptionally well-positioned to diagnose a balance sheet. They can easily spot a gap in risk cover, identify underperformance in a portfolio, and structure a tax-efficient estate plan. We are taught to read the numbers like a novel. But […]

There is a very common narrative that high-achievers tend to buy into. It is the idea of the deferred life. We work relentlessly in our thirties, forties, and fifties, pouring all of our surplus time and energy into building our careers and our portfolios. We tell ourselves that we are making sacrifices now so that […]

There is a distinct feeling that comes from being out of control with your finances. It is a quiet, low-grade anxiety that hums in the background of your life. When your finances are unguided, you spend your time reacting. You react to the unexpected bill, you react to the late fee, and you react to […]

Have you ever thought about how gratitude could be a key part of your financial strategy? Ken Honda calls it “arigato money”, which we could call “thank you” money. When we are children, the very first lessons we learn about social etiquette revolve around two simple phrases: “please” and “thank you.” We are taught that […]

We often look to our investment portfolios for ultimate security. We watch the markets, hoping the numbers will grow large enough to finally give us permission to exhale. This is so common; if you resonate with this, you’re not alone. But relying entirely on a bank balance, risk product or investment portfolio to provide your […]

When families who have spent decades building a substantial financial foundation sit down to talk about money, a quiet, often unspoken anxiety usually surfaces. As they look to the future, they worry about the impact their wealth will have on their children. Will the capital empower them to build meaningful lives, or will it remove […]

There is a subtle psychological trap that catches almost every successful person we meet. It is rarely discussed in financial textbooks, but it causes more anxiety than a market crash. It is the phenomenon of the moving finish line. It usually starts early in our careers. We tell ourselves, “I will feel secure when I […]

When we sit down to discuss finances, the natural instinct—is to get straight to work. We want to be productive. Because of this, the conversation almost always begins with a variation of the same well-intentioned question: “How can I help you today?” or “What are your financial goals?” These questions come from a good place. […]

How are you feeling about your retirement plan? For many, this is a stress-filled question, leading them to avoid diving too deep! For others, they like to spend a lot of time looking at spreadsheets when planning for the future. They love analysing cash flow, projecting inflation, and debating asset allocation. But the biggest variable […]

There is a persistent myth in modern culture about the “self-made” individual. We celebrate the singular entrepreneur, the disciplined saver, and the visionary leader. We are naturally drawn to stories of individual grit. But if we are honest, the reality of success is rarely a solo endeavour. Behind every person who has built a life […]

Have you ever felt a pang of anxiety at a dinner party when someone mentions the incredible returns they just made on a new tech stock or emerging trend? It is a very human reaction. We are wired to seek progress, and watching someone else seemingly sprint ahead can make us feel like we are […]

“One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” Whilst this quote by psychologist Abraham Maslow is not usually found in financial textbooks, it certainly belongs in the realm of human potential. We tend to think of our […]

Strong financial plans are crafted with meaningful purpose, not more predictions. If you turn on the financial news or open the business pages, you will see an endless parade of predictions. “Markets set to rally.” “Recession looming.” “Interest rates to pivot.” “The death of the 60/40 portfolio.” Are you following a recipe for stress or […]

When we talk about building financial resilience, we often look at external things. We look at our emergency funds, our insurance policies, and our diversified portfolios. We build fortresses to protect us from the uncertainties of the world. But true resilience—the ability to weather storms and make good decisions under pressure—does not start with your […]

There is a phase in our financial lives that is purely about accumulation. We work hard, we save, and we watch the numbers grow. We are taught that a bigger number equals a better life. But there often comes a point where the goal of “more” stops bringing satisfaction and starts bringing anxiety. We see […]

We live in an era that seems to worship speed. We are conditioned to believe that faster is always better. Faster internet, same-day delivery, instant replies, and real-time market updates. When we face a problem—whether it is a stalled career, a family complication, or a sudden shift in the economy—our instinct is often to match […]

Have you ever found yourself waiting for the “right time” to tackle a difficult task? It may be a complex conversation you need to have with a partner, a looming deadline, or simply opening an envelope from the tax people that you have moved from one side of the desk to the other for a […]