FAQs

Yes, we provide independent financial advice, which means we can recommend suitable solutions from across the market rather than being limited to a single provider. We use this independence to build plans and investment recommendations around your goals and circumstances.

Yes, we are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This means we must meet regulatory standards for advice, conduct, and client protections.

Yes, we can meet face to face or by video call, depending on what works best for you. We aim to make meetings practical and accessible, whether you prefer in-person or remote discussions.

Face-to-face meetings can be held at your home, at our office in Knutsford, or at another agreed location. We agree the venue in advance to suit your needs and the type of discussion.

Yes, parking is available at our office. If you are visiting us, we can confirm the practical details when your meeting is arranged.

We have been providing financial advice for 16 years. Our experience covers building long-term plans and supporting clients through changes in their finances.

We are based in Knutsford, Cheshire, and we also work with clients outside the local area. Meetings can be arranged in person where practical, or by video call if you are further away.

Yes, our financial advisers are Chartered or Certified. These professional designations reflect recognised qualifications and ongoing standards.

Yes, we hold Chartered status awarded by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). Chartered status reflects a commitment to high professional standards and ongoing development.

No, we do not hold Accredited status awarded by the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI). We do, however, hold Chartered status awarded by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII).

Yes, you can view client reviews on Google and on VouchedFor. These reviews reflect clients’ experiences of working with us and the service we provide.

We tailor our advice and planning to you, rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. We focus on understanding your goals and building a plan that fits your circumstances.

Our FCA registration number is 503713. You can use this number to find our entry on the FCA Register and confirm our authorisation.

We work with clients across Cheshire and the surrounding region, including Knutsford, Northwich, Chester, Warrington, Wilmslow, Manchester, Liverpool, and the Wirral. We can also support clients further afield through video meetings where needed.

Initial meetings can be arranged by calling our office on 01565 757811 or by using the contact form on our website. We will confirm the next steps and what to expect before the meeting takes place.

No, there is no charge for an initial meeting. It is an opportunity to discuss what you want to achieve and whether we can help.

It helps to bring key personal information and an outline of your financial planning goals and objectives. If you have recent statements for pensions, investments, or protection policies, those can also help us understand your starting point.

In the first meeting, we explain our services and how we can support you with your financial goals. We will also outline what information we would need to build a plan and what the process typically involves.

An initial meeting typically lasts between one and a half and two hours. This gives enough time to understand what you want to achieve and to explain how we work.

No, you do not have to commit to our services at an initial meeting. We will explain your options and our fees, and you can decide what to do next in your own time.

Yes, you can work with a female financial adviser if you would prefer. We will match you with an appropriate financial adviser based on your needs and availability.

If your usual financial planner is unavailable, another financial adviser can step in, and our client services team can also support you. We aim to ensure you can still get help with time-sensitive queries.

As a minimum, we offer an annual review meeting, and you can contact us during office hours if you need support in between. The level of contact can vary depending on your needs and the services you use.

Yes, we offer cashflow forecasting as part of our financial planning service. This helps you understand how your income, spending, and assets may interact over time, based on assumptions that can change.

If your circumstances change, your financial adviser will review the situation with you. We can then consider whether your plan or investments need updating, and investments can go down as well as up.

Yes, we can work alongside your accountant or solicitor where it helps to coordinate your planning. We can share relevant information, with your permission, so that advice across different areas stays aligned.

Yes, we can coordinate with your mortgage adviser if they need information from us. We will only share details with your permission and where it supports the wider plan.

If your financial adviser leaves the firm, you will be allocated to another financial adviser within Apogee Wealth. They will contact you as soon as possible to introduce themselves and ensure continuity.

We can explain what a typical financial plan includes and how we present recommendations. Any example we share would remove personal details and is for illustration, not personalised advice.

In most cases, you will be able to view the value of your investments online through our client portal. Availability can depend on the provider and product type, and values will move with markets.

Yes, we provide an online portal that allows clients to view their investments. Where a provider does not support portal access, we will explain what information you can expect and how it will be provided.

You will meet with your financial adviser at least once a year for a review. Additional meetings can be arranged if your plans or circumstances change.

No, we do not provide mortgage advice. Where needed, we can coordinate with your mortgage adviser so that your wider financial plan stays joined up.

No, we do not advise on equity release. If equity release is relevant to your situation, we can discuss how it fits into your overall planning, and you can seek specialist advice elsewhere.

Yes, we advise on personal pensions and how they may fit into your overall plan. Pension and investment values can go down as well as up, and tax rules depend on individual circumstances and can change.

Yes, we advise on occupational pensions, including how workplace benefits fit into your wider retirement planning. Pension decisions can have long-term consequences, so we take time to explain options, risks, and tax considerations.

Yes, we can help you review and, where appropriate, consolidate multiple pensions. Consolidation is not suitable for everyone, and you could lose valuable guarantees or benefits, so we assess this carefully before any recommendation.

Yes, we can help you plan how to take pension benefits in a tax-efficient way. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances, and tax rules can change.

Yes, we can include ethical or sustainable preferences as part of your investment planning. We will discuss what matters to you and the trade-offs involved, and investments can go down as well as up.

Yes, we can help you decide how an inheritance might be invested or used as part of your wider plan. We will consider timeframes, risk, and tax in general terms, and investments can go down as well as up.

Yes, we advise on Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) where appropriate. SIPPs can offer flexibility and investment choice, but investments can go down as well as up.

Yes, we advise on final salary and defined benefit pension transfers. Transferring out is a significant decision and is not right for everyone. You may be giving up guaranteed benefits.

Yes, we provide advice on later-life planning, including how to prepare for potential long-term care costs. We can help you understand options and how they may affect your wider finances.

Yes, we can help with Inheritance Tax planning and estate planning as part of your wider financial plan. We keep the discussion general, as tax depends on individual circumstances and rules can change, and we may work alongside your solicitor where needed.

Yes, we advise on investments including ISAs (Individual Savings Accounts). We will explain how different options work and the risks involved, and investments can go down as well as up.

Yes, we advise on protection such as life insurance, critical illness cover, and income replacement. We help you understand policy options, costs, and key exclusions so you can make an informed decision.

Yes, we offer a free initial consultation. This gives you the chance to explain what you want to achieve and to understand how we can help.

We charge fees either directly or via your investments or pensions, depending on the service and what is appropriate. We explain charges clearly before you proceed so you can understand the total cost.

Our minimum fee is £750. We will confirm what this covers and how fees apply to your situation before any work begins.

The cost of a financial plan depends on the complexity of your situation and the work involved. We will explain the fee structure and agree the cost with you before we start.

We use a mixture of fixed fees and percentage-based charges, depending on the service. We will show you how each option works and what it would mean in pounds and pence.

In some cases, products can pay commission, and we will tell you in advance if this applies. Where commission is received, we explain how it works and how it affects overall costs.

No, our advice fees are not currently subject to VAT. If VAT treatment changes, we would reflect that in our written fee information.

We keep our fees under review and benchmark them against other independent financial adviser firms in the local area. We also focus on explaining what you receive for the fee, so you can judge value as well as cost.

We aim to keep our fees fair and in line with comparable firms locally. The right comparison depends on the scope of service and ongoing support included.

We explain our fees during the initial discussions and confirm them in writing before you decide to proceed. This includes how we charge, any minimums, and what is covered by each fee.

Yes, we can help you plan towards retiring early by building a clear picture of your goals, resources, and timeframes. We may use cashflow forecasting to test different scenarios, and results depend on assumptions and market performance.

Yes, we help clients plan for retirement, including how to use pensions and investments to support income needs. We consider risks such as inflation and market movements, and investments can go down as well as up.

We typically work with personal investors and business owners. Our approach is tailored to your goals, whether that is retirement planning, investing, or longer-term family planning.

Yes, we work with younger clients who are still building wealth. We focus on establishing good foundations, such as clear goals, appropriate protection, and tax-efficient investing where suitable.

Yes, we work with company directors and self-employed clients. This often involves aligning personal and business finances, including pensions, investments, and protection.

Yes, we work with clients approaching retirement and those who are already retired. We help you plan income, manage withdrawals, and review your arrangements as circumstances change.

Yes, we can help clients who have inherited money to decide how it fits into their wider plans. We will discuss options and risks, and investments can go down as well as up.

Yes, we can help if you have sold, or are in the process of selling, a business. We can support planning around proceeds, tax in general terms, and how those funds may support your longer-term goals.

Yes, we can support clients after a bereavement by helping them understand their finances and next steps. We take a practical, sensitive approach and can work alongside solicitors or accountants where needed.

Yes, we often work with business owners, retirees, and professionals. Our focus is on building a plan that suits your situation rather than applying a standard template.

No, we do not provide financial advice for expats or non-UK residents. If your circumstances involve overseas residency, we can explain the limits of our service and suggest seeking specialist support.

Yes, we can review existing investments or pensions you hold elsewhere and explain how they fit with your goals. Any recommendation would consider costs, benefits, and risks, and investments can go down as well as up.

No, we do not require a minimum level of investable assets or income. We will still be clear about fees and scope, so you can decide whether the service represents value for you.

In many cases, your eligible investments can be protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), but protection depends on the product and the type of claim. We can explain what protection applies to your arrangements and how it works.

If you have a concern or complaint, you can raise it with a member of our team, and we will follow our formal complaints process. If the issue is not resolved, you may be able to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

We take data security seriously and work closely with our IT provider to protect client information. We use appropriate systems and processes to help keep personal data confidential and secure.

Yes, we have the relevant professional indemnity insurance in place for providing financial advice. This is one of the safeguards that supports regulated advice services.

You can check our registration and authorisation on the FCA Register by searching for Apogee Wealth or using our FCA number. The entry will show our permissions and contact details held by the regulator.

We focus on protecting client privacy, so we do not share personal details without consent. We can, however, explain the types of situations we help with and the planning steps involved, using anonymised examples where appropriate.

We measure client satisfaction through reviews and feedback surveys. This helps us understand what is working well and where we can improve.

We hold Chartered status awarded by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). If specific awards or further accreditations are relevant, we will confirm them accurately in writing.

Yes, we are featured on VouchedFor. You can view our profile there alongside client reviews and feedback.