🧇 The Weekly Waffle - The Latest Gossip from the Academy's Town Hall - The Friday Feast, March 1st, 2024 📅 Greetings, Dear Steve, 🌟 Sidle up to the table for this week’s dose of chit-chat 🍵 from the Friday Feast at the ever-so-grand Academy of Life Planning Town Hall. Here's the dish of the day, served with a generous side of cheeky banter. On today's platter: Linda Gratton, the mind behind '100-Year Life', just let slip a gem 💎: gear up to grind till 70 and stick around till 100 🎂. Oh, and guess what? A third of us will be freelancing for a merry band of employers by 2031 🎪. The future of work is looking... eclectic. Enter the saga of St. James's Place (SJP), causing a stir in the advice market like a plot twist in EastEnders 📉. They've been caught red-handed, dealing with compensation claims for their 'service' – or lack thereof. The aftermath? Their share price took a nosedive 📉, and insiders are fleeing the scene faster than you can say 'insider trading', offloading shares to anyone still in the dark 🏃💨. This debacle isn't just a blip; it's more like the writing on the wall for advisory firms. With the lion's share of them taking a cut of assets under management, it's crystal clear that they're selling products, not advice 🚀. The real kicker? The industry's aversion to cash flow modelling, despite its importance under consumer duty regulations. Names like Mattioli Woods, Mazars, and Chase de Vere are turning their noses up at it, despite having the know-how 🙅♂️. SJP, meanwhile, is mired in controversies, from dodgy financial planning and infrequent client reviews to questionable fund performance reports sans benchmarking 🤦♂️. But hey, every cloud has a silver lining – genuine financial planning is finally getting its moment in the sun, celebrated for its integrity and transparency ☀️. So, here's to hoping for a future where financial advice is more than just a pricey illusion 🥂 Dive into the magical world of "asset alchemy" 🧙♂️✨, where comprehensive financial planners turn your financial dreams into gold, no matter where you're starting from. They're here to champion your future ambitions with a holistic spell book 📚 of financial planning. Tune into "Wealth Unchained" 🎙️, where yours truly and Emma Wright spill the tea on ditching the big financial beasts 🏦➡️🌈 and how it's been a game-changer for our lives and well-being. This podcast isn't just about stacking cash 💸; it's about upgrading your life quality meter 📈. For retirees trembling at the thought of their capital ghosting them 👻💰, there's a glaring need for advisers to step up their cash flow planning game. Because let's face it, running out of money is scarier than a horror movie marathon 🎥😱. And just when you thought the Post Office fiasco was the talk of the town, HMRC enters the chat with a scandal that's turning heads 🤯. Picture this: victims already down on their luck from pension scams getting a "love letter" 💌 from HM Revenue & Customs demanding 55% of their vanished savings. Talk about kicking someone when they're down. This horror show even sparked debates in Parliament and conversations about the unthinkable. So much for protecting the public, eh? 🤷♂️🏛️ Dive into the digital age with an AI on Google Sheets 📊 that whips up purpose statements in a jiffy. Answer seven nosy questions, and bam! You've got yourself a shiny purpose statement 🌟, complete with a vision, a nosedive into your character, a personal SWOT analysis, and some feel-good affirmations. And guess what? It's quicker than your average coffee break ☕ - under 30 mins! Perfect for dazzling clients or jazzing up your Monday mornings. Plus, there's a cherry on top 🍒: a DALL-E crafted image that mirrors your wildest dreams and ambitions. Meanwhile, advisor platforms are caught double-dipping into your cash stash 💸, treating it like their personal cash cow by slapping on fees for just existing on their platform - without the decency of offering competitive interest rates. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has finally cracked the whip 🏇, setting a deadline for these cheeky eight to clean up their act. Spoiler: they're all advisor platforms. Makes you wonder what they're advising on, apart from their bank balance! As the unregulated advice seekers flock to TikTok for wisdom 📱💃, the grown-ups are debating the merits of financial coaches and AI planners like 'Planning My Life.' Turns out, AI could be the secret sauce 🤖🌶️ to slashing task times and staying ahead in the game. If you're not chatting with your AI planner yet, you might just be passing the baton to those who are. In the land of the free, the trend of 'unretirement' among the seasoned workforce is making waves 🏄♂️. This nugget came up while chewing over how to retire with a bang, packing meaning and value into those golden years. And for a bit of soul-searching, last week's UK Values Alliance meeting was a hit 🔍. Turns out, knowing what tickles your fancy can actually make you happier and more engaged in life. Who knew? 🤷♂️ Science says a deep dive into your values could bump up life satisfaction by 21% and get you 30% more involved in stuff that matters. Time to nudge organisations into the values assessment bandwagon for a happier, more productive crew 🚀. Oh, the joys of value assessments at work 🎭. Turns out, they're not just for show. While some employees might discover they're as aligned with their company's values as cats are with swimming 🐱💦, it's actually a win-win. Employers get the golden ticket 🎟️ to swap them out for folks who sing from the same hymn sheet 🎶. And, drumroll please 🥁... we're not just a local gig. The Academy is waving its flag 🌍 across the globe, with nods from folks in Canada to Asia 🌏. It's like our very own world tour, minus the jet lag ✈️, proving our vibe resonates across borders. Diving into the deep end of financial well-being 🏊♀️ and its buddies, mental and physical health 🧠💪. It's like a trio that's inseparable, showing that sorting out your pennies 💷 can actually make you happier and healthier. Who knew your wallet had such power? Mark your calendars 📅 for March 14th, folks. "Vision Maker" is the masterclass you didn't know you needed. It's all about crafting those purpose statements that'll make you jump out of bed in the morning 🛌 with goals that sparkle ✨. Members, get your tickets 🎫 for the CPD shindig from the AoLP shop. And guess what? You can binge-watch 📺 previous sessions like it's the latest Netflix series. Education or entertainment? Why not both! Customer Value in Financial Planning sounds like a novel concept, doesn't it? 📚 Turns out, seeing your advisor once a year 🗓️ isn't the same as getting value. Shocking, I know. The industry's buzzing 🐝 about setting the bar with the FCA peeking over their shoulders 👀, demanding proof that they're not just taking clients for a ride. Then there's the rave review 🎉 about the Conquest Planning cash flow tool - apparently, it's the holy grail 🏆 of goal-based systems. Members swapped tales of financial planning tools like they were trading Pokémon cards 🃏, comparing everything from user-friendliness to the price tag 💰. And the grand finale: the HapNav announcement 📢. I'm dishing out the Academy's own cash flow planning tool for a steal at £6.99 a month. It's like the Costco of financial tools - bulk value for your buck 💸, making you your own financial planner. Take that, Voyant! 🚀 The Last Mike Drop: Toodle-oo and Thanks a Million 🍷🚪 And just like that, the final act of today's financial cabaret draws to a close, all under the watchful, and let's admit, somewhat cynical eye of yours truly, Steve. Hats off and a round of applause for you beautiful souls for sharing your grey matter and lending an ear. Let's not let the grass grow under our feet till we gather again, shall we? Stocked up with a fresh haul of insights and a dash of camaraderie, let's part ways with visions of a weekend filled to the brim with merriment and a sprinkle of pondering. Hence, we add another leaf to the ever-unfolding tale of the Academy’s Friday Lunch Bunch - a saga of navigating the tumultuous waters of finance and the great unknown. 🔚 And There We End Our Tale 🎬 So, there's your marching orders, dotted with hyperlinks because, frankly, what's a gabfest without a little homework to stave off boredom? That’s all we wrote for this week's gossip gala, mates! For a trip down memory lane, have a peek at our previous banter or snag an invite to our next chinwag (March 8th, 2024, 12:00 PM London) for an unparalleled session of jest and jollity. And with that, we curtain down on our latest banter bonanza. Until our paths cross again, keep those waffles flying 🧇. Ta-ra, Steve Conley The Big Cheese, Academy of Life Planning email: steve.conley@aolp.co.uk P.S. If you know anyone who would like to be added to our mailing list, please share this link. Websites: Academy of Life Planning, Planning My Life, Financial Life Coach, Steve's Blog. Copyright the Academy of Life Planning Limited 2023. Contact us by email at info@aolp.co. The Academy of Life Planning Limited is a service sector trading company regulated by the Competition and Markets Authority and Registered in England and Wales number 8016568. Registered office address 9 Franklin Way, Spilsby, Lincolnshire, PE23 5GG, United Kingdom. Information Commissioner's Office reference number ZA502687.