Frequently Asked Questions
“Are you an Independent or Restricted financial adviser?”
I’m an Independent Financial Adviser and proud of it.
“Who owns VS Associates?”
I do. 100%.
“Who do you give financial advice to?”
I have spent over 20 years dealing with employers and employees of micro and small businesses.
I predominantly work with three groups of people:
- New start businesses
- Micro business
- Self-employed people
“I operate my own business; how will you work with me?”
Some people may only have the evenings or weekends to contact me, which is why I’m happy to respond to calls and emails out of business hours. I strive to do this straightaway, but if I’m not immediately available it will still be within 24 hours, including when I’m away.
“Who is the Sense Network?”
All financial advisers are ultimately authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority; I choose to use the services of Sense Network.
They provide me with vital support which helps me run my business, including technical and compliance updates, as well as regularly checking the advice I give.
“I don’t understand the documents I receive”
Probably the most common response we hear. Our mission is to strip away jargon and make things easier for a client to understand. We can’t change the wording the documents have, but we can explain them to you in plain English, so you have a better understanding of paperwork that comes through the post.
So how often will I see you?
We offer two levels of face to face service intervals:
- Annual
- Quarterly
In between those reviews, we will keep in touch with you via a monthly email, making sure you are aware of what’s happening in the financial world and that we’re available to you, regardless of whether the markets are moving up or down.
“OK, I’m interested. What’s the cost?”
Our first meeting will be free of charge and without obligation. After that, we offer a flexible range of charging structures.
Initial fee: Minimum £1,750 to a maximum of £3,500 depending on the complexity of the work involved.
Alternatively, clients can pay for our advice on an hourly rate of £175. We’ll confirm how long we need to meet your objectives and therefore the overall cost, when we know exactly how we’ll be helping.
Ongoing fees: For the ongoing reviews, our annual service charge is typically 0.75% of funds under management and 1% for people who want quarterly reviews.
