Do I need financial advice?

If you’re looking to invest, purchase a financial product, or simply manage your money more effectively for the future, then financial advice can be really helpful. If you are having troubles in relation to financial decisions that are beyond your level of expertise and experience it can be helpful to discuss this with a financial adviser to gain some clarity on the situation and assess your options. See below some things a financial adviser can do: Meet with you to assess your current financial situation and goals Develop a comprehensive plan that would address any major areas of financial concern i.e. retirement, insurance, Trust funds, avoiding estate tax, etc. Provide advice as unexpected financial issues arise in your life Help set up investment funds and accounts for you Locate appropriate financial vehicles for you i.e. insurance policies

What types of financial advisers are there?

Financial advisers look at your current personal circumstances and your financial plans and then recommend products to help meet your needs. However, the type of financial adviser you approach for advice may limit the range of products you are recommended. There are two types of financial advisers: Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) give unbiased advice about the whole range of financial products from all different companies available. Restricted Advisers give advice on a limited range of products. Usually specialising in one particular area, i.e. pensions, or they may only offer advice on products offered by a limited number of companies. It is advisable to get independent financial advice so that you can look at the widest range of advice and products available.

Can a financial adviser assist with pension and retirement planning?

Yes, some financial advisers, including members of our team, can provide specialist advice in respect of pensions and retirement planning. A financial adviser can help you provide a secure future through careful retirement planning by reviewing the pension provision you have made so far and telling you how much you can expect when you retire.

Is there a charge for a first appointment with a financial adviser?

The majority of financial advisers will offer a free, no-obligation first meeting, during which they can tell you more about what they do and also allow them to listen and understand your personal circumstances and exactly what you are looking for. As part of this discussion, it is useful to take with you a list of your current income and assets (e.g. cash, investments, pensions). The adviser will then be able to look at your financial situation and explain how they can help you if you appoint them.

How do I check an adviser?

If you’ve chosen your adviser it’s worth checking with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to see whether they’re regulated and approved. The Financial Services Register shows details of the firms, individuals, and bodies that are currently or have previously been regulated by the FCA or The Bank of England’s Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) If you use an adviser that is not approved by the FCA, you will not be covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Both schemes allow you to seek compensation if things go wrong.

Independent Financial Advisers | Nelsons Solicitors

Wealth management and investment management advice

As one of the largest law firm providers of independent financial advice in the UK, Nelsons has been helping individuals, trustees and companies manage their investments for over 30 years. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and with more than £300 million under management, you can rest assured that with our Independent Financial Advisers, you are in safe hands.

By getting to know you and understanding your needs and objectives, our team in Derby, Leicester, and Nottingham can help you make the right choices to achieve both your practical needs and aspirational goals, as we navigate your financial future together.

Our specialist advisers develop financial strategies to preserve and maximise your income and savings, all with your plans in mind. We factor in the uncertainties that life can bring, and work with you to build investment solutions that meet your needs, providing a truly valued service.

Related services

Watch our video, presented by John Stanley, Partner and Independent Financial Adviser, on the financial advice we can provide…

How our Independent Financial Advisers can help

Once we understand what you are trying to achieve, we can create solutions to meet your goals and provide advice on the most tax-efficient ways to achieve them. By assessing your current and future assets, alongside your income and expenditure, we can create a plan for the future to help you manage your financial position over the forthcoming years.

We’ve got all of the tools at our disposal to help you plan for the future and provide a broad range of investment advice on financial strategies and wealth management, including:

Full investment management services
Environmental, social and governance investing
Cash flow modelling to plan for the future
Inheritance Tax
Financial planning for issues later in life, such as long-term care
Intergenerational wealth management
Trusts
Tax issues
Life insurance
Retirement financial planning
Specialist pension services, including group schemes and executive pension plans
Creating a Will
Corporate financial services
Financial advice for business owners and executives
Investment management for charities
Investment advice for Personal Injury Trusts

An important part of creating an investment strategy is ensuring you are happy with the journey you will be taking to reach your financial goals. Our service is bespoke, unbiased and personal.

Please note that the Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate Tax, Trusts, estate planning, cashflow modelling or Will-writing.

Our investment management process:

Understand your financial goals
Create a plan with a personalised report detailing your next steps and our recommendations
Provide a full investment option with ongoing support to manage your assets
Hold annual reviews to ensure your plans remain on track as your needs change

You can contact us at any time and can also view your investments through our dedicated Investment Management portal.

Please note that the value of an investment and the income from it could go down as well as up. The return at the end of the investment period is not guaranteed, and you may get back less than you originally invested.

Trusted advice from independent financial advisers

Passive Vs. Active Fund Management Our team works with many trusted partners who are respected fund research teams that provide an in-depth, qualitative analysis of the fund market.

We also have an investment committee that meets regularly to review and research our model portfolios. The committee reviews investments held within the portfolios to ensure they remain in keeping with our current thinking and any wider economic or political issues, whilst at the same time retaining the correct approach to investment risk.

Whatever your financial goals and aspirations, from simply having a nest egg to planning for early retirement, we will empower you to get there.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our dedicated team of independent financial advisors in Derby, Leicester and Nottingham via our online enquiry form or call 0800 024 1976.

Meet the team

Zoe Till
Partner & Chartered Financial Planner
John Stanley
Partner & Independent Financial Adviser
Beryl Morgan
Consultant & Independent Financial Adviser
Phil Terry
Partner & Independent Financial Adviser
Sam Cawley
Partner & Chartered Financial Planner
Nathan Richardson
Investment Director & Chartered Financial Planner
Suzanne Castledine-Casey
Senior Associate & Independent Financial Adviser
Jack Green
Associate & Independent Financial Adviser
Dan Freestone
Associate & Independent Financial Adviser

View Full Team

Testimonials...

"Nelsons...has an extensive offering, with practitioners having experience of trust administration, Court of Protection work, investment management, wills and probate..."

The Legal 500
"...it was lovely to meet you and hear your talk on pensions. I thought it was refreshing, insightful and a much-needed reminder that we should all be getting our ducks in a row..."

Feedback following a public presentation
"...We all felt very empowered after the evening, so thank you to you for your time and all at Nelsons!"

Feedback following a public presentation (continued)

Make an enquiry

If you wish to contact us, please complete the form below. A member of our team will be in touch as soon as possible. When you submit this form, you are consenting to a member of our team to contact you via phone or email regarding your request. We encourage you to review our Privacy Notice for detailed information on how we manage and protect your data.

Main Contact Form

Used on contact page

Independent Financial Advisers FAQS

Below, we have answered some frequently asked questions concerning independent financial advisers

Do I need financial advice?
If you’re looking to invest, purchase a financial product, or simply manage your money more effectively for the future, then financial advice can be really helpful.

If you are having troubles in relation to financial decisions that are beyond your level of expertise and experience it can be helpful to discuss this with a financial adviser to gain some clarity on the situation and assess your options.

See below some things a financial adviser can do:
- Meet with you to assess your current financial situation and goals
- Develop a comprehensive plan that would address any major areas of financial concern i.e. retirement, insurance, Trust funds, avoiding estate tax, etc.
- Provide advice as unexpected financial issues arise in your life
- Help set up investment funds and accounts for you
- Locate appropriate financial vehicles for you i.e. insurance policies
What types of financial advisers are there?
Financial advisers look at your current personal circumstances and your financial plans and then recommend products to help meet your needs. However, the type of financial adviser you approach for advice may limit the range of products you are recommended.

There are two types of financial advisers:
- Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) give unbiased advice about the whole range of financial products from all different companies available.
- Restricted Advisers give advice on a limited range of products. Usually specialising in one particular area, i.e. pensions, or they may only offer advice on products offered by a limited number of companies.
It is advisable to get independent financial advice so that you can look at the widest range of advice and products available.
Can a financial adviser assist with pension and retirement planning?

Yes, some financial advisers, including members of our team, can provide specialist advice in respect of pensions and retirement planning. A financial adviser can help you provide a secure future through careful retirement planning by reviewing the pension provision you have made so far and telling you how much you can expect when you retire.
Is there a charge for a first appointment with a financial adviser?

The majority of financial advisers will offer a free, no-obligation first meeting, during which they can tell you more about what they do and also allow them to listen and understand your personal circumstances and exactly what you are looking for. As part of this discussion, it is useful to take with you a list of your current income and assets (e.g. cash, investments, pensions).

The adviser will then be able to look at your financial situation and explain how they can help you if you appoint them.
How do I check an adviser?

If you’ve chosen your adviser it’s worth checking with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to see whether they’re regulated and approved.

The Financial Services Register shows details of the firms, individuals, and bodies that are currently or have previously been regulated by the FCA or The Bank of England’s Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)

If you use an adviser that is not approved by the FCA, you will not be covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Both schemes allow you to seek compensation if things go wrong.