Why us? – eightfourtwo

Why us?

Compared with the average wealth management company, we dedicate considerably more time to our Members. It isn’t that we work harder: it is because our aim is for each of our financial planners to have around half the number of individuals to look after, making it easier for them to go the extra mile.

As a result of our determination to spend more time focusing on the fortunes of fewer individuals for longer periods of time, the bonds between us inevitably grow stronger. In turn, the decision making will always be better informed.

Even when we are not reporting to you, we will keep your investments under review, quarterly at least, to ensure your investment manager is performing in line with their peers and the parameters we recommend. However, when we report performance to you, we will benchmark it against the most important comparison: your needs.

Declaration of independence

eightfourtwo is independently owned and always unbiased in our views and recommendations. With no external parent company, public shareholders or hidden conflicts of interest, we are owned by our employees.

Directly authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority, we are independent in this sense too, and not part of a network offering a restricted service. We have access to the whole market, as will you.

To ensure we retain the freedom to offer you the best investment options available, we work closely with carefully selected investment managers to provide the most appropriate investment solution for you.

The highest level of industry accreditation

eightfourtwo holds Corporate Chartered Status, the Chartered Insurance Institute’s highest level of professional accreditation. This means our financial planning advice is of the highest quality and our financial planners adhere to strict ethics and standards.

We go beyond that. As well as holding chartered status, our financial planners are qualified to ISO 22222, the only voluntary International Standard available.

British Standards

We are proud to be the first financial services firm in the UK to achieve both British Standards available for our industry: BS 8577 (framework for the provision of financial advice and planning services); and BS 8453 (compliance framework for regulated financial services firms). These kitemarks provide unbeatable quality assurance.

As much or as little help as you need

Wealth management, done properly, goes well beyond intelligent financial planning. Because of the complexities involved, we often need to work alongside accountants, barristers, mortgage lenders, solicitors, specialist insurance brokers, tax specialists and other professionals to provide a seamless service for our Members.

We are always happy to liaise with the professionals you currently use. We love working with new people and might well end up recommending your accountant or solicitor to another new Member in the future. Alternatively, you can choose from our shortlist of high-calibre professional contacts, all of whom are tried and trusted by eightfourtwo.

With everyone in your corner working collaboratively towards the same goal, while focusing on their own area of expertise, our Members are assured of the best possible outcomes.

A company built on integrity and transparency

Trust is an easy word to throw around, but we know better than anyone that it can only be earned over time with consistent behaviours, performance and levels of service.

However, we hope you will notice a high degree of transparency and integrity from day one. Even before that, in fact, when we recommend you check out at least two other wealth management companies before committing to us. This is one of the most important decisions you will ever make; it certainly isn’t one you should rush.

If you decide to invite eightfourtwo to guide you on your financial journey, we will view that as a privilege. From that moment on, our aim will be to convince you, at every touchpoint, that you have made the right decision. In short, we will never take your custom for granted.

Ask someone who knows

Of course, you would expect us to tell you how good we are, but you will no doubt be looking for a more objective viewpoint. We are able to provide that too.

Many of our Members are ready to take your phone call or reply to your email to give you their spontaneous opinions of eightfourtwo, warts and all. They will answer any questions you have. Every Member who volunteered is on the list, which has not been screened or edited by us in any way.

Just ask at our first meeting and we will provide you with the names and contact details of five of the people on the list who are closest to you in terms of financial requirements. You can then do as much digging as you like with the people who know us better than anyone.

Whatever our Members end up saying to you, we think it speaks volumes that so many of them are prepared to take the time and trouble to help in this way. As far as we are aware, no other wealth management company is willing to take such a confident stance, on such a comprehensive scale.