The Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) is once again running its 'Financial Planning Week' initiative, giving people access to a complimentary introductory financial planning session. The sessions are designed to help improve the financial fitness of the UK public while highlighting the important role that a certified financial planner can play. Research carried out by the CISI in 2023 revealed those who received financial advice reported a higher quality of life, better financial confidence and higher financial satisfaction when compared to someone who hadn't received advice. Additionally, it found almost 40% of those seeing a financial planner reported improvement in their mental health.
Between the 22nd and 29th of January 2024, you can book your free introductory financial planning session - simply visit CISI's Website and choose a participating financial planner near you. Read on to find out how you can access a free financial consultation all year round.
Book your free financial consultation
Financial Planning Week is a great initiative, giving people access to free financial planning, however, it only runs for one week per year. At Money to the Masses, we are pleased to have secured a deal where readers can claim a free 30-60 minute financial consultation* from VouchedFor. Importantly, this deal is not limited to just one week, meaning readers can claim their free financial consultation at a time and date that suits them best.
VouchedFor is a website that lets you find and compare local financial advisers, mortgage brokers, solicitors and accountants. It helps you to source a suitable, regulated adviser, allowing you to filter your results by customer reviews, qualifications and even location. To find out more, read our independent review of VouchedFor.
How fit are your finances and how do you compare?
The biggest challenge people often face when trying to sort their finances is knowing where to start. With that in mind, we created a simple tool that in just 2 minutes, can give users a detailed breakdown of how their finances shape up. By answering just a few questions you'll be given a Money MOT grade between A and E, together with a detailed breakdown of the areas of your finances that may need attention. The breakdown includes everything from bills to wills and importantly, there is no registration or paperwork required to get to this point.
Damien's Money MOT will also provide context to your results, telling you how you measure up against the many thousands who have already completed an MOT. If you prefer, you can then sign up to receive a free action plan, delivered in a series of bitesize emails (either daily or weekly - whatever your preference) detailing the steps you need to take to improve your MOT rating. The Money MOT is personally tailored to you, providing you with your own personal grade as well as the tools that you need to make a positive change. Damien's Money MOT is not about achieving perfection, it’s about encouraging incremental improvements over time based on your priorities and goals. It has absolutely nothing to do with how wealthy you are, meaning everyone who takes the test can achieve the top grade, even if that means subsequently re-taking the test once you've followed the recommended action plan.
Take your Money MOT test now to get your personal grade and guidance on where you can make improvements.
Useful resources
Take a look at our article ‘Do you need financial advice?’. It will take around 3 minutes to read and helps you understand if or when you should seek financial advice. Also, you should consider signing up for our weekly Sunday newsletter, which contains links to the most important financial news stories each week. Also, check out our weekly podcast where we cover a wide range of topics to help you and your family with your finances. Finally, join the Money to the Masses Facebook community, a place where thousands of fans of Money to the Masses chat, ask questions and share ideas to help each other achieve their financial goals in a friendly environment.
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- Grow it - Our 10-part video series providing an introduction to investing
- What are the best questions to ask a financial adviser
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- 10 ways to avoid inheritance tax
