Why choose a local IFA?

Choosing an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) is an important decision. As well as weighing up their all-important on-paper qualifications and experience, when inviting an IFA to discuss your financial goals and worries, it’s often that little bit extra that makes all the difference: a connection, a relationship…trust. At Acumen, we believe that choosing local financial advisers is the surest way to find an IFA that’s completely invested in you.

Are you based in the North West and looking to find a financial adviser? Well, Acumen Financial Partnership could be the local IFA you’ve been searching for. Based in the quaint village of Burscough, near Ormskirk, Lancashire, we pride ourselves on doing things differently. We like to think it’s not just our idyllic rural setting that’s a breath of fresh air but it’s our complete approach to financial advice.

Yes, we offer a broad portfolio of financial services – specialising in financial planning, investment advice and pensions advice – as you would expect from any firm of IFAs worth their salt. However, where we differ is how much stock we place in building strong, long-lasting relationships with all of our clients. Many of whom have been with us for more than seven years, as our 2018 Acumen Client Satisfaction Survey has revealed.

Read on to find out just a few of the reasons why making Acumen your local financial advisers can benefit you, your family and your business.

1. Convenient and considered

Choosing a local IFA presents countless benefits. Chief among them, in our opinion, is the relationships you can foster. Whilst it might be tempting to opt for high-flying London-based financial advisers, are you really going to get the necessary face-time you need? If you’re required to travel any great distance for the pleasure, we doubt it. Sure, you can discuss matters over the phone, but can that ever replace a face to face conversation? We don’t think so.

At Acumen, we understand how crucial it is to feel completely at ease with your adviser in order to trust their advice. Which is why we invest the majority of our time into establishing meaningful relationships with our clients. We take the time to get to know you, listen carefully and delve deeper to find out your exact requirements. Only then do we offer tailored advice and products. We don’t charge by the hour, so we’ll never rush you out the door – you have the undivided attention of your dedicated, familiar and interested adviser.

2. Flexible and nimble

Dealing with an IFA at distance could well slow down your decision making. At Acumen, we operate a truly open door policy. That means you can access your financial adviser, and the wider Acumen team for that matter, any time – particularly when you need us most. If your financial situation changes, say for a major life event (for better or worse), then you’ll want to be able to take decisive action. Having a local IFA on your doorstep can give you the flexibility to sound out your options with a trusted and professional confidante.

Because we don’t charge extra for consultations, you have the freedom to discuss your concerns or aspirations with us as much as you need before reaching any decisions. After considering our advice, and weighing up your options, we are then nimble enough to be able to secure your desired financial product or service through our trusted network of verified partners swiftly and efficiently. They say it’s a slower pace of life in the countryside and that’s definitely an advantage to getting your advice from Acumen. With us, you have all the time in the world, but we’ll move quickly when you need us to.

3. Knowledgeable and experienced

Two things inner city IFAs can be relatively sure of is footfall and employee churn. The former can breed complacency, while the latter can lead to talent trickling out of a firm and clients passed from pillar to post. Of course, when it comes to your finances, consistency is paramount. You rightly want to deal with the same familiar face each and every time you visit your IFA. You’ve built up a relationship with that person, you’ve come to trust them, so it can be distressing if they leave and you have to start the whole process from scratch.

Here at Acumen, we value our clients and personnel extremely highly. We work hard to look after both by figuring out what makes them tick and keeping them as happy as possible. For you, that means access to some of the brightest financial minds in the North West, with more than 120 years of collective experience, and a deep local knowledge, between them. Furthermore, our IFAs love what they do and where they do it, which echoes through to their day-to-day approach and guarantees a reliable, friendly and familiar point of contact who you can rely upon for the long-term.

If you’ve been considering an IFA in Preston, Manchester, Liverpool or further afield in the North West, why not consider a Lancashire IFA that dares to be different and always puts you first? For more information about all of Acumen’s financial services, contact us today on 0151 520 4353 or email info@acumenfinancial.co.uk.