What Exactly is ‘Later Life’ Financial Planning?
Later life planning usually begins around retirement, when financial decisions start to focus on enjoying the years ahead while preparing for life’s uncertainties.
At Harold Stephens, we help clients navigate this stage with confidence. Our advice covers retirement and pension planning, investment management, care fee planning, and estate planning - including inheritance tax advice, trusts, Wills, and Lasting Powers of Attorney.
Bringing these services together under one roof means your plans can work more clearly and efficiently, giving you reassurance that your finances, wishes and priorities are properly aligned.
Who We Can Help
We typically work with people in or approaching retirement who want clarity, reassurance, and ongoing support as their financial situation evolves.
This often includes:
- Individuals and couples who want to organise their retirement finances and plan confidently for the future
- Families who wish to protect their wealth and pass it on thoughtfully
- People needing to think about paying for care needs in later life
- Adult children supporting ageing parents
- Carers and attorneys helping to manage financial or care decisions for a loved one
Later life planning often involves the whole family, so we’re here to support not just our clients, but the people around them too.
Services
Whether you’re approaching retirement or well into later life, as a client of Harold Stephens we can bring these services together under one roof for you, meaning your plans can work more clearly and efficiently.
Pensions & Retirement
Retirement planning is rarely just about pensions on their own. We look at the full picture - regulatory changes, income, tax position, savings and wider financial plans together to help you make sense of your options.
Investments
We help you think about how your money fits alongside your current needs and future plans, so everything works together. Our role is to provide calm, independent guidance helping ensure your investments remain appropriate and aligned with the life you want to lead.
Inheritance Tax Planning
Inheritance tax planning works best when everything is considered together. By taking a joined-up approach to your pensions, investments and wider finances, with our expert advice you can plan for the future more effectively.
Care Fee Planning
Planning how to pay for care is as much about peace of mind as it is about funding. By understanding your options and putting a clear plan in place with your SOLLA Accredited adviser, you can feel more confident in your decisions, knowing care needs can be met while protecting what matters most to you.
Lasting Powers of Attorney
A Lasting Power of Attorney allows someone you trust to step in and make decisions in your best interests if you’re no longer able to. Arranged in advance, it gives reassurance that your affairs can be managed smoothly and in line with your wishes.
Estate Planning
Estate planning brings your financial and legal arrangements together so everything works in harmony. With everything considered in one place, you can be confident your wishes will be carried out while making things simpler for those responsible for your estate.
Our Approach
We believe financial advice works best when it’s personal and face to face. At Harold Stephens, we take the time to understand your story, your family and what matters most to you, so we can provide advice that is truly tailored to your circumstances. Call it old fashioned, but we think that’s how it should be.
Come and have a relaxed conversation about your situation over a cup of tea with James and find out how we can help.
Our Commitment to the Local Community
Financial advice is about people - and understanding people starts with understanding the community they live in.
As a Bristol-based firm, we’re proud to support local groups, charities and initiatives that make a real difference in the later life community here.
From hosting free drop-in advice sessions and bringing together later life organisations helping to make a difference to funding community events and local wellbeing projects, we’re committed to being more than just an IFA, we’re part of the fabric of the area we work in.
Find out more about the work we support in our community.
Testimonials
I have known Richard Higgs for a number of years. I first met Richard when he was visiting my parents for their yearly review on investments & could immediately see how professional he was. He has all the financial advisor qualifications. He later helped me merge 3 pensions into one. At all times he helped me understand what was happening.
Ten years ago a smart young man knocked on our door and introduced himself as Richard Higgs, asking if he could provide any financial advice to us through his new business. Since then Richard’s business, now Harold Stephens, has grown with his team providing a personal and caring service with sound and well researched advice enabling our investment to grow.
Alongside the business he and his team make time for many fund raising events benefitting several charities encouraging his clients with social and fun events.
