Believe in more... Independent, Individually Tailored Financial Advice
Believe in Independence: Scotland’s first Independent Financial Advisers to offer a tailored, personal service to a female clientele, Independent Women was launched over a decade ago as a division of Edinburgh Investment Consultants Ltd, and continues to thrive with a growing client base.
The varied lifestyles of women today increasingly call for a specialised approach to financial services, with male and female financial needs differing widely. As women, we understand that this doesn’t mean a requirement for “pink and fluffy” – it means a premium on values, and working with companies who can deliver time savings, have friendly, responsive staff, and importantly, are a company that they can trust. Providing valuable advice that will make all the difference to their lives. As women, while we know that we can be perceived as ‘tough customers,’ we also understand that our lives are subject to constant change – whether through our careers, our relationships, or simply everyday occurrences.
We also know that while it’s never possible to know what life has in store for you, ensuring that you stay in control of your finances will help you to stay in control of your life, whatever life may throw at you. Independent Women is not tied to any broker, provider or organisation, providing completely objective advice to our clients from across the entire financial market. Our expertise ensures that financial opportunities and returns are fully optimised through long term planning – making your money work for you, and providing you with peace of mind that your finances are in good hands at all times.
Lesley Collins Chief Executive
Believe in Expert Advice: Our knowledge and commitment to providing the highest level of service, coupled with our experience in working exclusively with women, means that we are confident that we can source the most appropriate product or service tailored specifically to our client needs – whatever your current situation may be, and wherever you may be in the future. Independent Women provides a full range of financial services advice, from one-off transactions such as mortgage and pension provision, to the creation of long term, and even life-long financial plans. We work closely with our clients to provide an individually tailored, holistic approach to their finances, encompassing: • Money Management • Savings & Investments • Insurances & Asset Protection • Tax Planning
• Business Finance • Ex-Pat Services • Retirement & Pension Planning • Separation, Divorce & Bereavement
Working with Independent Women will also give you a number of additional benefits, such as exclusive access to our information on market activity and financial news, and our networking events allow our clients to meet like-minded women, and gain key contacts both personally and professionally. Of course, as professionals, we are also obliged to keep our clients informed of every risk associated with the financial products that they choose, including that your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. And, as independent consultants, we must advise you that we do charge a fee for our advice: while the precise amount will depend on your requirements, all fees will, of course, be agreed with our clients in the first instance and every step of the way.
Believe in Individuality &
Perso Our in depth understanding of women’s lives is reflected in our trademarked “Six Stages of Women” concept. The stages are not linear, and many of us will move in and out of each of them at various points of our lives. While for every individual, the “stages” themselves will vary in circumstance, timing and financial impact, the idea behind each remains the same; as does the need for every woman to ensure that she remains financially independent, regardless of her age, relationship status, or landmark life events.
Regardless of the changes you may face in life, be it your relationship status, affluence or financial stresses, one thing that won’t change is that you will still be you. We can work with you to develop a long term financial plan that flexes and works with and for you, whatever happens along the way.
nality: Education
Relationships
Life is one long learning process – whether it’s on-the-job training from the University of Life, or a formal, structured experience requiring a commitment of time and money, it may come at any point or time in your life, be an exciting transition or a complex process of balancing finances and adjusting lifestyles. Be it full or part-time, on-site or correspondence, work-related CPD, essential, beneficial or just indulgently enjoyable – we can help to guide you through the financial implications.
Marriage, separation, divorce, co-habitation, civil partnerships and bereavement in particular create enormously significant financial implications for women. Expert financial advice is particularly crucial at times of divorce and bereavement, especially from a team of women who can provide additional support and understanding at times when it is needed most.
Business, Careers and Professional Development Whether joining an existing business or striking out on your own, this is a critical aspect of many women’s lives. Women have recently been identified as “the greatest single force in economic recovery” by Boston Consulting Group*, with recognition of promotion, career break, career change, re-training, starting a business, going self-employed, returning to work after children or running a business. At Independent Women, we can handle all the associated financial aspects that see the “job at work” go alongside the “job at home.”
Bricks & Mortar Whether renting, buying, selling, or investing, contributions to bricks and mortar are likely to be your biggest financial commitment. With an expert team of advisers, we can help you navigate the seas of information, small print and options that are involved.
*Boston Consulting Group’s ‘Woman Want More’ 2009
Supporting Dependants A ‘significant other’ is of course, only one of many relationships that form part of a woman’s life: these often extend to children, stepchildren, relatives, elderly parents, neighbours, friends and communities. As caring responsibilities and issues change and flex throughout a woman’s life, and place a number of different financial pressures, we can help build a flexible financial structure that gives and takes when it has to.
Retirement Planning & The Future By planning now for what seems light years away, you can ensure your future is as you imagine it. The earlier work begins on how you’d like this to look, the easier it will be to balance the demands of “now” with the needs of the future. While nobody has a crystal ball and we can never know what we are going to be doing down the line, the stronger your financial plan, the better placed you’ll be to react, respond, recover or re-launch yourself. By planning together now, we can help you to build the best platform possible.
Believe in Flexibility & Choice: At Independent Women, we pride ourselves on providing a first class, trustworthy, and efficient service, acknowledging the preferences and style of women and delivering what they want: simple advice that they can trust, at a price that is reasonable and in a manner that is appealing.
Our aim is to provide a service that is tailored to each of our clients: whether you are looking to make a one-off investment or to overhaul your finances, we can help. As we are entirely independent, we are able to review the whole of the financial market to ensure that we select the products that are absolutely the best option for you, and will continue to review these products to ensure that they remain so. Your initial consultation is free, and thereafter we have a number of fee structures and options from which to choose, whether you prefer to spread any cost throughout the year by direct debit, or incorporate these into your financial plan*. Whichever option suits you, we will continue to provide flexibility and choice throughout our relationship, tailoring our menu of services in line with your specific needs and preferences.
*Details of these options will be discussed with you in full as we refine your specific financial needs.
Clare Logie Strategic Director
Believe in being in contact: At Independent Women, we have developed long-standing relationships with our clients and continue to deliver not only expert advice, but peace of mind that finances are under control at all times, reducing stress and ensuring that our clients are always in the best position to make choices or changes in their lives. All of our work is carried out at your convenience, and ensuring that you have more space in your day, and in your head, to focus on the other important things in life. We provide all of our clients with a free initial consultation – we think this is the best way to get to know your needs, and of course, for you to dip your toe in the water and find out more about us, too. Contact us today at our Head Office on 0800 433 4585 to arrange your free initial consultation, and take your first steps to financial independence.
Head Office Ronaldson's Wharf 2 Sandport Place Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6EU Tel: 0800 433 4585
info@independentwomen.co.uk
independentwomen.co.uk