IFA Talk

M&PI Podcast #19: Supporting clients with complex mortgage needs, with Hinckley & Rugby for Intermediaries’ Laura Sneddon

Now live: The latest Mortgage & Property Investment special edition of IFA Talk explores how advisers can best support clients in complex or evolving circumstances. 

In this episode, Jenny Hunter and Meg Bratley are joined by Laura Sneddon, Head of Mortgage Sales and Distribution at Hinckley & Rugby for Intermediaries. With over 20 years’ experience in financial services, Laura shares her insights on how advisers can unlock opportunities for borrowers through flexible, manual underwriting and a more tailored approach to complex cases. 

Highlights from this week’s episode 

• Income flexibility – how lenders can support clients with irregular earnings such as bonuses, dividends, freelance work, side hustles or overseas income 

• Wealth transfer – the role of parents and families in helping younger buyers onto the property ladder, and how HRFI structures lending to reflect intergenerational support 

• Case studies – real-life examples of clients who are asset-rich but cash-poor, and how flexible lending can make a difference 

• Vulnerability – how HRFI’s Vulnerability Academy equips advisers with tools to navigate sensitive situations with confidence 

• Additional insights into specialist areas such as support for self-employed borrowers, opportunities in the visa buy-to-let market, and the unique needs of Scotland’s mortgage sector 

This episode makes for a fascinating and timely discussion, shining a spotlight on the opportunities for advisers to deliver meaningful solutions in a rapidly changing borrower landscape and why collaboration with lenders such as HRFI can help ensure every client receives the right support. 

 

 

Podcast #140: Cutting through the chaos to streamline advice tech, with Pilot Financial Systems' Nicholas Ryan and David Mills

If you’ve ever felt like the tech in your advice business is more of a hindrance than a help, you’re not alone. Multiple systems that don’t talk to each other, endless rekeying, and the same tasks repeated in five different places, it’s a frustration most advisers know all too well. 

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk, Jenny Hunter and Sue Whitbread are joined by Nick Ryan, CEO, and David Mills, Chairman, at Pilot Financial Systems. Both have deep roots in the advice profession and have lived the challenges first-hand – and they’ve set out to do something about it. 

They share why they believe now is the time for advisers to take back control of their tech, why ownership and independence matter so much in practice management tools, and how better integration could help bridge the advice gap. 

We also hear their vision for how advice firms could be running in five years, and it’s a future you’ll want to hear about. 

So, if you’re ready to swap admin overload for smarter, joined-up systems, tune in now and hear how Pilot is helping firms cut through the chaos. 

 

Podcast #139: Helping advisers build successful partnerships with MPS providers, with L&G’s Francis Chua

In this week’s IFA Talk podcast, we’re exploring model portfolio services (MPS), asking what really makes for a successful partnership between an MPS provider and an advice business.

It’s a subject that remains front of mind for many advisers and wealth managers, especially as the MPS market evolves and client expectations continue to grow.

To learn more about L&G’s MPS, visit here. You can also visit L&G blogs for more thought leadership pieces.

Meet L&G’s Francis Chua

To help us dive into this topic, Sue and Matt are joined by Francis Chua, Fund Manager at L&G. Francis plays a key role in shaping L&G’s MPS proposition and shares his insights on what advisers are asking for, how L&G is set up to deliver, and where he sees the market heading.

What we cover in the conversation

• What advisers are cautious of when selecting an MPS partner
• What advice firms look for in a successful partnership
• How L&G supports advisers with services and tools
• How the MPS market is evolving – and what the future may hold

Listen to the full conversation

Tune in to hear Francis’s practical take on how to make long term MPS partnerships truly successful, and what that could mean for advisers and clients alike.

Be sure to check out this episode and all other episodes of IFA Talk on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon!

 

TEI Podcast #6: Navigating tax-efficient planning in an era of rising taxes with Diana French from Triple Point

In this month’s special TEI (Tax-Efficient Investment) special edition of IFA Talk, Matt and Jenny dive into the topic of tax-efficient planning during a time of rising taxes. 

With taxes on the rise, new rules bringing pensions into the inheritance tax net, and clients increasingly looking to advisers for clarity, the landscape has never been more challenging. But it’s also a time of real opportunity for advisers to demonstrate value. 

To help unpack this, Diana French, Chief Commercial Officer at Triple Point joins us to share her expert insights. She reveals how advisers are adapting their tax and estate planning conversations, where Business Relief fits into today’s toolkit, and why VCTs are still playing a crucial role – especially as we head into the next offer season. 

Be sure to check out this episode and all other episodes of IFA Talk on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon! 

Podcast #138: Rethinking PII with Lee Robertson on BareRock’s mission to reward quality advice

Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) might not be the most glamorous of topics but it’s a crucial one for every financial advice firm. In this episode of  IFA Talk, we’re taking a fresh look at it with someone who knows the advice profession inside out. 

Our guest is Lee Robertson, now Non-Executive Director and Head of Strategic Partnerships at BareRock, the digital-first PII provider that’s shaking things up. 

Many in the profession will know Lee as a long-time champion of quality financial planning advice. Now, in his new role at BareRock, he’s working to forge strategic partnerships, lead community-building efforts, and help create a PII proposition that puts adviser needs first. 

In this episode, Matt and Sue chat to Lee about how BareRock is making waves in the PII space, what they’re doing differently, and how they aim to create a better deal for well-run advice firms. From digital onboarding to building a community of like-minded professionals, BareRock’s approach is certainly different, all about transparency, tech, and rewarding quality. 

Be sure to check out this episode and all other episodes of IFA Talk on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon! 

NI&P Podcast #16: Providing understandable and valued protection advice, with LifeSearch’s Debbie Kennedy & Homeowners Alliance’s Paula Higgins

In this month’s special New Insurance & Protection episode of IFA Talk, we shine a light on client protection, something which concerns all of us in the industry.

Joining us to discuss this are LifeSearch’s CEO Debbie Kennedy, and Homeowners Alliance’s CEO and Founder Paula Higgins. The two have worked together recently on some fascinating research, which we’ll dive into in this special episode.

Debbie and Paula unpack how advisers can address client protection advice issues to ensure the advice is understood, valued, and acted upon. They reveal why protecting people is so important and the role that advisers play in ensuring that clients really understand the value of protection.

They also focus on younger clients, referring to their research which shows that young people don’t take out income protection because they feel it isn’t for them. Another area in their research is the role of women, who are often under-protected. They outline how advisers can help women see protection as a priority.

Listen to this episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon!

Podcast #137: The Real AI Opportunity? Better workplace culture! With Jenny Segal and Annabel Gillard

This week on IFA Talk, we’re flipping the script on one of the biggest topics in financial services – AI. But rather than talking about how it can help you churn through work faster, we’re asking something a bit deeper: what if the real power of AI is actually about creating better workplaces?

Joining us for this thought-provoking episode are two brilliant guests, Jenny Segal, a Workplace Culture Expert, Author and Investment Industry Leader, and Annabel Gillard, an expert in AI and Corporate Culture. Together, they explore how AI could unlock motivation, purpose and true human empowerment at work…if we’re bold enough to let it.

From rethinking traditional leadership models to seeing organisations as living, breathing systems, this isn’t your usual AI chat. Jenny and Annabel dive into what companies are getting wrong, why so many firms still treat AI as just a cost-saving tool, and what we miss out on when we take that narrow view.

To hear even more from Jenny and Annabel on this topic, you can find an article covering everything you may want to know on our website: AI adoption and workplace culture: why empowerment, not just efficiency, is the real opportunity.

Podcast #136: Succession planning for business owners under the new IHT rules, with Bishop Fleming's Peter Ball

In this week's episode of IFA Talk, we dive into the world of taxes, following changes to IHT rules. Recent changes and potential further tightening of the IHT rules mean that some families could face a shockingly high combined tax burden on a business owner’s estate. When you factor in Corporation Tax, Dividend Tax and IHT, in some cases the overall tax exposure could reach as much as 88%.

Joining us to discuss this is Peter Ball, Tax Partner at Bishop Fleming. Peter helps us get our heads around where this tax trap is coming from, and how it can be mitigated with the right planning. Peter shares his insights on how you can help your business clients and their families plan for liquidity in a business, the practicalities surrounding valuations, and whether trusts might once again play a larger role in succession strategies.

Peter explains how the 88% figure is calculated and under what circumstances it could apply, how business owners can ensure there’s enough liquidity in the company to meet potential IHT liabilities, the practical issues that advisers and their clients need to consider when it comes to valuing the business, and whether he sees trusts playing a bigger role in succession planning for family businesses going forward.

Be sure to check out this episode and all other episodes of IFA Talk on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon!

Podcast #135: Making the most of your first client meeting with Melissa Kidd, Director, Speaker and Soft Skills Specialist

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk, we’re shining a spotlight on one of the most important and often overlooked parts of the advice process: the first client meeting.

Joining Jenny and Sue for the chat is the fantastic Melissa Kidd, Director, Speaker and Soft Skills expert, who’s on a mission to help advisers make the most of that all-important first hour with a potential client.

Earlier this year, Melissa spoke to over 100 financial advisers to find out what’s really going on in those initial meetings. Why do some advisers convert with ease, while others struggle to get the outcomes they’re hoping for? What are the common communication pitfalls? And how can a few small mindset shifts lead to big improvements in results?

Melissa shares the outcomes of her research, as well as practical ideas and insight from the mentoring work she’s been doing to help advisers up their game, including starting a Finesse Your First Meeting Mentoring Programme.

This episode is packed with thoughtful takeaways on how to build trust, communicate value, and boost client engagement right from the start.

Tune in now to hear Melissa’s top tips on turning a first meeting into the start of a strong and lasting client relationship.

Podcast #134: The paraplanner’s path to leadership, with Stuart Coombe, Partner and Rural Specialist at Old Mill

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk, we’re taking a look at the journey from paraplanning to partnership – and who better to talk us through it than Stuart Coombe, Partner and Rural Specialist at Old Mill.

Stuart joined the firm back in 2008 as a paraplanner, fresh from a dairy farming upbringing in East Devon. Since then, he’s not only become a Chartered Financial Planner but also made the leap into advice – and more recently into leadership as a Partner. It’s been quite the progression, and in this episode, Stuart shares the key moments, learnings and motivations behind each step of his career.

We chat about what first drew him to financial services, how he tackled the shift from paraplanning to advising, and why professional development has been a cornerstone of his success. Stuart also reflects on his new role mentoring up-and-coming advisers, offering valuable advice for paraplanners looking to take the next step.

It’s a conversation packed with insight, honesty, and practical takeaways for anyone thinking about how to build a meaningful and rewarding career in financial planning.

A big thanks to Stuart for sharing his story – and to you, our listeners, for tuning in. Don’t forget to subscribe to IFA Talk for more stories and conversations from the world of financial advice