FAQs

Yes, we provide independent financial advice. This means our recommendations are based on a broad range of products and providers, rather than being restricted to a limited panel.

Yes, we are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This oversight sets standards for how we provide advice and gives you access to formal complaints routes if you ever need them.

Yes, you can meet us face to face or by video call. We will use the option that suits you best, and we can mix in-person and online meetings over time.

We can meet face to face at your home or at our office in Salford Quays. If you prefer, we can also meet by video call instead.

Yes, parking is available at our Salford Quays office. We will share the practical details when your meeting is arranged.

Depledge Strategic Wealth Management has been providing financial advice for 12 years. Our work is centred on long-term financial planning and ongoing support.

We are based in Salford Quays, Manchester, and we work with clients across the UK. Meetings can be held in person or by video call, depending on what is most convenient for you.

All of our financial planners hold advanced professional qualifications, including Chartered or Fellowship status with the CII and CFP status with the CISI. These designations reflect the highest standards of technical knowledge and ongoing professional development.

Yes, we hold Chartered status awarded by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). This recognises high standards of professionalism and client service across the firm.

Yes, we are an Accredited Financial Planning Firm, as awarded by the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI). This reflects our commitment to professional standards and good client outcomes.

Yes, you can view video testimonials on our website, and written reviews on our VouchedFor and Google profiles. These are intended to help you understand the experiences of people we have worked with.

We focus on financial planning first, so we start by understanding your goals and what matters to you. We then tailor a plan around those objectives and keep it under review as your circumstances change.

Our FCA registration number is 611386. You can use this number to check our authorisation on the FCA Register.

We are based in Manchester, with an office in Salford Quays, and we work with clients across the UK. We can meet in person or on Microsoft Teams, so location does not need to be a barrier.

Initial meetings are arranged by phone or email, and we will confirm a suitable time to book in a Discovery Meeting. This first meeting is focused on assessing your current situation, your needs, and whether we are a right fit for one another. You can find our contact details here.

No, there is no charge for an initial meeting. It is a chance for us to understand what you are looking for and to explain how we work.

Whilst you do not need to bring anything specific to the initial meeting, bringing as much information as possible about your finances helps us build an accurate picture of your current financial situation, and how we might be able to help.

The first meeting focuses on understanding your objectives and what you want to achieve. We will discuss where you are now, where you would like to be, and how financial planning could help you move towards your goals. Most importantly, it’s an opportunity for us to get to know each other, and for you to decide if we are right for you.

Most initial meetings last one to two hours. We allow enough time to cover your priorities in an appropriate amount of detail, without rushing.

No, there is no obligation to proceed after the initial meeting. If we believe we can help, we will prepare a proposal explaining the work we would do, the fees, and what would happen next.

Yes, you can work with a Lorraine Cregg, if you’d prefer to work with a female planner. We will take your preferences into account when allocating a planner to you.

If your planner is away, another member of our team of four planners can support you. We share information internally so you can still get timely help.

We hold an annual review meeting each year as standard. We are also available throughout the year when you need us, and we provide a monthly newsletter with financial planning updates.

Yes, cashflow forecasting is the foundation of our financial planning service. It helps you see how your finances might develop over time under different assumptions, and we use it to test whether your plan is on track.

If your circumstances change, we will review your position and update your financial plan if needed. This helps keep your recommendations aligned with your goals.

Yes, we can work alongside your accountant or solicitor. With your permission, we will share relevant information so your financial planning fits with your wider affairs.

Yes, we can co-ordinate with your mortgage adviser where they need information from us. For example, we can provide details of investments we manage that are relevant to your mortgage application.

If your planner leaves the firm, we will allocate you a new dedicated planner. We will ensure a proper handover so your plan and service continue smoothly.

We have case studies, available upon request, that show what a financial plan can look like in practice. These examples are for illustration only and are not personalised advice.

Yes, you will be able to see the value of your investments online. This gives you visibility of valuations between review meetings.

Yes, we provide an online portal where you can view your investments. You can use it to check valuations and keep track of your accounts in one place.

You will typically meet with your planner annually for a review. If you need extra meetings during the year, we can arrange them, there is no set limit.

No, we do not provide mortgage advice. If you have a mortgage adviser, we can share relevant information about investments we manage where appropriate.

Yes, we can advise on equity release as part of later-life planning. Equity release is not right for everyone and can reduce the value of your estate, so we will explore alternatives before making any recommendation.

Yes, we advise on personal pensions as part of your wider financial plan. Recommendations depend on your circumstances and aims, and pension investments can go down as well as up. Tax rules can change and tax treatment depends on individual circumstances.

Yes, we advise on occupational pensions, including planning around workplace schemes. We will consider the options available to you and how they fit with your wider plan, and pension investments can go down as well as up. Tax rules can change and tax treatment depends on individual circumstances.

Yes, we can help you plan how to take benefits from your pension in a tax-efficient way. The right approach depends on your income needs and wider circumstances, and tax rules can change. Pension investments can go down as well as up.

Yes, we can incorporate ethical or sustainable investing preferences into your plan. We will discuss what matters to you and build an investment approach that reflects those priorities, where suitable options are available. Investments can go down as well as up.

Yes, we can help you invest an inheritance as part of your overall plan. We will look at your goals, timescales and need for access to money before making any recommendations. Investments can go down as well as up.

Yes, we can advise on Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). We will use a SIPP where it fits your objectives and the additional flexibility is appropriate. Investments can go down as well as up, and tax rules can change.

No, we do not advise on Final Salary or Defined Benefit pension transfers because we do not hold the permissions to do so. We can still support your wider retirement planning around other pensions and investments.

Yes, we provide advice on long-term care and later-life planning. This can include planning for future care costs and how different funding options might affect your wider finances.

Yes, we can help with Inheritance Tax and estate planning as part of a wider financial plan. Any planning depends on your circumstances and the rules in place at the time, and tax rules can change. We will work alongside your solicitor where legal documents or trusts are involved.

Yes, we advise on investments such as ISAs as part of your broader plan. We will consider your goals, time horizon and attitude to risk before making any recommendations. Investments can go down as well as up.

Yes, we advise on protection such as life insurance, critical illness cover and income protection. Where a policy is arranged, we may be paid commission by the provider and we will explain this in advance. Policies have terms, exclusions and limits, so we focus on matching cover to your needs.

Yes, we offer a free initial meeting. It is a chance to understand what you want to achieve and to explain how we work.

We charge a fixed fee for the initial planning work, which depends on the complexity of your situation. If you choose ongoing support, we charge a tiered percentage fee based on the assets we manage for you. We set out the full fees clearly in a proposal before any work begins.

Our minimum ongoing service fee is £800 per year. We will explain how this relates to your plan and the level of ongoing support you choose at your Discovery Meeting.

The fixed fee for the initial planning work typically depends on the complexity of the work involved. Low complexity advice usually ranges from £1,250 to £2,500, moderate complexity advice from £2,500 to £5,000, and high complexity cases ranging from £5,000 to £7,500. We will confirm the exact cost once we understand what you need and what the work involves.

We charge a fixed fee for the initial planning work. For ongoing service, we charge a tiered percentage fee based on the value of the assets we manage for you.

We do not take commission for investment or pension advice. We only receive commission in relation to protection policies that are put in place, and we will tell you what this is and how it is paid in advance.

VAT can apply to our initial fee where the work is a report only and there is no implementation. We will confirm whether VAT applies to your work before you proceed.

We publish our fees on our website so you can review them and compare them with other firms. We aim to keep charges fair and transparent, and we will explain the full costs before you decide to proceed.

We believe our fees are competitive and are designed to be fair, transparent and aligned with the value of the service you receive. We will set out the fees clearly in your proposal so you can compare like-for-like.

You can find our current fees on our website. We will also summarise them in your proposal so you can see what you pay and what is included.

Yes, we can help you explore whether retiring early is realistic. We use detailed cashflow planning to model your income and spending over time and to stress-test different scenarios. Forecasts are based on assumptions and are not guaranteed, and investments can go down as well as up.

Yes, we regularly help clients plan for retirement, including those approaching retirement and those already retired. We use cashflow planning to shape an income strategy that fits your goals and helps you understand how long your money might last. Tax rules can change, and investments can go down as well as up.

We typically work with business owners, senior executives, divorcees, and people who are approaching retirement or already retired. Our advice is tailored to your objectives and the decisions you need to make.

Yes, we work with younger clients who are still building wealth. We focus on putting a clear plan in place and reviewing it over time as your income, goals and priorities evolve.

Yes, we work with company directors and self-employed clients. Our planning looks at how your business and personal finances fit together, including pensions, investments and protection where relevant.

Yes, we have extensive experience working with clients approaching retirement and those already retired. We focus on building a sustainable plan for income, tax and ongoing financial decisions.

Yes, we can help clients who have inherited money. We will review your wider goals and tax position before recommending how to invest or hold the money. Investments can go down as well as up, and tax treatment depends on individual circumstances.

Yes, we can help if you have sold, or are in the process of selling, a business. We help you plan for what comes next, including investing proceeds and aligning your finances with long-term objectives in a tax-efficient way. Tax rules can change and tax treatment depends on individual circumstances.

Yes, we can help you manage your finances after a bereavement. We can review existing arrangements, explain your options clearly, and update your plan at a pace that feels manageable for you.

Yes, we specialise in working with business owners and retirees. We have advisers who focus on these areas and understand the planning issues that commonly arise.

No, we do not offer financial advice for expats or non-UK residents. Our service is designed for UK residents with UK-based financial arrangements.

Yes, we can review existing investments or pensions you hold elsewhere. We will assess how they fit with your goals, costs and risk level before suggesting any changes. Investments can go down as well as up.

Our minimum ongoing fee is £800 per year, and we typically work with clients with investable assets over £250,000. We will confirm whether our service is a good fit once we understand your circumstances and what you need.

We generally recommend regulated investments, which may be eligible for Financial Services Compensation Scheme protection up to the applicable limits. If we ever recommend a product that is not regulated, FSCS protection would not apply and we would make that clear at the time. FSCS protection is subject to eligibility and does not prevent investment values falling.

If something goes wrong, you can make a complaint and we will investigate and aim to resolve it promptly. We will provide our final response within eight weeks, and if you remain unhappy you can refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

We set out how we keep your personal data secure in our client agreement. This explains how we handle confidentiality and the steps we take to protect your information.

Yes, we are insured to give financial advice. This includes professional indemnity insurance to support the advice we provide.

You can check our FCA authorisation on the FCA Financial Services Register under Depledge Strategic Wealth Management Ltd or by searching our FCA number 611386. The register shows our status and the permissions we hold.

We measure client satisfaction through client surveys. We publish the results on our website so you can see the feedback we receive.

Yes, we have won a number of awards and hold a range of accreditations, and we list them on our website under the ‘Award wins’ and ‘Accreditations’ pages. Awards recognise past achievements but are not a guarantee of future outcomes.

Yes, our advisers are featured on VouchedFor, where you can read verified client reviews. We also reference these profiles from our website.