Andrea and Paul's story

Paul

Hi, I’m Paul, and this is my partner, Andrea. We have been clients of Sylvan for about 18 months; Andrea has been a client slightly longer than me because she found them first, and our adviser is Ed Painter.

Andrea

I was approaching my mid-50s and had a tangle of different pensions, which I didn’t really understand. I’d also inherited some money after my father died, and I didn’t know what to do with it for the best outcome and for the future. So, there were a number of reasons, but I felt like I needed some guidance.

Paul

I’d also inherited some money a few years ago when my mum passed, and I was aware that working life was coming to an end. We were probably in the last third of our working lives or so and I needed to line things up and get some advice to get the best benefits for my retirement.

Andrea

The challenges I had in mind had more to do with my anxieties about not understanding how pensions or investments work; having never sought this kind of help before, it was more about my confidence.

I researched the Money Saving Expert website, which led me to other links and eventually to the FCA website. I was looking for a company that was quite local and had the right level of expertise and qualifications above the minimum, and then eventually I looked on Sylvan’s website and liked the look of them; that’s how it started.

Things that Ed has helped me with are untangling my pensions, understanding what’s advisable to do with them to maximise them, how to invest some of the money that I inherited and how to maximise tax benefits regarding pension investments, but also what Ed’s given me is much more confidence.

Paul

I think this is probably a very understated way of putting it, but Ed is a very safe pair of hands for our finances. Nothing is too much trouble; anything you want him to explain at length, he’ll do it, and the communication is always great.

Andrea

The way I feel about my financial future now is that I have more clarity and more confidence. It’s easier to plan ahead now; I feel less stuck.

Paul

There is genuinely a direction of travel, and there’s positive momentum. I know that as long as I can keep my contributions up and follow the ground rules that we’ve agreed initially, and those are obviously reviewed annually, my future is financially secure.

Three words to describe Ed would be relatable, trustworthy, and conscientious.

Andrea

The best advice that Ed has given me in the time we’ve been working together is that there are always options, and that’s very reassuring.

Paul

I would recommend Ed and Sylvan for your financial advice. They’re very approachable, very relatable, and they’re very thorough.