Frequently asked questions

Yes. We are fully committed to providing independent advice and always will be.

Yes, we’re fully regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Our authorisation number is 1019661. You can find us on the FCA Register here

Absolutely. We’re happy to meet however suits you best. Whether you prefer face-to-face at your home, a video call, or even a phone conversation, we’ll work around what’s most convenient for you.

We’re happy to meet you at your home or any other place of your choosing.

CRM Financial Planning was established in 2024. While the firm itself is relatively new, our team brings decades of collective experience from leading financial institutions including Standard Life, Prudential, Close Brothers, and Capital Risk Management.

We’re based in Inverkeithing, Scotland, but work with clients across the length and breadth of the UK, as far north as Inverness, as far south as Southampton.

We don’t currently hold Chartered status. You can view full details of qualifications on our team pages.

Not yet, but we’re working towards it. Our commitment to professional standards is reflected in our individual qualifications and ongoing professional development.

Not currently, though we maintain the highest professional standards through our FCA regulation and individual adviser qualifications.

Yes, you can read what real clients say about us in the testimonials featured throughout our website.

What we believe sets us apart is our unwavering commitment to providing you with a service that stands out above the rest. We openly encourage feedback on our service and how we can improve. We want to ensure that our clients trust us and love dealing with us, which in turn makes our job so much more enjoyable.

Our FCA registration number is 1019661.

We’re based in Inverkeithing, but work with clients throughout Scotland and across the UK. Our clients come from as far north in Inverness and as far south in Southampton. Because we offer video meetings, location is rarely a barrier.

You can book an initial meeting by phone (0131 392 1950) or email (info@crmfp.co.uk).

No. Initial meetings are at our expense. We feel it’s important for you to get to know us and get an opportunity to learn how we can support you. Most importantly, it gives you a no-obligation opportunity to decide if we’re the right fit for you.

Information on any plans you hold would be useful to help build a picture of your position, although most importantly, all you need to bring are your questions – and lots of them!

We start by getting to know you. We’ll talk about your goals, your current situation, and what matters most to you both financially and personally. It’s a relaxed conversation where we listen more than we talk, and there’s absolutely no pressure to commit to anything.

We would generally expect an initial meeting to last in the region of one hour.

Absolutely not. We want you to feel relaxed speaking to us and be assured that there’s no obligation to sign up during our first meeting, or at all. It’s important that you’re comfortable with what’s on offer before making any commitments. Of course, if you’d like to sign up to our services during our first meeting, we’d be delighted to welcome you.

Jennifer Muir is our Paraplanner and works closely with all our clients. While Gavin MacKinnon leads client meetings as our Financial Planning Consultant, Jennifer is involved in every aspect of your financial planning and you’ll get to know her throughout the process.

We’ll always let you know in advance if we’re away. For urgent matters, we’ll make sure someone is available to help. For non-urgent queries, we’ll get back to you as soon as we return.

We stay in regular contact and will review your plan at least annually. Beyond that, we’re always here when you need us. If your circumstances change or you have questions, you can reach out anytime.

Yes. Understanding your income, expenses, and future financial position is a key part of the planning we do, especially for retirement planning and business owners looking at their financial future.

Life happens, and when it does, we’re here to help. Just get in touch and we’ll review your plan to make sure it still works for you. Whether it’s a job change, inheritance, or anything else, we’ll adapt your plan accordingly.

Absolutely. We’re happy to work with your other professional advisers to make sure everything is coordinated and working in your best interest.

Yes, we’re happy to liaise with your mortgage adviser if needed.

We’d be happy to talk you through what a financial plan looks like during our initial meeting. Every plan is different because every client is different, but we can show you the kind of information and recommendations you’d receive.

Yes. Once your investments are in place, you’ll have online access to view their value and performance whenever you’d like.

Yes, you’ll have access to an online portal where you can check your investments, view documents, and see how things are progressing.

We’ll meet at least once a year for your annual review, and more often if your circumstances change or if you’d simply like to check in. Some clients prefer more frequent contact, others less. We’ll work out what suits you best.

We don’t advise on mortgages directly, but we’re happy to recommend trusted mortgage advisers we work with who can help you.

Yes, we can provide advice on whether equity release might be suitable for your situation.

Yes. Pension planning is a core part of what we do. Whether you’re starting to save, approaching retirement, or want to review your existing pensions, we can help.

Yes. We can review your workplace pension, help you understand your options, and advise on whether you’re making the most of it.

Yes. Consolidating pensions can make things easier to manage and sometimes more cost-effective, though it’s not always the right move. We’ll review each pension carefully and recommend what’s best for you.

Absolutely. How and when you take your pension can make a significant difference to how much tax you pay. We’ll help you build a strategy that minimises tax and maximises what you keep.

Yes. SIPPs can offer flexibility and control for some investors. We’ll help you understand if a SIPP is right for you and support you in managing it effectively.

Yes, we’re authorised to advise on all types of pension transfers.

Yes. If investing in line with your values is important to you, we can build a portfolio that reflects your ethical or environmental preferences while still aiming for strong returns.

Yes. Receiving an inheritance can feel overwhelming, especially during difficult times. We’ll help you understand your options and create a plan that makes your inheritance work for your future.

Yes. We can guide you through inheritance planning, tax-efficient strategies, and trusts to help you pass on more of your wealth to those who matter most.

Yes. Planning for later life, including potential care costs, is an important conversation to have. We can help you think through your options and put plans in place to protect your assets and your family.

Yes. ISAs are a tax-efficient way to invest, and we can help you make the most of your allowances each year as part of your overall financial plan.

Yes. Protecting your income and your family’s financial security is just as important as growing your wealth. We can review your current cover and recommend what you need.

Yes. Your first meeting is completely free. It’s a chance for us to get to know each other and for you to decide if we’re the right fit, with no obligation whatsoever.

We charge a fixed fee for our initial advice and implementation. For ongoing support, we charge a percentage of the assets we manage for you. We’ll always be clear about costs before you commit to anything.

Our fees depend on the complexity of your situation and what you need from us. We’ll discuss costs during our initial meeting so you know exactly what to expect.

We charge a fixed fee for our initial services which covers advice and implementation of our recommendations. Our ongoing services are based on a percentage of assets under management.

Where commissions are payable from products such as life cover, we would deduct the amount received from our initial fee.

Almost all of our services are exempt from VAT. If ever that’s not the case, you’ll be fully informed up front.

We’re transparent about what we charge and what you get for it. During our first meeting, we’ll explain our fees clearly and you’re welcome to compare us with other advisers to make sure you’re comfortable with the value we offer.

Our fees are consistently at the lower end of the scale compared with other independent firms offering similar levels of expertise. But it’s our belief that you’ll be hard pushed to find better value for money, especially taking into account all the services including in our ongoing advice model.

Yes. If early retirement is your goal, we’ll work out what you need to make it happen and build a plan to get you there. We’ve helped many clients retire earlier than they thought possible.

Absolutely. Retirement planning is at the heart of what we do. Whether you’re years away or ready to retire now, we’ll help you understand your options and build a plan that gives you confidence.

Whenever you need honest financial advice, we’re here to help. Whether this is the first time you have thought about your finances, an experienced investor, or anything in between, we’d love to chat.

We work with people approaching or enjoying retirement, business owners, those going through life changes like bereavement or divorce, and companies looking after their employees. But ultimately, whenever you need honest financial advice, we’re here to help.

While many of our clients are approaching retirement or already there, we’re happy to work with younger clients who are serious about building their financial future. If we feel we’re not the right fit, we’ll tell you honestly.

Yes. We have significant experience working with business owners and self-employed professionals, helping them balance business and personal finances, plan exits, and invest for the future.

Yes. This is one of our key areas of expertise. We help people understand their pension options, plan a comfortable retirement, and make their money last.

Yes. Receiving an inheritance, especially during bereavement, can feel overwhelming. We’ll guide you through your options with care and help you make decisions that honour what you’ve been given.

Yes. Selling a business is a significant life event. We can help you plan what to do with the proceeds, manage tax efficiently, and build a strategy for your financial future beyond the business.

Yes. Losing someone close to you is incredibly difficult, and dealing with financial matters during that time shouldn’t make it harder. We’ll support you with patience and care as you work through what needs to be done.

We work with all three. Our clients include successful business owners, people planning for or enjoying retirement, and professionals looking for clarity and confidence in their financial future.

This isn’t an area we currently specialise in. If you’re an expat or non-UK resident, we’d recommend speaking with an adviser who focuses on international clients to make sure you get the right support.

Absolutely. Most of our clients come to us with existing pensions, investments, or other financial arrangements. We’ll review what you have, explain your options, and help you make the most of them.

We don’t have a strict minimum, but we want to make sure our service is right for you and represents good value. If you’re not sure, just get in touch and we’ll have an honest conversation about whether we can help.

Yes. If an investment provider fails, the FSCS protects eligible investments up to £120,000 per person, per institution. We’ll make sure your investments are held with reputable providers covered by this protection.

We hope it never happens, but if you’re unhappy with our service, we have a formal complaints process. We’ll do everything we can to put things right quickly and fairly. If you’re still not satisfied, you can refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

We take data security seriously and follow strict protocols to keep your information safe. We’re fully compliant with UK data protection regulations, and you can read more in our privacy policy.

Yes. We hold Professional Indemnity Insurance as required by the FCA, which protects you in the unlikely event that something goes wrong with our advice.

You can check our registration on the FCA Register at any time. Our FCA number is 1019661, and you’ll find full details of our authorisation and permissions there.

Yes. We have testimonials from real clients on our website that show how we’ve helped people in similar situations to yours. Read their stories to get a sense of what it’s like to work with us.

While we don’t have formal awards yet, we’re proud of the individual qualifications our team holds and the independent reviews our clients have given us. For us, the best recognition is when clients recommend us to their family and friends.