FAQ zone

Yes. Our independence is central to everything we do and is one of the foundations of our business. It means the advice we provide is free from conflicts and focused on recommending what we genuinely believe is right for you.

Yes. Cesta Financial Planning is directly authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). You can view our profile and authorisation details here on the FCA Register.

Of course. We’re happy to meet either in person or online, depending on what works best for you. While we find some conversations are better face to face, we’re equally comfortable meeting by video call where appropriate.

We’re based in London, but we work with clients across the UK. We have access to meeting offices in a range of locations, or we’re happy to come to you if that’s more convenient.

Cesta Financial Planning has been established since March 2025. However, our founders, Simon and Mark, have more than 35 years of combined experience advising clients.

Our office is based in London, but we work with clients throughout the UK. Wherever you’re based, if we believe we can help, we’re happy to work with you.

Yes. Many of our long-standing clients have kindly shared written testimonials about their experience of working with us. You’ll find these throughout our website, usually towards the bottom of each page.

We’ve built an efficient, client outcome-focused business that delivers the services people genuinely need and value, while charging fairly for the work we do. We also have extensive experience helping business owners in the creative industries, giving us a strong understanding of the challenges and complexities they often face.

Our FCA registration number is 1019862. Click here to view our profile.

Although we’re based in London, we work with clients across the UK. Our focus isn’t limited by location, and we’re happy to help people wherever they’re based.

Simply get in touch to arrange an initial conversation, and we’ll see whether we can help. You can contact us via our contact page or call us on 020 8125 4829 to arrange a convenient time.

Absolutely not. Your initial meeting is completely free of charge and gives us both the opportunity to get to know each other. There is no obligation to go any further if you decide we’re not the right fit.

Just yourself. If you have any information you think might be relevant, you’re welcome to bring it along, but it’s not essential for the first meeting.

Our first meeting is all about getting to know each other. We’ll talk about what prompted you to get in touch, your current circumstances, your concerns, and your goals, before discussing whether we can help and what the next steps would look like.

Initial meetings can last anywhere from around 30 minutes to a couple of hours, depending on what you’d like to discuss. We know our clients value flexibility, so we aim to be flexible with both our time and the way we work.

No. We believe it’s important that we get to know each other properly before either of us commits to working together. There’s no pressure to decide during the first meeting.

You’ll be introduced to our client support manager, who is there to support you and your financial planner with day-to-day matters. If you need advice while your usual planner is away, another planner will be happy to step in until they return.

We’ll meet formally at least once a year and keep in touch with periodic communications throughout the year. Just as importantly, we’re always available if you need us, because we believe you should be able to speak to us whenever something changes or you have a question.

Yes. Cashflow forecasting is a fundamental part of both our initial and ongoing advice process, helping you understand where you are today and how you’re progressing towards your long-term goals.

Yes. We can introduce you to a mortgage firm we work with or liaise with your existing adviser, and with your permission, we’ll provide any information they need to help make the process as straightforward as possible.

Yes, and we actively encourage it. Taking a joined-up, collaborative approach with your other professional advisers often leads to the best outcomes, particularly for business owners in the creative industries where income, cashflow and workloads can be unpredictable.

Yes. We can introduce you to a mortgage firm we work with or liaise with your existing adviser, and with your permission, we’ll provide any information they need to help make the process as straightforward as possible.

If your financial planner leaves Cesta Financial Planning, you’ll be introduced to another planner who will continue looking after you with the same level of service and care you’ve come to expect from us.

Yes. We can provide an example on request, although every financial plan we produce is tailored to the individual. The best way to understand the value of a financial plan is to experience the process for yourself.

Yes. If you have investments on a platform we recommend, you’ll have online access to view your holdings and valuations whenever you wish.

Yes. You’ll have secure access to the Cesta Portal, where you can view the information we hold about you, access documents we’ve shared and see investment valuations where live data is available. We also offer a mobile app for added convenience.

We’ll meet formally at least once a year to review your plans and discuss any changes. Between reviews, we’re always happy to speak whenever you need us, because ongoing access to your planner is an important part of the service we provide.

Although we’re qualified to advise on mortgages, we’ve chosen to refer this area of advice to a specialist firm. This means you’ll receive support from advisers who focus solely on mortgages.

We don’t provide equity release advice directly. Instead, we refer clients to a specialist firm with expertise in this area.

Absolutely. Personal pensions are a key area of our advice, and we regularly help clients make informed decisions about planning for retirement.

Yes, occupational pensions form an important part of the advice we provide. We’ll help you understand how they fit into your wider financial plan.

We can. We’ll first assess whether consolidating your pensions is the right approach before recommending the most suitable way to do it, if appropriate.

Yes. Helping clients access their pensions in a tax-efficient way is a core part of the retirement planning advice we provide.

Certainly. We’ll discuss your views on ethical and sustainable investing as part of any investment conversation, so your preferences can be considered alongside your wider objectives.

Of course. Receiving an inheritance can be an emotional experience, and we’ll help you consider the options carefully before deciding the most appropriate use of the money.

Yes. SIPPs are a key area of our pension advice, and we’ll help you decide whether they’re suitable for your circumstances and objectives.

We don’t hold the regulatory permissions required to advise on final salary or defined benefit pension transfers. We’re happy to explain how these pensions work and provide general information, and if you require transfer advice, we’ll point you towards an appropriate specialist.

Yes. We provide advice to help clients plan for later life and the financial considerations that can arise as circumstances change.

Absolutely. Estate and Inheritance Tax planning are key areas of our advice, helping clients think ahead and organise their affairs effectively.

Yes. We provide advice on ISAs and other investments as part of creating a financial plan that’s tailored to your goals.

We can. Protecting you, your family and your income is an important part of financial planning, and it’s an area we regularly advise on.

We do. Your first meeting is a free initial consultation, giving us the time to have a meaningful conversation and establish whether we’re the right fit for one another.

Our fees are tailored to the type of work involved, its complexity and the value we believe we can add. We charge separate fees for initial advice and ongoing services, and we’ll always explain the costs clearly before you decide whether to proceed.

We don’t have a minimum fee for initial advice, as every piece of work is tailored to the individual. Our minimum ongoing fee for financial planning and investment oversight is £2,000 per year.

You can view details of our fees on our fees page. We’ll also provide a personalised quote once we’ve fully understood your circumstances and the help you’re looking for.

For initial advice, we typically charge a fixed financial planning fee. For ongoing advice, we usually charge a combination of a fixed financial planning fee, which increases in line with RPI, and a percentage-based investment oversight fee.

In some cases, we may receive commission on certain insurance products. Where this applies, we’ll always tell you in advance, so you know exactly how we’re being paid.

Most of the work we carry out doesn’t attract VAT. If VAT does apply in a particular situation, we’ll make this clear before any work begins.

We’ve developed a comprehensive fee calculator that considers the time involved, the complexity of the work and the value we expect to add. We also benchmark our fees across our client base and compare them with FCA-published industry averages to help ensure they’re fair.

We provide a premium financial planning service, and our fees reflect the quality and value of that service. We’re not the cheapest planner you’ll find, but we’re certainly not the most expensive either.

Our fees are available to view on our website. To provide an accurate quotation, however, we’ll first need to understand your circumstances, objectives and the support you’re looking for.

Absolutely. Helping clients achieve the best possible retirement outcome is one of our favourite areas of advice. We’ll work with you to understand what you want your retirement to look like and help you plan towards it.

Yes. We believe retirement planning starts with understanding what you want your retirement to look like, not just the financial side. We’ll ask the right questions to get you thinking about your future lifestyle and finances, helping you prepare for the transition into retirement as best we can.

We typically work with clients who have complex financial needs, including business owners and individuals with a lot going on, particularly those in the creative industries. Our friendly and approachable style works well for these clients, and we believe we can add the most value where there are more moving parts to consider.

We do. We work with many clients who are building their wealth and tailor our services to suit their needs and circumstances. We’ll always be honest about whether our service is right for you, and we only take on clients where the value works for both sides.

Yes. Company directors and business owners are a specialist area for us, and we understand the complexities that come with these roles, especially those within the creative industries. This allows us to add value across a range of different areas and provide advice that considers the bigger picture.

We work with both. Retirement is one of the most common financial transitions people experience, and we help clients plan for the years leading up to retirement and support them once they’ve retired.

Of course. Helping clients understand what to do with an inheritance is a fundamental part of the estate planning service we provide. We encourage clients to think about these decisions early and consider how an inheritance fits alongside their wider financial plan.

Yes. We help business owners who are considering a sale as well as those who have already sold, ideally working with them as early as possible. We help bridge the gap between the sale of a business and their personal financial needs, working alongside other professionals such as accountants, tax advisers, M&A consultants and solicitors where appropriate.

Yes. We understand that dealing with finances after a bereavement can feel overwhelming at an already difficult time. We help take away some of the burden and provide support to ensure the people and priorities that matter are looked after.

We work with all three, but we have particular experience helping business owners. This is where we often feel we can add the most value due to the complexity and range of decisions involved.

We can advise non-UK residents in certain circumstances. If you’re in this situation, the best thing to do is have a conversation with us so we can understand your circumstances and confirm whether we can help.

Absolutely. We’ll help you understand what you already have and whether your existing investments and pensions are supporting your longer-term ambitions. Where needed, we’ll help you consider whether any changes could improve your overall financial plan.

No. We don’t work purely based on how much you have invested or earn. While we do have a minimum ongoing fee, we’ll consider your individual circumstances and the advice you need to determine whether we can help.

Yes. We only recommend investments that qualify for protection under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

We have a rigorous advice process designed to help prevent issues from arising, and we quality check our work throughout and after advice has been provided. If something does go wrong, we’ll work to put it right wherever possible, and any complaints can be made by post, telephone, email or message and will be handled professionally and appropriately.

We take the security of your information seriously. We hold the relevant data protection certifications and use cybersecurity standards equivalent to the National Cyber Security Centre’s Cyber Essentials requirements, with your information held securely through a back-office system that holds ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications.

Yes. We hold the professional indemnity (PI) insurance required by the FCA, along with other relevant insurance policies for our business and the work we carry out.

You can view our company and individual authorisations on the FCA Register. This provides details of our regulatory status and the permissions we hold.

Understanding what our clients think is really important to us. We send simple questionnaires before and after review meetings to understand what’s on their minds, whether we’ve addressed their concerns and where we can continue to improve.