Five minutes with...Clear Cut Financial Planning

Situated in the picturesque grounds of Inglewood Manor in Ledsham, Cheshire, Clear Cut specialise in wealth management, pension and retirement planning, inheritance tax planning and mortgage and protection advice. 

Grab a cuppa and read on to see how they have been living the Chartered Ethos. 

How long has your firm been Chartered?  

We are celebrating our 10th year of being Chartered! 

Why is Chartered status important to your business?  

We don’t just see it as a badge of honour – it’s an ongoing commitment to standards, professionalism, and trust, which are integral to us at Clear Cut.  

To highlight how important it is to our staff, clients, and stakeholders, we recorded a video. 

What initiative has the organisation been involved in which has had a social impact/corporate social responsibility focus on?  

Diversity and inclusion are at the core of Clear Cut. We have created a 'Women & Money' sub-brand with the mission to empower, educate and support - through community events and tailored information.  

Each year we celebrate International Women’s Day by hosting an in-person event where we have covered various topics such as socially responsible investing, retirement planning and vulnerability.  

As well as this, we have created a separate website as a platform where we can provide specific education on different challenges women may face throughout life (we call them life’s wobbles)! 

How do you ensure your employees remain at the forefront of their profession?  

To become Chartered we have a Chartered graduate pathway in place – which we are really proud of! In the last 10 years we have taken on 10 graduates without prior industry experience, with a pathway to become Chartered Financial Planners, Technical Paraplanners and other roles.  

Charlotte, for example, became one of the youngest female Chartered Financial Planners, aged 26. You can learn more about our graduate scheme here.  

To remain at the forefront of the profession, we have a mixture of policies to support exam studies, CPD (Continuing Professional Development) events, external training, and financial incentives. We encourage the team by celebrating exam passes and communicate this to our clients/stakeholders through monthly newsletters. 

How have you implemented the CII (Chartered Insurance Institute) Code of Ethics into your business?  

The Chartered Code of Ethics are ingrained into everything we do. From acting within the best interests of each client, providing a high standard of service, and treating every person fairly. 

What advice would you give a firm who is considering applying to become Chartered?  

Chartered is a fantastic commitment to exceptional standards, and the professionalism gained will be well received from your clients and professional connections. One piece of advice would be to enjoy the journey! Celebrate every exam pass with your team and communicate that internally as well as with your clients, professional connections, and stakeholders. 

If you would like to learn more about Corporate Chartered status, visit our dedicated page.