Matthew Aitchison

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Ill health

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Mat helped explain all options and how to manage them clearly and comprehensively and was always mindful and extremely considerate of our circumstances.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Definitely

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

My partner and my self needed the professional advice and guidance on setting up a pension fund

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Most certainly his guidance and professional service has been outstanding

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Most certainly with warmth and compation and a really sound advice

What could they have done better?

I don't think anything could have been done more

Please provide a brief comment about your experience with Matthew

Matthew really listened to our concerns and understood what was important to us financially. There was no pressure to do anything and his suggestions were definitely aligned to our needs.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

We were looking for financial planning supporting focusing on retirement. We were recommended to meet Matthew by friends.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matthew has been hugely helpful in supporting us creating an appropriate financial plan and asking question to help guide us to a highly personalised solution.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

We are now close to our retirement goals and we plan is coming to fruition. But the anpproach still anllows for flexibility if & when we change our minds. Our discussions are usually good fun too - how often can you say that about financial planning!

What could they have done better?

Nothing so far!

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Matthew was initially recommended by my solicitor to help with pension advice as I approach retirement

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matthew has provided all the advice I needed on specific pension queries but also on a much broader overview of my current financial situation and how that fits with future plans and goals

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

I have found the exercise a hugely beneficial process - Matthew has really helped me cut through all the detail and be in a position to understand my current and future financial position much more easily and consider options in line with my goals. He was able to explain complex financial information particularly on current investment products and pensions and despite having a financial background myself, he was a mine of information on personal finance including tax implications. He's really approachable and customer service has been excellent.

What could they have done better?

Can't think of anything!

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Wanted to retire early, but was unsure when we could retire whilst maintaining our current lifestyle

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

He analysed our financial situation and modelled various scenarios to help us to determine the next steps and investments required. He also gave a clear overview when we could expect to retire, the financial implications and projected incomes from retiring until end of life

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes, one of us has been able to retire at 56, whilst everything is in place for the other to retire at their chosen age of 60

What could they have done better?

To be honest, nothing. The level of service we received was exceptional and that is why we are continuing to trust Matthew to handle our financial affairs going forward.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

We were looking to make our money work for us, and Matthew was able to advise us with lots of options

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

He helped us with various options on how to make our money work for us

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

We entered into a long term investment so nothing has come to fruition yet

What could they have done better?

Nothing

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

We wanted to ensure we would have enough money in later life

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matthew did a thorough search on all of our pensions, from previous companies and where possible bought them together

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Our requirements are long term, as we are not near retirement

What could they have done better?

Nothing, Matthew makes everything very clear, he is extremely dilligant

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

retirement is approaching and some of my investments were not performing well

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Planned various retirement scenarios bit in terms of timesclae and how to achieve what we want. Move investments to a more appropriate basis

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

So far, yes. We have a good idea of how we can afford retirement

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Coming up to retirement my wife and I needed to seek advice on the best way to organise our finances going forward. We had various pension pots and cash deposits which we had accumulated but had not properly formulated a proper financial plan or investment strategy.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matt encouraged us to set lifestyle objectives and carry out a financial risk assessment to ensure we had considered all angles. He then advised us on the best financial course of action to meet our objectives. He is very personable and easy to deal with, as well as being very knowledgeable on all aspects of financial planning and management.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

We engaged with Matt this time last year to set a plan and executed the investment stage in H1 2022. We were happy with all of Matt's recommendations and accepted that these were for longer term benefit. Volatility in the markets in H2 2022 has made an early judgment difficult but we trust the advice that Matt gave us.

What could they have done better?

Nothing comes to mind. We felt the whole service to date has been excellent

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

A change in my work/employment status to self-employed meant I needed some guidance around pensions and financial and retirement planning.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matt was recommended by a colleague. He is approachable, balanced, independent and pro-active.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

So far!

What could they have done better?

Nothing.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

We were concerned that we weren't getting enough of the right advice from our existing advisor.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Yes, in terms of looking at a long term plan and what to do now.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Too early to tell.

What could they have done better?

Not sure really because it was messy pulling away from our former advisor who was not very professional.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

We wanted to know if we would be financially stable heading towards retirement

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matthew helped us in so many ways, he looked at all of our finances and gave great advice on what to do over the coming years.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Not yet, it’s still early days, we have acted on the advice

What could they have done better?

Nothing,

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Looking to retire a couple of years earlier than the state retirement age. This seemed feasible from my layman’s perspective but we saw the need for professional advice to confirm this and to help us find the most tax efficient route through the pensions minefield. We also had previous personal experience of dealing with lacklustre and negligent service from pension providers and felt the need to have professional support.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Mathew provided some very clear analysis and guidance after having spent several hours discussing in some detail what we wished to achieve, our priorities and our current situation. As part of this ‘voyage of discovery’, Mathew also provided considerable support when, as anticipated, several of our pension providers were less than forthcoming with correct information and were delaying payments.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

In short yes. I would go so far as to say that we wouldn’t have achieved what we were looking for without Mathew’s help and ongoing assistance. There was a period prior to Mathew’s involvement when we were seriously considering postponing our retirement plans however we have now been successfully retired for 3 months.

What could they have done better?

I think it fair to say that, notwithstanding COVID issues affecting pension providers, most issues we encountered were as a result of tardy and incompetent responses from our pension providers. We struggled with this first hand prior to Mathew’s involvement. I don’t believe Mathew could have done any more to improve the service he provided, and continues to provide.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Reduncancies occurred at work which would leave me in a situation at work that I was not comfortable with.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

He developed a retirement plan and gave me confidence that I could afford to retire without significant impact in my lifestyle.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

So far, although it is early days.

What could they have done better?

Nothing as yet.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Due to the evolution of our business interests over the years, we had a disjointed series of pensions and financial investments. We required a way of simplifying these without incurring any 'penalties' and then looking at future investments to add to the portfolio.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matthew provided the clarity we needed to enable us to make good decisions with out existing pensions and investments. In some cases this meant doing nothing, and in others changes were recommended. Matthew's honest and concise way of presenting information made the whole process an enjoyable one. In addition to this, we now have access to an online platform providing us with as much or as little information as required.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

We are still in the early stages of investing (less than 12 months), so it is too early to comment.

Please provide a brief comment about your experience with Matthew

I only had an initial get-acquainted meeting with Matthew but he seemed very professional and took time to answer my questions in detail and to explain how he works and what to expect.

This review is a follow-up review from a client who left a review previously.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you since your last review?

Very efficient updates

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Pension advice

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Consolidation and management of our pensions so we know exactly what’s what

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes. Our pensions did well even in the current situation in 2020

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

We had various investments and pensions and were being hounded by investment and pension companies only interested in the transfer/management fees and not us.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matthew consolidated everything for us on one platform and has formulated our retirement plans.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Better than expected growth and I can retire much sooner than expected :) Very good value for money.

What could they have done better?

Nothing ! I am more than happy with Matthew and ClearVision.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Before we got really close to retirement we were wishing to understand if our current pensions would sustain our projected lifestyle well into the future.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matthew took time to listen and understand our request. He then undertook a detailed review of our pension situation. He confirmed that when we reached retirement age our pensions should meet our requirements. However he also suggested an alternative strategy for our approach to pension contributions which could enable us to retire early and still maintain our projected lifestyle. After careful consideration this is what we did.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Most definitely. our early retirement has worked out very well, especially in light on the current pandemic and economic uncertainty. Our portfolio has kept at a steady level.

What could they have done better?

Matthew and his team keep us regularly informed of any forthcoming issues or developments that may affect our portfolio and he is available for meetings/chats at any time.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Previous adviser retired and was looking for an adviser that was not tied to a large company, was local to me and was small enough to give me personal advice.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Met the above criteria, came and discussed requirements, both regarding annuities, then longer term investments. In both cases the recommendations made, plus the potential costs of this advice, seemed very relevant/practical.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes, advice given when needed, projections for future being met, but not pestered to invest more.

What could they have done better?

Not a great deal - all financial advice is subject to your risk aversion status and the vagaries of the political/global situation, so cannot expect "money for nothing".

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Reaching retirement age

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

In many ways - always sound, simple advice whenever requested.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

I cannot think of anything.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

How best to look after my inheritance and planning for retirement.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Very personal and highly rated, on hand to answer e-mail queries.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Oh Yes!

What could they have done better?

Not applicable!

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Early retirement plans and investments.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matthew ascertained our goals and financial needs both now and for the future, worked out how best we can maintain a lifestyle we were comfortable with and recommended financials investment plans we were happy with.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

In the first 6 months ( during Covid 19) our investments with Matthew have grown 6% which I am pleased with.

What could they have done better?

May be each quarter send an email detailing how our investments are performing.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Needed a financial review.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Gave us a very thorough review and made it all clear and used limited jargon.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Only just started on our journey with him.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I went to Matthew after retiring and received clear and pragmatic advice which shaped my pensions futures

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matthew outlined a vision of how pension income could be derived from our reserves and managed the process giving clear advice along the way

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

It's early days but hopefully we are on track to realise our ambitions

What could they have done better?

Matthew was 'hands on' but I found the documentation some of the Transact literature misleading albeit Matthew took time to clarify this.

Please provide a brief comment about your experience with Matthew

Very approachable, knowledgeable and someone you can trust in looking after your finances.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

We wanted to finish work before normal retirement age and start to spend more time travelling and with the family

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matt took time to understand our needs, assess our financial situation both short and long term giving us a comprehensive overview of where we currently are financially, where we could be in the coming years and what needed to happen to help us realize our 'change in lifestyle' objective.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes absolutely - the overall rearrangement of our finances/pensions and the clear plan which Matt has now put in place has allowed my husband and myself to have financial peace of mind and enjoy the next stage in our life together.

What could they have done better?

Nothing

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

We were approaching retirement and needed a third part viewpoint on planning

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

He considered all our options , included disaster planning and made us feel more secure in our decision making.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

We both feel more secure in our planning so yes we do

What could they have done better?

N/a

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

It was the dreaded R word! How healthy were our pensions, would they be better placed elsewhere, what sort of retirement would we be looking at in the future.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matthew was able to give us peace of mind and a greater insight into how much money we actually need for the future we want to pursue. It ‘s all about LIFESTYLE financial planning. He was very helpful, supportive, giving great advice and organising our pensions, savings etc, so that in a few years time we could achieve our goal.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

It’s too early to say, as we haven’t retired yet. Having said that, Matthew has given us greater confidence to embrace the future ahead. We feel the lifestyle we want is achievable and we have Matthew looking after our interests.

What could they have done better?

To be honest, I don’t think there was anything that could have been done differently. Everything was explained in simple terms, so it was so easy to follow. Matthew’s approach to retirement was so refreshing, it was all about lifestyle and the adventure you want to have. It has definitely inspired us to view life in a different, healthier way. Thanks Matthew.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Planning for retirement

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

He helped focus on what we could achieve.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I was under threat of redundancy and needed to understand my position in terms of being able to retire early

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

He put a plan together which meant that I could retire on my current expenditure level were I to lose my job, although the income was at risk of a future market crash.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

It has given me confidence that my wife and I will have the desired level of income for the future, and I don't need to worry about future redundancy threats.

What could they have done better?

I am not aware of anything

Please provide a brief comment about your experience with Matthew

Very upfront.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I was confronting decisions that would impact on my impending life in retirement. Questions as to asset allocation in my SIPP, my need or otherwise to take on investment risk, how to take income in a tax and IHT efficient way, became a daunting challenge, for which I was not qualified to decide. I was therfore looking for an adviser who could identify my current situation and from there provide a pathway to my desired destination, in a totally unbiased and commision free way

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Together we established a level of risk appropiate to my circumstances. A sensible plan to drawdown savings in retirement in a tax efficient manner was discussed. Inheritance tax implications too were considered. Quite unexpectedly, lifestyle planning also became an area we explored.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

I could have planned my financial future to the best of my ability, and have been constantly worried as to whether these decisions were best informed. Matthew has provided me with peace of mind, and I feel confident that the changes implemented will benefit my family and beneficiaries.

What could they have done better?

Our final meeting was intensive but Matthew explained his findings in a way I could easily follow, and the financial review document was detailed. I cannot really suggest any improvement that could be made.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

We are planning to refurbish our home and wanted to think about whether we should use existing savings/assets or re-mortgage in order to fund the refurbishment works. We also wanted to review our financial situation overall and plan our dates of retirement and our children's inheritance.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matthew is great to work with. He took time to understand our situation and our preferences. He is very knowledgeable, approachable and helpful. He definitely 'goes the extra mile for his clients'. In his work with us, he was extremely thoughtful and ethical. He also helpfully keeps you on track with actions in the nicest possible way. Matthew was recommended to us and we took telephone references from 2 other clients before we started working with him. They were also very positive.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

We are still working through all our actions with Matt and so far it is all going to plan.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Forthcoming retirement

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Handled investment of pension and personal savings

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Better than initially expected

What could they have done better?

Difficult to state what he could have done better as his give a personal service tailored to individual needs and circumstances.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Retirement

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Reviewed our finances and made recommendations in line with our risk profile

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

So far so good

Please provide a brief comment about your experience with Matthew

Matthew has convinced me that financial planning is dependant on lifestyle planning.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

We have an ongoing arrangement with Matt who Looks after our protection requirements and reviews our pension and investment provision for retirement income.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matt is fantastic at listening, rather than jumping to solutions that don’t necessarily solve the challenge in hand. Having taken time to understand changes in our circumstances since we last sat down (2 years ago) we were able to agree on a course of action relevant to our needs and that best addressed our long term requirements. Matt also delicately balances advice with realism and delivering difficult messages where we are deviating from plans.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

In the 5 years we’ve been working with Matt we’ve significantly enhanced our financial position through clear goal setting.

What could they have done better?

I’m very happy with the service offered and Matt was knowledgeable, personable and practical as always - were really happy!

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I was approached by too many people offering to transfer my pensions. They were just looking to make money from the transfer fee.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matthew helped by organising all of my investments into one place where required. He also told worked out when when I could retire, sooner than I thought !.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes, I'm on track to retire at 60.

What could they have done better?

All is good.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I was looking for advice after I got a lump sum of money as a result of being made redundant.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

He gave me tax planning advise and recommended an investment plan based on my risk profile.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes - helped with sound financial planning for my future and projections of my financial position for retirement .

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Wished to review plans for retirement.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Set up savings plan and adjusted risk to address desired goals. Has previously taken care of income protection needs.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Currently on track to achieve goal.

What could they have done better?

I’ve always found Matthew to be very professional and easy to work with.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Inheritance Planning and not understanding Pensions.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

By going through pensions and giving me some great advice.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes, as a result of planning, felt I could reduce my full time work and have more time to myself.

What could they have done better?

Nothing! I was lucky to choose matthew who is one of the highest rated Financial Advisors and lives locally as well, so arranging visits was no issue.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I was conscious that I needed some good advice on long term financial planning as I am approaching the retirement zone and Mathew was highly recommended by someone I trusted.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

A complete review of my wife and my pension plans, advice on investment options and providing a good vision of how the financial road ahead will look and where to make any adjustments needed.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

So far so good yes!.

What could they have done better?

Nothing that springs to mine for me. Matthew offers a transparent, friendly and reassuring service to me and the wife.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

We required help to manage our properties & money & for inheritance planning.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Sensible, sound advice. Helped us to make Very good investment choices.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes, we feel that as our family circumstances have changed investment outcomes have been changed to suit our plans, on his sound advice.

What could they have done better?

We have been very satisfied with the advice he has given.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

We had received poor service from another financial adviser and needed reliable advice on investments and our income and capital needs in retirement.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matthew helps on an ongoing basis with a thorough annual review and he also responds when we have occasional specific advice. He started with a comprehensive investigation of our requirements and our attitude to risk, which I thought was a fundamental requirement. I like Matthew's approach which is measured to ensure that we are clear on all aspects of his reports and his suggestions.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes.

What could they have done better?

On occasions the cumulative figures in Matthew's written reports were not summarised to my satisfaction. However he responded and presented the data more clearly.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Weighing up the prospect of retiring.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

He gives sound advice on our pension situation and future financial prospects, and is always there when we have a query.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes - peace of mind!.

What could they have done better?

Nothing that I can think of.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I was looking for expert, independent advice on what my best retirement options were.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Yes, most definitely. Matthew took time to understand my priorities and objectives, following which he produced a detailed report on my options and made suggestions and recommendations as to my best solution.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes, if anything the current outcome is better.

What could they have done better?

I feel that I receive an excellent service currently and during our annual reviews we discuss minor suggestions which might be improvements or not

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I was coming up to my potential retirement date, and our affairs are not simple because my wife is self-employed and because we have an overseas property.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

He took great care to research and understand what we wanted to happen in the rest of our lives, including helping us to think about many aspects that we hadn't even considered. He developed, and explained to us, several different scenarios for the future. He investigated and helped us to understand our attitudes to risk. He spent a lot of time explaining the choices open to us, not only those that are obviously financial. He helped us come up with long-term plans, and most importantly he left us confident that we will be able to cope, and indeed do reasonably well, financially with just about anything predictable that might turn up in the rest of our lives.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

His recommendations were clear and precise, and met our needs, and he made sure we understood them. So far things have gone well to plan, and we have a continuing relationship so that we can review things in the future in the light of changing circumstances. We are both very happy with where Matt's advice has led us.

What could they have done better?

We really can't think of anything he might have done better.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Wanting to make the best use of redundancy pay and pension lump sum to fund a comfortable retirement.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matthew prepared a detailed plan in line with my requirements and objectives and he provided advice which has been of enormous benefit. He is also very responsive to requests for advice throughout the year.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

I now have a very comfortable retirement. The financial plan developed for me by Matthew has performed well and his ongoing advice has been very helpful.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Initially I wished for good pension and retirement advice bearing in mind annuity rates were getting lower and lower. Then, following the banking crisis and diminishing interest rates on cash investments I needed further advice.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Matthew did a full analysis of my finances and, taking into consideration risk levels for various investments, gave a detailed report with recommendations for appropriate investments.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

I am very happy with the outcome in that I am getting a return on my investments which are ahead of inflation. The pension advice has been sound and Matthew has taken steps to ensure I will get maximum benefit from my pension savings with the minimum of administration costs.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Approaching retirement and concerns over value of existing providers.

How has Matthew Aitchison helped you?

Reviewing existing earnings savings and investments, making helpful proposals, executing an investment plan.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes. Matthew is very good at what he does. He is approachable and friendly, and ensures we have regular review meetings at locations convenient to my wife and me.

What could they have done better?

I am struggling to think of any improvements Matthew could make.