Sam Colby Butcher

Review from verified client

March, 2024

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

Security

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

Gaining financial perspective

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Work in progress

What could they have done better?

Don’t know

Sam's reply

Thank you for taking the time to leave me a review. Best wishes, Sam.

Review from verified client

October, 2023

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

Looking to retire sooner rather than later.

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

Sam gave us a clear forward thinking plan of what we should do regarding our finances. Plans are in place already.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Not yet financially but it’s certainly a positive step.

What could they have done better?

They were extremely helpful from start to finish, Sam & the team .

Review from verified client

September, 2023

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

We wanted a clear and accurate picture of our current finances as well as future projections. With education costs and retirement savings to plan for, we both wanted a better understanding of our finances. We also felt we were not investing in the most efficient way possible and needed advice on this.

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

Sam has been instrumental and so helpful in clarifying our financial picture. Sam has also saved us money on an ongoing basis by pointing out areas in our savings that were not as efficient as they could be, as well as areas of un-utilised areas of tax saving.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes absolutely, we are better off! Our savings and investments are now working harder for us to yield a better return in all areas. Also we feel more in control having a better understanding of where our money is and what it is doing. We also feel more reassured being able to see the bigger long term picture with our finances.

What could they have done better?

We don't feel like there has been anything missing or anything that should have been done differently

Sam's reply

Thank you for your considered review and I'm delighted with how things have gone so far. You've taken my advice and become more tax efficient and reduced the risk in your investments. It has taken time but you are now in a considerably better financial position and better placed for whatever the world throws at you in the future. And we've managed to have a laugh along the way!

Review from verified client

September, 2023

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

Many years ago I realised that I needed to do better than inflation with our returns and that the only way forward was via the stock market.

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

Sam keeps us focused on the long term with advice and guidance for our finances even if he doesn’t profit from this advice.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes overall we are in a better position financially then we would have been without Sam’s guidance. It’s not just about investments it’s about ensuring that we have the resources to enable us to have a stable base going into our retirement.

What could they have done better?

If they could have prevented us from having downturns in our investments it would have been perfect but I know that there will always be potholes in our journey which Sam and his team have steered us through.

Review from verified client

August, 2023

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

We have been with Sam's firm for over 30 years. Sam took over as our advisor when the previous owner retired some years ago.

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

Sam provides advice as when required during the year and consolidates with an annual financial review.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes.

What could they have done better?

Nothing. All good.

Sam's reply

Many thanks for your review. It is a pleasure to have you as clients and we are very grateful for your long standing custom. The annual planning meetings are a major part of our ongoing service. We ensure that any tax allowances are utilised and see if any improvements can be made. I'm glad these regular check-ups continue to reassure and provide comfort and confidence in your finances.

Review from verified client

July, 2023

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

I have been a client of Fortitude for nearly 30 years. My initial contact was to start planning for the future and to ensure that I was doing the best for my investments and money management.

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

Sam, and the rest of the Fortitude team over the years, have helped me to implement and continue to maintain the right money management strategy for me and my desired lifestyle.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Without question, yes! I have the confidence and reassurance for the future and it's enabled me to make very informed decisions about my money and lifestyle.

What could they have done better?

Nothing.

Sam's reply

Thank you for your kind words. Making informed decisions is what it's all about! And consistently making good financial decisions compounds over time and provides financial security and resilience. You are a fantastic example of this and it's great for me to be able to contribute to your continued success.

Review from verified client

July, 2023

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

Help with understanding retirement finances.

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

I came away with a much better understanding of how my retirement will be financed, some clear recommendations and general reassurance.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes.

Review from verified client

April, 2023

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

We have been clients of Fortitude for many years and Sam took over our affairs when Neil Bailey retired.

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

Sam has a very calm and empathetic manner and listens patiently and intently before offering options and guidance. He was particularly helpful in assisting us to think through whether help to our daughter to buy her first home should be a loan or a gift. We would highly recommend him.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

Nothing

Sam's reply

Thank you for leaving this review for me and it is a pleasure to work with you. I often get asked about the best ways to help children and grandchildren financially. There are pros and cons to all options and it is best to be clear about these before doing anything.

Review from verified client

March, 2023

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

On turning 50 years old and thinking about moving home, my wife and I wanted to get a wholistic picture of our finances

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

Sam C-B helped consolidate everything, so we could see the total picture; putting a a financial plan in place

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Very much so

What could they have done better?

Nothing comes to mind....

Sam's reply

Thank you for your review. It has been a pleasure to work with you and help you see the whole picture and put a plan in place.

Review from verified client

March, 2023

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

We have been clients of Fortitude for many years

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

Detailed preparation and confidence in our financial life for the next year, and more generally for future years

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

Sam's reply

Thank you for the review. It has been a pleasure to become your lead adviser and continue the good work of my predecessor. I'm sure we can continue to provide you with confidence in your financial life for many more years!

Review from verified client

March, 2023

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

I needed advice on choosing a pension scheme

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

Sam has provided advice in relation to our pensions, investments and life goals, and has monitored our financial position and circumstances generally.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes.

What could they have done better?

Nothing I am aware of.

Sam's reply

Thank you for the review. It is a pleasure to be your lead adviser at Fortitude and to make sure you stay on track to meet your life goals and take advantage of any tax planning opportunities along the way.

Review from verified client

March, 2023

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

Through my husband's pension requirements

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

He has advised us on pensions and investments, and monitored our financial position generally

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

Nothing that I'm aware of

Sam's reply

Thank you for the review. It is a pleasure to advise you both.

Review from verified client

March, 2023

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

Having never been involved with stocks and shares before it made sense to find a financial advisor. We started with Neil and Helen Bailey some 20 plus years ago and have seen our finances stabilise and grow from our investments.

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

Sam has been a stabilising influence when the markets were losing money and we were panicking. He keeps an eye on the big picture and if we are on track for our needs in retirement.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

We knew we had enough money to retire early but were unsure if it would last. Thanks to Sam we are still in a strong position.

What could they have done better?

Never had let our investments fall. This is pie in the sky but with the right investment strategy we come back to a stable footing.

Sam's reply

Thank you for taking the time to leave this review. It has been a pleasure to take over as your lead advisor at Fortitude and continue the good work of Neil and Helen. I wish we has a crystal ball for predicting market falls but instead we focus on the things we can control and help develop resilient financial plans which can cope with whatever the world throws at us.

Review from verified client

March, 2023

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

We decided a finacial adviser was essential when I decided to become self-employed.

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

Sam has always been approachable, friendly and knowledgable, giving advice that I understand.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes.

What could they have done better?

Nothing I can think of.

Sam's reply

Thank you for taking the time to leave this review. I'm pleased to hear that I've been able to explain things clearly. The financial services industry can be very complex and confusing at times. It is so important to understand what is important and what is just noise.

Review from verified client

March, 2023

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

I wanted to work with someone who would take an holistic approach to my finances, particularly pensions, ensuring that they were appropriately invested and matched my risk profile. I was concerned that I did not have a clear investment strategy and wasn't certain that this would be the best for my long term financial health.

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

Sam is very straightforward to work with, putting things into laymen's terms wherever necessary. He regularly assesses my risk profile and determines whether any changes to investments or pension investments need to be made, particularly as I approached retirement. He is practical and realistic in terms of ongoing financial needs.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Investments have not increased in quite the way I would have hoped but I recognise that this is largely down to the markets in the last 12-18 months and the defensive strategy that I have taken, which means it has been disproportionately affected. I continue to trust that he is as well-placed as anyone to advise on my investments.

What could they have done better?

That's not something I could assess, other than stating that I would have preferred that my investments had been less impacted by market change in 2022.

Review from verified client

March, 2023

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

I had 5 different pensions with various companies, 3 of which provided very little detail on performance, clarity of fees and what the overall value of my pension was.

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

Sam helped find out exactly the value of each plan, how I could save on fees and then use that to plan for early retirement and our financial future.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

In short Sam’s advice has been invaluable and we are now enjoying a retirement that I had not realised was possible when I first contacted Sam.

What could they have done better?

In my opinion there is nothing Sam could have done to improve his service and advice to my wife and I. He is an excellent adviser and I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone looking to take control of their pensions and financial planning.

Sam's reply

Thank you Simon. I appreciate your kind words and I look forward to catching up soon.

Review from verified client

March, 2023

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

Transferring work pension to sipp.

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

Sam is my current advisor, he is always friendly and really easy to talk to and offers very sound and structured options based on my expectations.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes mostly, current market forces have affected the growth I would have liked but I understand how these work.

What could they have done better?

Nothing I am quite happy.

Sam's reply

Thank you Ricky. I appreciate you taking the time to leave this review for me. Best wishes, Sam.

Review from verified client

March, 2023

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

We have been with Fortitude since the beginning and thankfully we sought advice while in mid careers.

How has Sam Colby Butcher helped you?

Sam knows and understands our requirements for retirement and understands my total risk averse attitude.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes we have.

What could they have done better?

Move to Devon when we did :)

Sam's reply

Thank you Dee. I'll put in a request to move the company to Devon and let you know!