Christopher Masters

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

I wanted to ensure that I had adequate financial security when I retired. I was looking for financial advisers for work (I'm an HR Manager) and Chris was one of the people I spoke with. He was able to explain details at a level I understood, with no pomposity or demeaning attitude which I had come across previously. When I left that company, I continued with Chris as a personal client of his. That was 10-15 years ago! He is certainly someone I would recommend.

How has Christopher Masters helped you?

He helped to define what my pension would look like when I retire. So based on my lifestyle and desires for the future then provided guidance on what I should be paying as a minimum. He was also able to suggest a better area for me to invest my pension pot based on my risk averse level. Also provided advice, support and guidance when I needed to drawdown some of my pension when my late hubby had a stroke, so that we could install a safer bathroom and stairlift.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Not retired yet and I hope that the levels on the stock markets recover for everyone following the Covid 19 pandemic.

What could they have done better?

For me he has been really supportive and given appropriate guidance for my requirements.

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

We wanted to plan for our future and have a specific goal for retirement, but had no idea how to put this into action and who we could trust to help us.

How has Christopher Masters helped you?

Chris met us on numerous occasions, firstly he wanted to get to know us and understand our plans and personal goals. He went through all our finances in depth, and informed us of different options to consider, these were explained in a clear and concise way that we understood, and he knew exactly how we felt towards risk versus rewards. We had numerous pensions with companies and savings that weren't being utilised effectively, so Chris consolidated all our pension plans, and we now have investments and life insurance policies, plus a will and power of attorney, none of this could have been done without his involvement and guidance.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Absolutely, in fact the results we have seen so far have exceeded our expectations, we now have a plan for our retirement, and with regular reviews and online portal access we can monitor our portfolio with ease.

What could they have done better?

You feel compelled to make a suggestion in this section, but we do not have any.

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

I needed to arrange my finances under an umbrella that would be clear and concise. My finances were held in a number of funds and portfolios and it was extremely difficult to get a clear picture of what was going on.

How has Christopher Masters helped you?

Chris helped me gather all of this information and advised me how to improve my returns, gave me a number of strategies on how to get better returns on investments and how to manage my pension and mortgage affairs. His advice has been very valuable.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Essentially we has setup a strategy for the next 5 - 8 years and I think we were on plan. I trust his judgement because I have worked on both the buy and sell side of the financial industry and we speak the same language. I have been impressed with the depth of his knowledge and his straightforward approach. As I say I think we were on track. The Covid 19 pandemic has put a wrench into everyone’s financial planning at the moment. I believe Chris has sound judgement and is a safe pair of hands. Our plan was for a specified period and was showing good value. It is too early in the plan to assess outcomes especially in the event of the current pandemic.

What could they have done better?

At the end of the day the value is all in the results. I like Chris. I trust him. We had a long term plan which I aim to see out. I find his advice to be sound and I see no reason for criticism at this stage. However I would like to discuss ESG funds with him and whether that will now form the basis of something we could add to the investments in light of the pandemic. I’d just like to know whether he would consider that to be a viable option in the light of what we have set out to achieve.

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

We wanted to get a handle on our finances and ensure that we were saving enough for retirement.

How has Christopher Masters helped you?

Chris undertook a cashflow analysis of our income, expenditure, savings and pensions which has helped us to see where we stand. More importantly, Chris identified and explained options for our retirement which we wouldn't have known about. Each time we 'check-in' with Chris to discuss our finances and whether we're on track to achieve our goals, he always has suggestions for different ways of doing things. Most importantly, we feel confident about our finances and our spending.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

We got the outcome we were hoping for - and more. We were resigned to the fact that we'd probably be working well into our sixties, and whilst we're a long way from retiring just yet, we're relieved to know that there are alternative options available to us.

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

I was recently widowed and needed to consolidate my pension pot and organise investments for my and my children’s future.

How has Christopher Masters helped you?

He helped me review my current situation, consider my timelines for planning for the mid-term and longer term future. He assessed my approach to investing so that he could tailor his recommendations to my risk profile. Chris is very easy to talk to, did not make me feel self conscious about what I had and hadn’t considered previously and I felt very comfortable with the plans I now have in place.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

It’s early days and Covid hasn’t helped but I am confident that we’ve organised my finances well.