Our Process
Ethical Futures have a transparent process from initial enquiry through to on-going advice
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1
Initial Client Enquiry
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2
Initial Meeting
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3
Service Selection
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4
Agreement to Proceed
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5
Service delivery
Enquiries can be made by phone, email, in person or in writing. Our offices are open 9 – 5 most days and our friendly team will try to answer any initial questions that you may have. If you need to speak to an adviser, we'll try to do so – or will arrange to call you back at a convenient time.
Action
- Book meeting
- Ethical Futures send info pack to client
- Client prepares initial information for meeting
Our initial meetings are free of charge. Meetings are usually held at our offices in Mansfield Place, Edinburgh. However, if a meeting at the office is not practical, we'll try to arrange to meet you at your home, office or other convenient venue. We can also do Skype, Facetime or telephone meetings if preferred.
Action
- Discuss your needs
- Gather initial information
- Explain our services & costs
Our core services represent the key elements of the financial advice process. During our initial meeting, we'll explain how they work and what's involved in each. They can be used individually as a standalone service or combined to undertake a more detailed approach to financial planning and advice.
Action
- Give guidance on suitable services
- Explain costs and process
- Client confirms services required
Once you have decided the services you require, we ask you to formally engage us. This is the stage at which we both make a commitment to each other – any work that we then undertake for you will be subject to the agreed initial fee.
Action
- EF sends letter of engagement to client
- EF requests any supplementary information required
- Client returns engagement letter and information required.
Once you have engaged our services – then we'll get to work for you. The time it takes will vary from case to case, dependent upon complexity and availability of information. Normally advice will take between 4 – 8 weeks from date of engagement.
Action
Data gathering, analysis and research,
Prepare a solution
Comprehensive written report with recommendations
Present and discuss our recommendations
Submit and administer (as required)
Service Selection
Having set a strategy in place, we think that it's important to ensure that you remain on course. We suggest that this is done by way of a regular financial planning review.
We offer an ongoing fund monitoring service where we review investment & pension funds and discretionary services recommended by Ethical Futures for changes in performance, management or ethical criteria.
Review every 3 months and post updates to you by email and on our website.
Annual Review Service aims to make sure the actions we’ve taken are still right for you. We’ll schedule an annual face to face meeting with you to review your existing investments and policies (both ethically and financially) and consider how they fit into your current and future plans.