It is a conversation many people quietly have with themselves, long before they ever raise it with us.

“Have I left it too late?”

We’d like to share a story with you that originated back in 1963 when published by the German writer, Heinrich Böll. It’s a very short story, but perfectly captures one of the key messages that we stress with our clients.

We were asked this question recently by a client to whom we were recommending a Specified Illness policy. Our answer was that should she suffer one of the serious illnesses covered by the policy, she was preventing financial concerns being heaped upon the worries she would have about her health, at the time of trying to get better. Not having to worry about money would be invaluable at that time of significant stress.   The “cost” of the policy would be the premiums paid for no monetary return, should she avoid a serious illness - that would otherwise undermine her quality of life - for the duration of the policy. 

As our clients move through different stages of their financial lives, a noticeable shift tends to occur. The focus gradually evolves from immediate financial needs toward longer-term planning, particularly around retirement and increasingly, the efficient transfer of wealth to the next generation.

Over the years, in conversations with our clients across Ireland, I’ve noticed something subtle but important.

Very few people actually set out saying, “I want to have the biggest possible investment portfolio.” What they say instead is, “I want to feel secure.” Or, “I’d like to slow down at 60.” Or, “I want to help the children, but not at the expense of our own lifestyle.” Or simply, “I don’t want to worry about money.”

Yet somewhere along the way, financial planning sometimes can drift into a different objective of simply accumulating more. More in the pension, in investments, just looking for a higher return.

“More” is a dangerous goal, because it has no natural finish line.

If you’ve changed jobs a few times, worked abroad for a spell, or moved from PAYE employment into self-employment, there’s a decent chance you have one or more “forgotten” pensions sitting quietly in the background. In Ireland, the UK and further afield, workplace pensions are often set up automatically and then left behind when you move on. Years later, people remember “I had something with that employer”, but the paperwork is gone, the provider has merged, and the pension becomes an afterthought.

In today’s world, information has never been more available. At the tap of a screen, we can access market updates, investment tips, AI-generated forecasts and a constant stream of financial opinions through social media, podcasts and online forums. While this flood of information can feel empowering, it has also made one thing clearer than ever: good financial outcomes are rarely achieved through information alone.

As we settle into 2026, many households are looking for ways to strengthen their finances, reduce any money-related stresses, and make real progress toward long-term goals. After several years of pretty buoyant markets, higher inflation and some important tax changes, it’s a good time to take stock and reset.

Every year, the Budget brings a mix of progress and frustration for Irish savers, investors and business owners. Budget 2026 was no different, delivering some small steps forward, but also many issues still left unaddressed.

One of the foremost writers in the personal finance space today is Morgan Housel, author of the bestselling book The Psychology of Money and many essays under The Collaborative Fund blogs. He has also contributed widely to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. We like his writing because his advice is usually simple and practical and applies to us all!

Retirement is one of life’s biggest transitions. After decades of working, saving, and building towards this milestone, many people focus on the financial aspects - pensions, tax efficiency, and investment strategy. While these are essential, true retirement planning goes beyond money. It’s about preparing for how you’ll live, not just how you’ll fund it.

For many people in Ireland, the 31st of October looms each year as the critical self-assessment tax deadline. Whether you’re a PAYE worker with additional income or self-employed, it’s the date by which you must file your tax return and pay any balance owed. But while most associate this date purely with taxes, it’s also very relevant for pensions, and understanding why can make a real difference to both your retirement savings and your tax bill.

It is probably fair to say that we know instinctively that consumers achieve better outcomes when they get financial advice. But maybe it’s also fair to say that sometimes we can be remiss in placing hard numbers on this.

We were asked recently by a client about how best to introduce financial planning to their adult children in their 20’s, as they didn’t really “get” what it was all about. So here are our thoughts…  

The world is a nervy place at the moment, with many people worried about the impact of tariffs and the chaos that has ensued around the globe. All of this has caused a lot of uncertainty in the economic world, and if there's one thing stock markets don't react well to, it is uncertainty. As a a result, we've seen sharp falls in markets and a lot of volatility in recent weeks. 

We thought it might be useful to step back a little bit and review the value that we bring to our clients, in order to make sure we’re meeting your needs as much as we possibly can. We identified ways in which we enrich the lives of our clients and ended up with quite a long list! We then came up with the brainwave of narrowing down this list and sharing with you 10 ways in which we can help you to improve your lifestyle.

At the turn of this century, yes 25 years ago, it was a stated aim of government to simplify the pensions landscape in Ireland. There was clear recognition then that the range of pensions schemes had mushroomed, and it was time to help consumers by making the whole area of pensions easier to understand.

“Planning brings the future into the present so you can do something about it now.” Alan Lakein.