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Insights from the Smart Financial team

A Quick Guide to Business Continuity Planning

Each month, we put your most pressing financial planning questions to our CEO Steve Martin and COO Dr Mark Todman, in our Ask Smart Financial blog series. If you’d like expert advice from Steve or Mark simply tweet us using #AskSmartFinancial, email us or even add your question as a comment below and we’ll blog the answer in a future … Read More

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2 minute read
Can I Sell My Business On My Own?

There’s a short answer to this question – yes, of course. The longer answer is yes…but can you ensure the best selling price, the smoothest transition and the avoidance of legal or tax implications? Prepare Early Firstly, whether you want to sell your business alone or with the help of a specialist, you should plan your exit in good time. … Read More

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2 minute read
3 Compelling Reasons You Need a Business Continuity Plan

Running a business is a very involved process, and can take most of your attention on a day-to-day basis. You may not even have thought about what would happen if you suddenly became incapacitated to the point you couldn’t run your business for a period of time – or permanently. What if, for example, you suddenly became seriously ill and … Read More

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2 minute read
Meeting the Challenge of Succession Planning for Law Firms

The law firm landscape is one of the most rapidly-changing in the UK today. If your firm, like many, is a smaller practice with four or fewer partners, you’re at risk of disappearing as small firms are swallowed up by larger firms with lots of capital available, wanting to grab a bigger slice of the market. What do these challenges … Read More

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2 minute read
Are You Taking a Christmas Break From Your Business?

The Christmas holiday can be a happy but stressful time. With the personal demands of socialising, gift-buying and hosting family, the thought of keeping your business going at the same time might feel daunting. For some business owners, taking a break feels like a luxury you can’t afford, but the truth is, the greatest gift you can give yourself (and your business) … Read More

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2 minute read
What is the Financial Planning Process?

Would you like to get your finances in order, but aren’t sure where to start? Do you struggle with making decisions about how best to spend and save your money so that your future needs are met? Financial planning is the key to ending this indecision but if you haven’t sought lifestyle financial planning advice before, you may wonder exactly … Read More

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3 minute read
Podcast: The Fifth Stage of the Financial Planning Process

Our five-part series of podcasts supporting Financial Planning Week with a look at the financial planning process, finishes today. In our fifth podcast of the week, Smart Financial CEO Steve Martin talks to Andrew Neligan, CFP with Informed Choice about the final stage of the process. Listen to Steve and Andrew talk about what you can expect at this meeting, commonly referred … Read More

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1 minute read
Podcast: The Third Stage of the Financial Planning Process

We’re delighted to be supporting Financial Planning Week, with a five-part series of podcasts based on the five stages of financial planning, to really open up the process and be transparent about what clients can expect. In our third podcast this week, Smart Financial CEO Steve Martin talks to Certified Financial Planner and founder of Navigator FP, David Crozier. The third step in the … Read More

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1 minute read
Exit Planning for Your Family Business

Running your own business can be empowering and liberating, and if you work with family, the sense of shared achievement can be wonderful. Where things can get more difficult, is when it comes to thinking about your exit. If you want to transition ownership to family, the exit planning process may carry additional pitfalls. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate You’ve got a … Read More

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2 minute read