“The details and the data they can give you just helps you make the decisions.” – Graham
Graham and Carole’s relationship with Reeves started long before retirement was on their radar.
They first met Nigel when they were in their 30s, when they had two young children and were focused on the more immediate priorities of family life. At that stage, pensions were not something they were thinking much about. Their relationship with Reeves began with mortgages and life assurance, and developed over the years as their circumstances changed.
That long-term relationship became particularly valuable when Graham’s circumstances changed and he began thinking more seriously about his pensions and what they meant for his family’s future.
When pensions became part of the conversation
After Graham was made redundant and later started his own business, retirement planning became much more relevant.
He had built up several pension arrangements, including final salary schemes and money purchase pensions. As he started to think about what would happen to those pensions, he also began considering what they would mean for Carole and their children.
One of the things that mattered to Graham was what would happen to the pensions if something happened to both him and Carole. He wanted to understand the arrangements properly and make sure the money was structured in a way that worked for their family.
That led to a much deeper conversation with Reeves.
Graham describes Nigel as doing a great deal of work to understand the situation and help navigate what was, at the time, a complicated process. Some of the decisions required specialist advice and careful consideration, particularly around the couple’s final salary schemes.
Making the transition from saving to spending
Over time, the focus of their relationship with Reeves changed again.
It was no longer simply about putting money into pensions and building wealth. Graham and Carole had retired, with Graham retiring at 55, and they needed to start thinking about how they could actually use the money they had accumulated.
For Graham, this is one of the things he values most about the relationship with Reeves.
As your circumstances change, the questions change too. The person helping you build your pension needs to understand what happens when you eventually start taking money out.
“The one thing that you benefit from is you move from talking to someone when you’re putting money in and talking to someone different when your money’s coming out.”
For Graham and Carole, having someone who understood their history and could use the detail of their financial position to help them make decisions gave them confidence as they entered this next stage.
Advice that has changed with their lives
Their plans have not stayed fixed.
Through their regular conversations with Reeves, Graham and Carole have gradually changed how they use their pensions and savings. They have taken more from their pensions than they originally expected to, but with the reassurance that they understand their position and that there is still money available for the future. But of course, we continue to monitor their investments, have yearly reviews with them and work with them as things change.
That has had a very real impact on their retirement.
They can spend more time with their children and grandchildren, go on holidays and enjoy experiences they did not previously have as often.
For Graham, the important thing is not simply that they can spend more. It is that they feel comfortable doing so.
“We can have holidays that we didn’t used to have very often. Because we know that it’s safe, and there’s still some in there.”
Their approach has also evolved as their circumstances have changed. Conversations with their adviser have helped them think differently about when to take money, how much to take and the tax implications of their decisions.
A relationship built around regular conversations
Today, Graham and Carole have a straightforward annual review process.
Their adviser sends the paperwork ahead of time, giving them the opportunity to understand what is being discussed and prepare their questions. They then sit down together and work through both their questions and the adviser’s recommendations.
For Graham, that preparation makes the meetings useful rather than overwhelming.
“We know what it says, we have our list of questions, we both sit here on the breakfast bar, and just go through our list and his list.”
That is perhaps the clearest illustration of what their experience with Reeves has become.
It is not about someone simply telling them what to do. It is about having the information, asking questions and making decisions together.
Where they are now
After many years as Reeves clients, Graham and Carole have reached a point where their relationship with their adviser is an established part of their financial lives.
The advice has adapted as they have moved through different stages, from mortgages and protection when they were younger, through building their pensions, and now into retirement.
And that continuity matters.
Graham says he has no idea what their position would have looked like without the advice they received, but he believes they would certainly have approached things differently and potentially paid more tax along the way.
When asked what he would tell someone considering Reeves, his answer comes back to the quality of the advice.
“So, you need really good advice, and I think that’s what you get.”
For Graham and Carole, the value of Reeves has been having someone who has been there through the different stages of their lives, understands where they have come from and can help them make informed decisions about what comes next.