Adrian Smith

Review from verified client

December, 2017

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

I needed a regulated financial advisor to advise and move my work place final salary pension, which was under funded and defered.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

Adrian put me in contact with his pensions advisor Mike Tuxford, who listened to my needs and then advised the best way to go about moving my pension. He is extremely knowledgable and answered all my questions and more. I then invested with ASWM into a drawdown pension, and I am very pleased with the investment to date after nearly one year.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

My investment has risen significantly since being invested with ASWM. I'm very happy with the advice I received and the drawdown pension I am now in. I don't believe I would have been better off if I had invested on my own.

What could they have done better?

I honestly don't think ASWM could have done better than they did with me. Mike put everything accross in a manner that I could understand, and made sure I understood it before I left the building.

Review from verified client

December, 2017

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

I wanted to understand the risks of completing my pension opt out option.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

He and his colleague Mike were very informative on explaining the whole process of opting out of a company pension and also the risks an benefits involved along with the charges incurred. They explained it all in simple to understand terms and could answer all of my questions. They were efficient in completing the transactions and paperwork. I also really liked the way their ASWM analytics tool works to maximise your investment.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Early days yet but initial indications are extremely promising on the investments.

What could they have done better?

There were a couple of minor errors in the paperwork, these were quickly rectified when raised.

Review from verified client

December, 2017

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

Was looking to retire early at 60.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

Both Adrian Smith and MIke Tuxford helped me find the right investments to give me income to allow me to retire.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

I only started investing in April 2017 so its early days, but its going in the right direction.

What could they have done better?

Nothing much really, I'm confident that they have my interests at heart

Review from verified client

April, 2016

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

The sale of a property, was the original reason for contacting a Financial Adviser. The sale gave me a large cash sum, which I wanted to invest. I later reviewed my private pension arrangements, and again contacted Adrian.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

I found Adrian very easy to deal with, he is very informative and put me at ease regarding investing my cash sum. Investing money can be very daunting, Adrian explained the processes in straight forward terms. He explained the possibilities and was very honest with all aspects, of my investment. I was given plenty of time to make my decisions, and never felt under any pressure. I gained confidence from this and later invested a frozen occupational pension, with Adrian.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

yes both my initial investment and my pension investment, performed much as Adrian predicted. I have invested with Adrian for around nine years, and I am pleased with the outcome. Particularly when the highs and lows of the stock markets are taken into consideration.

What could they have done better?

I don't think he could have done any better, he works hard for his clients.

Review from verified client

April, 2016

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

To help with planning for future retirement.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

I have no hesitation in recommending Adrian as a financial advisor. Adrian helped me and my husband to plan for our future for over nine years. He has always given us good advice and explained all our options in a clear way so that we fully understood. Family finances were my husbands responsibility, so when he sadly passed away I could have felt very vulnerable if it hadn't been for Adrian's continued support. He sensitively helped me deal with all the financial issues after Kevin died by liaising with Chorus Law who dealt with the will and he continues to help me plan for my own future.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes I feel confident about my financial situation.

Review from verified client

April, 2016

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

I have used Adrian for advise for a mortgage in the past but more recently i have just retired so he has been advising regarding my pention.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

Adrian understood my needs fully and gave me a full explanation as to the option that were available.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

The products and services offered were of top quality, as i have always expected from Adrian. I have always been happy with Adrians advise and trust him to the letter.

What could they have done better?

I do not think Adrian could have done more.

Review from verified client

April, 2016

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

Pension advice.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

Sorted all paperwork, and gave advice.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes.

What could they have done better?

Nothing

Review from verified client

December, 2015

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

I needed personal attention on my pension pot to maximise the value of the fund.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

Close personal attention and regular reviews.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes - it's a "work in progress" so we're not at the end of the road yet, and probably won't be for many years!.

What could they have done better?

Nothing to report at this point in time.

Review from verified client

November, 2015

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

I wanted to consolidate my old pensions from previous employers.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

Adrian had reviewed all my pensions, advised me on transfer values and gave me options on how to get the best returns.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Still going strong. Adrian informs my state of affairs annually. I have 12 years left to retire so I am hoping its I will be fruitful one in the end.

What could they have done better?

none whatsoever. I am satisfied with all the advised I have been given.

Review from verified client

November, 2015

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

We wanted advice on transferring and investing funds from occupational pension schemes which have now closed.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

Hi Adrian, It is a pleasure to give a testimonial for you, the advice and guidance you have given Colin and myself is second to none, we feel that we can trust you and you understand our personal requirements. We certainly have no complaints in the way Colin's pension funds have grown since you started to manage them and had no hesitation in recommending you to friends who needed financial advice over the last 7 years.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Pension funds have been transferred to an account which will provide more flexibility in the future.

Review from verified client

November, 2015

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

I recently took voluntary redundancy from my job of 11 years and decided to retire. I had deferred my state pension for 4 years and needed advice regarding whether I should take the extra weekly pension or the lump sum. In addition to this I also had three private pensions and a local authority pension. I also had my redundancy money which I wanted to put to work for me.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

My husband is disabled and unable to work. I have been the “breadwinner” and apart from not having a clue what to do with the lump sums and pensions, I needed to maximize my future income from these in order to preserve our standard of living. We didn't know where to start! We did some research and eventually made an appointment to see Adrian. He was friendly and welcoming and put us at ease immediately. He listened carefully to our respective situations and asked lots of questions, making notes. After that initial appointment we had several lengthy meetings with Adrian and during this time he showed us the various options and demonstrated the sort of results we might achieve from various potential investments. At no time did he push us into making any buying decisions and after each appointment he gave us a summary relating to everything we had discussed. A major part centred round how much “risk” we were comfortable in taking when investing large sums of money which may provide us the opportunity to earn higher return than that offered from a building society. Adrian also advised us how to make our investments tax efficient which was an important aspect we hadn't even thought of. When we had reached a point where we were 100% happy, again with no pushing from Adrian whatsoever, we completed and signed all the necessary paperwork. We now have regular appointments with Adrian to review our pensions and investments which are explained in simple terms with illustrative graphs. Even more importantly, if there are any significant market situations, Adrian will contact us and recommend that perhaps we might move some investment into alternative funds. He discusses the situation with us and we let him have the necessary written authority to proceed.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Financially we are in a similar position now to that when I was working thanks to Adrian's careful discussions with us, his research and planning. We could never have achieved this status without him and respect and trust his advice implicitly. We would not hesitate to recommend him to members of our family and friends and indeed anyone in need of wealth management advice and planning.

What could they have done better?

I really cannot think of any way in which things could have been done better.

Review from verified client

November, 2015

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

Business purposes and management of proceeds of sale of business on retirement.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

We have known Adrian now for over 20 years. We have over that time received excellent financial advice regarding our nursing home business in the north of England. When we sold our successful business several years ago for a seven figure sum, and eventually our home for a six figure sum we needed good advice on what to do with our new found wealth. Adrian proved to be a tower of strength and guided us through a somewhat difficult time with his profound knowledge of investments and financial markets. He is always on call and meets us on a regular basis for personal meetings to discuss our portfolio. We have come to regard Adrian as a good friend and have recommended him to friends and family, where he has proved his worth time and again. We often say to each other "what would we do without him?".

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

We have been retired for approx. 10 years. Outcome not entirely as we hoped due to world recessions.

What could they have done better?

We could not have received better advice. Investments are constantly under review and changed whenever necessary . Our adviser is in contact with us on a regular basis.

Review from verified client

November, 2015

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

I was looking towards retirement and managing my savings as well as needing to help my parents manage their finances, which was becoming increasingly difficult for us.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

Explained our options and put appropriate plans in place to suit our circumstances.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

I am happy with my current situation and have seen the outcome I was hoping for.

What could they have done better?

At the moment I have no constructive suggestions. Every step of the way Adrian has been easily accessible, totally professional and always ready to discuss my options as circumstances have changed.

Review from verified client

November, 2015

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

Hopefully to avoid the prospect of living solely on a state pension.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

Devised a plan to suit my finances and attitude to risk.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

The outcome is where I would expect it to be.

What could they have done better?

More regular reviews on performance of my product(s) invested in and guidance for areas of future investment beyond. These issues have now been addressed

Review from verified client

November, 2015

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

We wanted to make sure our pensions were earning as much as possible for our retirement.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

Although my husband has known Adrian for many years I was introduced to him when he was reviewing my husband’s pension. It turned out that his pension was not in the best scheme for growth and Adrian explained very comprehensively the various options available to provide a good income in our retirement. I was so impressed with his expertise I also asked him to review my pension. We find Adrian's friendly and knowledgeable manner very reassuring and would definitely recommend him.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Our pensions are doing well in the new scheme. Adrian keeps us updated and suggests moving into different areas when necessary for growth but only does this once we have approved.

What could they have done better?

To be honest I'm not sure what he could do better. He keeps in regular touch with us giving suggestions but we never feel pressured to take his advice, however, to date we have taken his advice which has proved to be good advice.

Review from verified client

November, 2015

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

I needed to find someone who was an expert in the field as it can get very confusing. Previous advice I had received from another FA many years ago had not been what I expected. Following my introduction to Adrian I am now in a position where I understand a lot more about finances.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

Adrian took a long hard look at my finances and proposed a number of options based on what he felt to be the best way forward. Since then things have got much better and I feel that Adrian is making my money grow at the best possible rate at all times. He is always available for comment if there is anything I need to know and it is reassuring to know and feel he is advising the best action at any given time. He constantly monitors situations and acts accordingly which is great as you feel that your funds are being managed in a professional manner.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

My situation now is that the plans put in place have reached the projections given, in fact many have exceeded my expectations. The main part is that there is regular contact with options to help your fund grow even more or to give advice if there are areas of the market that may not be performing as well as they may due to global financial patterns.

What could they have done better?

I cant think of anything he could have done better as i am completely satisfied with the service and advice he has given in a professional and understandable way.

Review from verified client

November, 2015

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

I had money to invest prior to my retirement . Additional when I was preparing to take early retirement I had a frozen occupational pension to consider.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

Adrian has provided me with financial advice since 2007. After handling my ISA investments for 7 years I have been very satisfied with his service and advice, such that I have now also entrusted my much larger pension investments to him. I know that I will always receive a quick response to any questions I have. He provides a personal, bespoke and face to face service that gives me reassurance that my investment goals are well understood and stand the best possible chance of being achieved.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Retired for 6 months, so far so good.

What could they have done better?

I have nothing to offer here

Review from verified client

November, 2015

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

To the layman, pension planning & investments can be a minefield, many years ago Adrian was recommended by HSBC, to advise.

How has Adrian Smith helped you?

Adrian has handled my investments and pensions for well over 20 years, during that time I have been completely satisfied with his counsel in all matters. My portfolio's growth is a demonstration of the value of his advice & I believe in the difficult times investments have been experiencing recently, I have kept 'ahead of the game'. I would have no problem commending his services to anyone seeking expert financial advice and have done.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

In light of the financial climate over the last few years, the banking crisis etc, I have been very satisfied with the position I find myself in, & put it down to the sound advice I received from Adrian Smith.