Positive Planning 4U is an appointed representative of Mint Financial Services Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

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Independent financial adviser/advisor (IFA) based in Melton Mowbray, covering Leicestershire and the East Midlands

Sue Richardson

A helping hand through the financial services maze

My name's Sue Richardson and I've spent all my working life in the banking and financial services industry. I've seen booms and busts; financial fashions and fads; and an endless string of government plans, initiatives, and U-turns. Through all that time I've learnt two things: that the future is always uncertain, and that those who fail to plan are swept away by the tide.

I've learnt one other thing too: that it's never too late to steer a fresh course. Sure, the longer you leave things, the harder it is to achieve your financial goals. But each successive year of doing nothing lets you drift farther from where you'd like to be.

I became an independent financial adviser because I knew that I could make a difference to people's lives. By taking a holistic view of their finances, I could avoid the piecemeal sales approach that leaves unwary investors with a string of unconnected and possibly incompatible financial products.

My clients range from single 30-somethings looking to plan for their retirement; to married 40-somethings with growing families who need to prepare for the next stage in their lives; to those beginning retirement who can't decide how to buy their pension income or who want to release money from their home to cover shortfalls in their income.

An eye for detail and for the bigger picture

Over the years, I've spent almost as much time studying financial textbooks as I have talking to clients. It couldn't be any other way: sound financial advice is as dependent on the detail as it is on the overall picture. The CII/PFS (see logos below) financial planning exams I've passed qualify me to give financial advice in life assurance, pensions, savings and investments, mortgages, lifetime mortgages and retirement income options.

But that's not the end of it. The financial landscape is always changing, which is why I'm continually updating my qualifications to keep on top of fast-moving legislation.

I'm a member of the Chartered Insurance Institute and the Personal Finance Society.

Brief career history

Before striking out on my own, I spent six years with a highly respected Leicestershire financial services firm, where I built up my own client base. Before that I was with one of the big-four high-street banks. During my 20 years there, I learnt about every aspect of business and finance. When I left, I was a business manager with a wide-ranging portfolio of 220 small-business clients.                 now to find out how I can help you plan for the future.