Areas Of Expertise | Mark O'Neill Independent Financial Adviser in Lytham

True Bearing | Independent Financial Advice

Mark O'Neill
FPFS, Chartered Financial Planner
Independent Financial Adviser
Areas Covered: Lytham - Fylde Coast

Areas Of Expertise

Chartered Financial Planner – Chartered Insurance Institute

Introduced in 2006, the coveted individual ‘Chartered Financial Planner’ title is the premier title for financial advice professionals. Mark was one of the first advisers in the UK to attain this status

The Chartered status title is available to members who meet the following criteria:

Hold the Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning;
Have five year’s relevant industry experience (not necessarily post-qualification);
Adhere to the CII’s Code of Ethics and Conduct;
Demonstrate three year’s existing Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and commit to maintaining this activity.

STEP (The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners )

Mark is one of a small number of Financial Advisers in the UK to have attained the new Society of Trusts and Estate Practioners (STEP) Certificate for Financial Services.

Mark is an affiliated member of STEP, which helps to increase his knowledge and offers assistance to clients, where financial and legal advice come together.

Typically, these are in the areas of Trusts, Courts of Protection Investment, Equity Release and Care Fees Planning.

The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) is the leading worldwide professional body for practitioners in the fields of trusts, estates and related issues. STEP members help families secure their financial future and protect the interests of vulnerable relatives. STEP promotes the highest professional standards through education and training, leading to widely respected professional qualifications.

Accredited Later Life Adviser – Society of Later Life Advisers

Mark is one of small number of advisers in the UK to have become accredited by SOLLA.
SOLLA aim to assist consumers and their families in finding trusted accredited financial advisers who, understand financial needs in Later Life.

The Society is dedicated to linking those who need advice to accredited Later Life Advisers who can advise on:

Equity release;
Long term and respite care funding options;
Annuities;
Investments and savings;
Inheritance Tax planning (IHT).

Later Life Advisers specialise in the financial needs of older people. Professional qualifications whilst essential are unlikely to give the full picture of an adviser expertise. Those advisers who have taken the further steps to become independently accredited can offer the added reassurance that they offer the practical help and guidance needed to make the right decisions at the right time. Why would anyone choose an adviser with anything less.

The Later Life Adviser Accreditation Scheme has been developed by the standard-setting body the Financial Services Skills Council (FSSC) in collaboration with the specialist financial services consultancy SVARfair.

Master Practitioner – Symponia
Mark is a founder member and now Master Practitioner of Symponia, a national organisation for Care Fees Planning advisers.

The emphasis of all Symponia members is very much on respect and care, with the fundamental objective of enabling people to choose where they are cared for, with the peace of mind that they will be able to meet rising care costs indefinitely.

We are all extremely conscious that sorting out the care fees for a friend or relative can be difficult, emotive and stressful, and as a result we each aim to make the process as easy and straightforward as possible.

Each and every family approaches the funding of care fees differently, and as such, they all deserve personal and bespoke attention, our members will always endeavour to supply details of all the options available for every circumstance, making sure that family objectives are being met.

To download a pdf version of "The Ultimate Care Fees Planning Handbook", please click here.

Symponia state:

“Entering an older person’s home can present a extra dimension of safely, we therefore insist that all our members undergo a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Check, this not only checks their general criminal record, but goes that little bit deeper to ensure that they are not listed on the “Vulnerable Adults Barred List”

This badge is awarded to Symponia members who have been with us for over two years and have shown that extra commitment and dedication by putting themselves through the Later Life Adviser Accreditation (LLAA). This rigorous assessment process requires the adviser to have achieved long term care and equity release qualifications as well as demonstrable inter-personal and softer skills.

Contact Mark O'Neill
Tel: 01257 260011
Mob: 07974 949 724

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