Symponia - Why We Were Formed
There are numerous financial advisers working within the care fees planning arena, and from personal experience we know that finding the right adviser isn’t necessarily easy or straightforward.
Most people worry about choosing the right adviser for their circumstances; at Symponia we believe that it should of course be your choice, but by insisting on certain standards and perhaps asking some pertinent questions you will be able to find the most appropriate adviser for you and your family.
Whilst all financial advisers and their firms must be authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, not all will have dedicated care fees planning experience, the required knowledge levels, the appropriate qualifications or even the necessary empathy to recognise the gamut of emotions associated with placing a close friend or family member in a care home.
Although we are confident that Symponia members will be able to provide you with the best possible advice, we have listed some of the questions we think you should be asking any care fees planning adviser:
Do you hold CF8?
Always start with this question, CF8 is the mandatory examination that any adviser discussing long term care with you must have, if required, ask your adviser to provide written proof, and don’t consult with an adviser that doesn’t have it.
Do you offer a face-to-face meeting?
Locating a care home, and sorting out the associated finances for your relative can never be easy, emotions run high and you need to speak to someone who can understand exactly what you are going through.
The situation is highly sensitive, you and your family deserve to be treated with complete reverence, understanding and respect, as such we believe that this cannot be done over the telephone or by completing a questionnaire (on-line or otherwise).
Insist that your adviser offers you an initial face-to-face meeting, if they are disinclined to do so, find a local adviser who will visit you in person at a time and place to suit your circumstances.
Do you follow a printed code of conduct?
Most professionals follow a code of conduct, Symponia members are no exception, working with the elderly and their families demands a special type of person, and such we are happy to publish and follow our Code of Practice & Conduct.
Do you work to a Customer Service Standard?
Very few advisers and even fewer large companies are willing to commit verbally to a service standard let alone put one down on paper, ask your adviser what timescales they work to, better still ask them to provide a written promise, we are pleased to confirm that every Symponia member will be able to present you with a dedicated customer charter.
How many cases like mine have you worked on?
The answer to this will determine the confidence you gain from your adviser, obviously someone who has helped more than say 20 families and been in the field of care fees planning for years rather than months will have derived the greater experience.
How do I know my Symponia adviser has the appropriate experience and knowledge?
All Symponia members must be authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, no mean feat in itself, in addition to this they will have not only obtained the mandatory CF8 examination, but they will have passed our own rigorous written assessment.
Each member also has to demonstrate that they possess excellent interpersonal skills and a genuinely caring approach to you and your family.