Across the UK, 24.6 million people have never accessed any form of financial advice or guidance, and a third of adults say it’s because they believe their situation is too simple to need it. It’s rarely about how much you have. It’s about what’s changing. Here are seven moments where a conversation with an adviser tends to make the biggest difference.
1. Getting married or moving in together
Combining finances, deciding how to hold savings and property, and updating wills and beneficiaries all become relevant the moment two lives merge financially. It’s also the point where protecting each other, through life insurance or income protection, starts to matter in a way it might not have before.
2. Having a child or growing your family
A new addition to the family changes almost everything about your financial plan, from how much cover you need to how you’re saving for the future. It’s also a natural point to review your will, since guardianship and inheritance decisions become far more pressing once children are involved.
3. Receiving an inheritance or a lump sum
Whether it’s an inheritance, a redundancy payout or the proceeds of a house sale, a lump sum arriving all at once brings decisions that are easy to get wrong: how much to save, how much to invest, and how to avoid an unnecessary tax bill along the way. There’s also an emotional side to this that’s easy to underestimate. Money that arrives following a bereavement often sits untouched for months simply because the decision feels too big to make alone.
4. Changing jobs or getting a significant pay rise
A new role often means a new pension scheme, different benefits and, sometimes, options like share schemes to weigh up. It’s also a natural moment to check whether your existing pensions are still working hard for you, or quietly sitting in something that no longer suits you.
5. Buying your first home
Mortgage decisions rarely happen in isolation. They tend to surface bigger questions about protection, savings and how much you can realistically commit long term, which is exactly why mortgage and financial advice so often go hand in hand.
6. Approaching retirement
Roughly five to ten years out from retirement is when the practical questions start to bite: how much income you’ll have, when to start drawing your pension, and how to make it last. This is also the point where small decisions, like whether to consolidate old workplace pensions or how to phase your retirement date, can have a disproportionately large effect on your eventual income. Get this stage right and the rest tends to fall into place.
*A pension is not normally accessible until 55 (57 from April 2028). Workplace pensions are regulated by The Pensions Regulator.
7. Losing a loved one or becoming an executor
Grief is hard enough without also untangling pensions, life insurance claims, probate and inheritance tax. Having support at this point isn’t about growing wealth, it’s about getting through a difficult time without costly mistakes being made along the way.
You don’t need a reason to ask
None of these moments require you to have a complicated financial life first. They simply mean something has changed, and a second pair of eyes tends to help.
If any of this sounds familiar, our team would be glad to talk it through. Book a free initial consultation with one of our advisers and we’ll help you work out what matters most right now, with no obligation.
*Please note: This blog is for general information only and does not constitute personalised financial advice. The value of investments can fall as well as rise, and you may get back less than you invested. The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate tax advice and wills. The information contained within this article was accurate at the date of publication and is subject to change. Publication date: 28/08/2026.