Informed Choice

21/06/2026

Retirement planning isn’t only about whether you’ll have enough money.

It’s also about what you’ll do with your time, where you’ll find purpose and how you’ll create structure once work no longer shapes your week.

For some, retirement means travel, hobbies or more time with family. For others, it brings volunteering, caring for grandchildren, joining community groups or trying something completely new.

In her latest opinion piece for Money Marketing, our Managing Director, Shelley McCarthy, explores why good retirement planning should go beyond the numbers.

Helping someone build financial security matters enormously. But helping them picture a retirement filled with purpose and fulfilment can be just as valuable.

Read Shelley’s article: Retirement is about more than money. Link in the comments.

06/04/2026

We’re hiring!

Informed Choice is looking for a talented Administrator to join our team in Cranleigh.

This is a full-time role with a four-day working week, hybrid working, and a strong focus on work-life balance.

You’ll support our Financial Planners with client queries, admin, processing business, and preparing valuations and review files. It is a varied role, so you need to be organised, detail-focused, and confident communicating with clients and providers.

Ideally, you will have experience in a busy office, good working knowledge of MS Office, and some exposure to financial services. Experience with Intelliflo is a bonus.

Salary is £25,000 to £32,000 depending on experience, with a bonus scheme, pension, private healthcare, income protection, and more.

If you want to be part of a supportive, forward-thinking firm, we would love to hear from you.

More details at https://icfp.co.uk/careers/

No agencies, please.

03/10/2025

New column from our Managing Director, Shelley McCarthy, in Money Marketing:

“Why tax-free cash is the last line of defence for pensions”

For decades, pensions have been the backbone of retirement planning in the UK. But as Shelley argues, the steady erosion of benefits is reshaping the conversation.

With the draft legislation on inheritance tax treatment, the rising minimum pension age, and now persistent rumours about removing tax-free cash, pensions risk losing their unique appeal as the long-term savings vehicle of choice.

Shelley argues that if tax-free cash disappears, advisers and clients alike will need to pivot, not just in messaging, but in the very architecture of retirement planning.

👉 Read Shelley’s full column here: https://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/opinion/shelley-mccarthy-why-tax-free-cash-is-the-last-line-of-defence-for-pensions/

For decades, pensions have been the cornerstone of retirement planning in the UK. Tax relief on contributions, tax-free investment growth and a 25% For decades, pensions have been the cornerstone of retirement planning in the UK. Tax relief on contributions, tax-free investment growth and a 25% tax-...

03/10/2025

We’re thrilled to share some exciting news. Informed Choice has been named one of the FT Adviser Top 50 Boutique Firms 2025, a new list celebrating smaller firms across the UK who are making a big impact for their clients and communities.

We were ranked 7th out of the Top 50 firms, according to the independent research.

Recognition in this list reflects the dedication of our whole team to providing trusted, professional financial planning advice at a time when uncertainty is driving more people to seek expert guidance.

As our Managing Director, Shelley McCarthy, explains in the feature:

“We see lots of reasons triggering new client enquiries including job changes, retirement, inherited funds and other life events.

Uncertainty in general — be that government, global political climate or personal circumstances, also drives enquiries.

Fear, or suspicion, of potential government changes to the taxation of accumulated wealth is on the increase, motivating people to seek professional financial planning advice, and we have certainly noted an increase in such enquiries.”

We’re proud to be part of a profession that helps people navigate complex financial challenges and build secure futures, and delighted to be recognised alongside so many outstanding firms.

04/07/2025

Want more women in financial advice? Try looking beyond the careers fair and onto the netball court.

Shelley McCarthy shares how sport can shape confident, capable leaders in finance. Read her latest piece for Money Marketing.

https://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/opinion/shelley-mccarthy-want-more-women-in-finance-start-on-the-netball-court/

21/04/2025

📣 We’re hiring a Paraplanner!

Join our friendly team at Informed Choice, an independent financial planning firm that puts clients first.

✅ 4-day working week (full-time pay)
✅ Hybrid working – home or office, you choose
✅ Great benefits incl. pension, private healthcare & bonus scheme

If you’ve got experience in financial planning, love the detail, and want a better work-life balance – we’d love to hear from you!

👉 Apply now and help us make a real difference.

26/03/2025

Are you super organised, proactive, and looking for a role where work-life balance is more than just a buzzword?

At Informed Choice, we’re an award-winning independent financial planning firm based in Cranleigh, Surrey — and we’re looking for a talented Administrator to join our growing team.

💼 In this role, you’ll:

-Support our Financial Planners with client queries and admin tasks

-Prepare files and valuations for client reviews

-Keep our systems up to date and liaise with providers

-Be a vital part of delivering exceptional client service

What we’re looking for: ✅ Experience in an admin role (ideally in financial services) ✅ Confident with MS Office — and bonus points for experience using Intelliflo (IO) ✅ A sharp eye for detail and excellent communication skills

✨ What we offer:

-Full-time role with a FOUR-day working week 🧡

-Hybrid working – we trust you to get the job done

-Private healthcare, pension, income protection & discretionary bonuses

-Casual dress, company events, and free on-site parking

-A genuinely supportive and friendly team culture

💰 Salary: £24,000–£30,000 DOE + bonus
📍 Location: Cranleigh, Surrey (Hybrid after probation)
🕓 Schedule: Flexitime, Monday to Friday

If you're passionate about financial planning and want to be part of a modern, values-driven firm, we’d love to hear from you!

👉 Get in touch to apply now (no agents, thank you) or tag someone who’d be a great fit.

17/03/2025

📖 Can fiction teach us about financial planning? Shelley McCarthy thinks so. In her latest Money Marketing column, she shares insights from Anxious People by Fredrik Backman and how it challenged her preconceptions—just as financial planners must challenge their own.

https://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/opinion/shelley-mccarthy-how-reading-can-teach-us-about-client-preconceptions/

14/01/2025

We’re hiring an Administrator!

Join our friendly team at Informed Choice, a firm of Chartered Financial Planners in Cranleigh, Surrey.

As an Administrator, you’ll support our Financial Planners by handling client queries, managing daily admin tasks, processing business, and preparing valuations for reviews.

Attention to detail, great communication, and ideally some Intelliflo (IO) experience are what we’re looking for!

What’s in it for you?

-Four-day working week in a full-time role.

-Hybrid working—we trust you to get the job done, wherever you are.

-Fantastic benefits including a staff pension scheme, private healthcare, income protection, and a discretionary bonus.

If you’re passionate about financial planning and want to enjoy a real work-life balance, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply today to join our forward-thinking firm—this could be your next big step!

19/12/2024

These new inheritance tax changes won’t just affect the big players—they’re set to hit family farms and growing businesses across the UK.

It’s not just about money; it’s about what we want our future food supply and local enterprises to look like. Are we ready for what’s coming?

Read Shelley McCarthy's latest column for Money Marketing to understand what’s happening on the ground—and what it might mean for us all.

https://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/opinion/shelley-mccarthy-trouble-down-on-the-farm-and-not-the-kind-labour-is-expecting/