Cantab Asset Management - Professional Independent Financial Advisers

Cantab Asset Management is a professional firm of independent financial advisers dedicated to the provision of best advice to private clients, companies, trusts and charities.

We aim to assist each client to build their finances on solid foundations in order to achieve desired objectives.

What we do

Cantab Asset Management is focused on providing comprehensive financial planning and wealth management services to a range of clients. We provide clients with a fully integrated approach seeking to cover all areas of their financial situation; this will typically include a mixture of pensions, tax and investment management advice but may include estate planning, trusts and charitable giving.

Areas of specialisation include:

•Comprehensive Financial Planning
•Investment advice and wealth management
•Retirement planning and pensions
•Estate and trust planning
•Long term care planning
•Business protection
•Employee benefits
•Exit planning

Who we are

Cantab Asset Management is an investment advisory firm with more than twenty five years experience from its antecedent firms in the provision of good advice to private clients and companies. We have considerable expertise and understanding of pensions, estate and financial planning, investment strategy and fund selection, as well as a commitment to give clients the best advice possible, and to serve them well.

Cantab Asset Management's mission is to provide independent, professional advice and service around a client's financial situation.

The firm comprises a Board of Directors who manage teams of financial planners and investment analysts as well as other support staff. The teams are made up of people from different disciplines. This ensures a depth of knowledge is made available to all clients. When necessary, the teams draw on additional expertise through relationships with other professionals in the legal, tax, actuarial and property fields.

The firm operates on a fee basis, which is simple, easy to understand and is discussed and agreed in advance with clients.

Financial Planning

Financial Planning describes the process by which a client outlines their financial goals (in as much detail as possible) and is then assisted - in this case by Cantab Asset Management's dedicated Financial Planners - in working out the achievement of those goals. This involves assisting clients evaluate, structure and plan their financial affairs such that they fit with their financial goals.

The steps involved include: collecting and assessing all relevant personal and financial data; identifying your financial objectives; processing and analysing information; producing a financial plan and then discussing and agreeing the plan with you; implementing the plan; reviewing progress and modifying the plan as your circumstances change.

The plan may include detailed recommendations in the following areas: Investment Planning, Tax Planning, Risk Management and Insurance, Retirement Planning, and Estate Planning.

Cantab Asset Management can also provide specialist advice on education funding and funding long-term care.

Investment Advice

Investment advice is a fundamental part of our business. The role we play in providing investment advice to our clients is one of the keys to our success. We appreciate that each client presents a unique proposition and we work hard to fully understand their situation so that we can effectively and efficiently give strategic investment advice. Our goal is to offer the best investment choices, matching our clients' needs on a bespoke basis. Our investment advice is only given after a full and thorough examination of each client's complete situation. We focus on defining the types of assets that best suit our clients needs, and advise them on the selection of appropriate investment assets - be that cash, interest earning investments, equity investments, property or other alternatives. We agree, implement and monitor investment strategies on behalf of our clients.

Our investment services include advising on a client's portfolio on a regular basis. We help our clients agree on an investment strategy as well as the implementation thereof. We are used to dealing with compliance issues arising in relation to restricted entities.

Investment Committee

The Investment Committee, made up of a number of Directors and industry practitioners with significant knowledge and experience, meets regularly. The Committee reviews the reports of the Investment Manager and provides a sounding board for those involved in the process of asset allocation and fund manager selection. The committee is committed to ensuring that good information flows to the Investment Manager in order to provide the best environment for the advice provided to our clients with the aim of achieving good results over future years consistent with individual situations and attitudes to risk.

Risk

There are many different views and approaches to risk. If a group of people is asked about their attitude to risk, many different answers and perspectives will usually be forthcoming.

We look at your risk need, your risk tolerance and your risk capacity.

In order to achieve higher investment returns, it is normally expected that a higher level of risk will be taken. Your future needs and objectives will assist in guiding the appropriate level of risk to be incorporated into the structure of the investment portfolio that we recommend.

Your risk tolerance will be important in determining your own view of the amount of volatility that you feel that you can accommodate and will assist us in ascribing a level of risk appropriate for your situation.

Your risk capacity is looking at the amounts you could afford to lose under normal circumstances without directly affecting your standard of living and your financial aims. Factors which will be involved here will include your age and stage of life, proximity to retirement, health and dependents' financial positions.

Risk Warnings

Past performance is not a guide to future performance. The value of investments and the income therefrom is not guaranteed and can fall as well as rise due to stockmarket and currency movements. When you sell your investment, you may get back less than you originally invested. The value of overseas securities will be influenced by the rate of exchange which is used to convert these to sterling. The opinions expressed herein are those of Cantab Asset Management Ltd and should not be construed as investment advice.

Investment Advice includes

•Portfolio construction, using a clear and transparent asset allocation model, based on your objectives and attitude to risk, the main assets being Equities (UK, European, US, Japanese, Emerging Markets); Cash and Fixed Interest; Alternative Investments (absolute return) and Property funds;
•Annual/Half Yearly/Quarterly portfolio review (depending on the agreed service level), including performance against objectives, and risk profile.
•All transactions agreed with you beforehand.
•Implementation of your instructions with no charge for transactions, other than those made by the provider - we have no incentive to trade other than to benefit the performance of the portfolio.
•Valuations at agreed dates and online.
•Liaising with other advisers (tax accountant, solicitor).
•Client Newsletters (Financial News).
•Client seminars.

Pensions

Cantab Asset Management provides specialist independent pensions advice to clients as part of their comprehensive financial planning.

Cantab Asset Management provides information and guidance on the whole spectrum of pensions, annuities and income drawdown as well as keeping a close eye on possible future pensions reforms and how they may affect clients. Pensions are frequently in the news as the government make changes. Our skilled professionals are experts in this often complex field and are dedicated to providing clients with the right advice.

Trusts

Cantab Asset Management has considerable experience of acting as the Investment Adviser for trustee clients.

We deal with solicitors in their capacity as trust administrators and are used to providing information and reports for both lay and professional trustees.

We understand the requirements of the Trustee Act 2000 and will work with you to ensure these requirements are met.

We will conduct a full fact finding process and establish the trustees' attitude to risk using risk profiling questionnaires.

We will devise an investment strategy, discuss and agree with trustees and then implement and review.

We will provide assistance with winding up trusts and attend trustee meetings.