A journey in four phases
"Aetas" comes from the Latin for a lifetime, a generation, an era. It captures what we set out to do when we founded the firm: build a financial planning approach that works across the whole arc of a client's life, and then beyond it to the next generation.
Most people don't need help with one thing in isolation. They need a plan that holds together as life unfolds. Our Lifetime to Legacy approach gives that plan a structure: four phases, each with its own questions and its own focus, all building on the one before.
It also gives you a clearer way to think about where you are. Most clients identify quickly with one of the four phases. That's the right starting point for the conversation.
From foundations to legacy
Building strong foundations
Every plan starts with a clear picture of where you are now. What you own, what you owe, what you earn, what you spend. What you're trying to achieve, and what worries you.
In this phase we focus on:
- Mapping out your finances in full
- Spotting any gaps in protection, savings or planning
- Setting clear goals for the years ahead
For most clients this is the work of the first six to twelve weeks. It becomes the foundation everything else is built on.
Planning for your life
Once the foundations are in place, the focus shifts to the things that matter most to you, year by year. Buying a home, building a business, supporting your children, travelling more, retiring at the right age.
In this phase we focus on:
- Realistic plans for your savings, investments and pensions
- The right tax wrappers and the right balance of risk
- Protection so the plan stays intact if life takes an unexpected turn
Most clients spend the longest time in this phase. Reviews, refinements and adjustments as your life evolves.
Later life and legacy
At some point the focus shifts from building wealth to enjoying it, and from accumulating to passing on. This is often where the planning gets more complex: drawdown, care planning, gifting strategies, the Finance Act 2026 changes to Inheritance Tax ("IHT").
In this phase we focus on:
- Sustainable income for the years ahead
- Making sure your affairs are organised and your wishes clear
- Helping you support the causes or people that matter to you
For our over-75 clients in particular, this is the phase where careful planning makes the biggest difference to what eventually passes on.
Passing wealth on
Passing money, property or a business to the next generation can be complicated. We make it easier, and we plan it years in advance so the eventual transfer happens the way you want it to.
In this phase we focus on:
- Tax-efficient ways to pass wealth on
- Making sure your family understand your wishes
- Preparing the next generation to manage what they inherit
Often this work runs in parallel with the Later Life phase, sometimes for many years.
What this means for you
The four phases are a framework, not a rigid sequence. Different clients sit in different phases at different times, and most clients move between them over the years.
What stays constant is the approach: one clear plan, one main point of contact, advice that's joined together rather than scattered. We're here for the whole journey, so you don't have to keep starting from scratch each time something changes.
A few things you can expect throughout
- Straightforward advice in plain English, not jargon
- One adviser who knows your situation, not a constantly changing team
- Coordination with your accountant, solicitor or other professionals when it helps
- Annual reviews, with informal contact whenever something changes
- A focus on your goals, not on selling products
Ready to start your journey?
Whether you're focused on getting organised, planning the next phase, or thinking about how to pass things on, we'd welcome a conversation. The first one is free.
Book a meeting