‘Seeing a planner gave me peace of mind’ Fran Hannan, 53, is a HR professional from Essex.

‘Isaw a financial planner eight years ago after becoming very ill,’ says Fran. ‘As a result of my ill health, I wanted to consider working fewer hours. At the same time, my partner had gone freelance. The financial planner discussed our goals and our appetite for risk, and then gave us a number of options that would help us get to where we wanted to be, even if we had reduced income.’

Some of the decisions Fran made included making the most of tax-efficient savings, such as ISAS and pensions, as well as drawing up a will. ‘We now see our planner yearly and make financial decisions based on changes or concerns,’ she says.

Since seeing the planner, Fran has decided to continue working full-time, but takes comfort in the knowledge she can go part-time and still afford the future she wants. ‘Our planner has made sure we’re making the best of the money we have,’ she says. ‘After seeing him, I know I can go part-time if I want, but I’ve decided not to for now. We pay a retainer of £100 a month and I am happy to pay that for the peace of mind.’