Our Process
Seeking financial advice can seem incredibly daunting, particularly when you’re not sure what to expect.
When will I be charged? What information will I need to provide? How often will I be contacted?
We want to be transparent about our process so you can feel informed and confident from the start.
Here is the Douglas Steers & Company financial advice process, explained:
Step One: The Initial Meeting
Our first meeting gives us the opportunity to get to know you, understand your current financial position, potential challenges, and your objectives for your future. The meeting can last up to two and a half hours and is held at our cost, with no obligation to proceed. We recommend face-to-face meetings and will travel to meet you in the comfort of your own home at a time that is convenient for you. Taking the time to build a comprehensive understanding of your circumstances and objectives allows us to ensure that any financial advice we provide is personal, appropriate and tailored to you.
During this meeting we will also complete a risk assessment together, including a questionnaire and some investment scenarios. This helps us to understand how comfortable you are with investment risk and how much risk may be appropriate for achieving your objectives. It's an important part of ensuring any recommendations are suitable for you.
Before the meeting concludes, we will ask you to sign a Letter of Authority (LOA) and our client agreement. The Letter of Authority gives us permission to obtain information from your existing pension, investment and insurance providers, allowing us to carry out a thorough review of your current arrangements. Nothing is changed at this stage. It simply enables us to gather the information needed to provide informed advice.
Step Two: The Research
Once we have received your authority, our dedicated research and technical team begins a detailed review of your existing arrangements. We request information from your pension, investment and insurance providers, carefully analyse each policy, identify any guarantees, charges or valuable benefits, and assess how your current arrangements compare with your long-term objectives.
Where investment recommendations are required, our specialists also carry out detailed fund research to ensure any recommendations are appropriate for your agreed level of risk and financial objectives.
Obtaining information from providers can take time, so we will keep you informed throughout the process. Once we have sent the Letters of Authority to your providers, we will confirm this with you and provide weekly progress updates while we wait for their responses.
Once all of the required information has been received and analysed, we will prepare a clear summary of your existing arrangements. Your adviser will then contact you to arrange your second meeting
Step Three: The Presentation
Our second meeting is where we present our findings and recommended advice based on your circumstances, risk tolerance and overall objectives.
This isn't a sales presentation. It is an opportunity for us to take you through what we have found, explain the reasoning behind our recommendations and answer any questions you may have.
We steer clear of unnecessary jargon and encourage you to ask questions. We want you to understand what we are recommending, why we are recommending it and how it could help you achieve your objectives before you make any decision.
You will also receive a transparent breakdown of every fee involved. Before making any commitment, you will know exactly what you'll pay, when you'll pay it and what you will receive in return.
Step Four: Getting Started
Once you are completely happy to proceed, we will meet to complete the necessary paperwork and begin implementing your financial plan. Our administration and technical teams will take care of the process behind the scenes, keeping you updated as your recommendations are put into place.
Our advice and recommendations are fully documented, so you have a clear record of what has been recommended and why. This includes a detailed Suitability Report, prepared by our technical team, which records your objectives and circumstances, summarises your current position and explains our recommendations and why we believe they are suitable for you.
It is only at this stage, once you have agreed to proceed, that fees become payable.
Step Five: Ongoing Advisory Service
Through your dedicated advisory support team at Douglas Steers & Company, you will benefit from ongoing financial advice, and have access to specialist knowledge and experience, as well as the software and resources we use to support your financial planning.
We continue to consider whether your financial arrangements remain appropriate as your circumstances, objectives and the wider financial landscape change. This means your plan can evolve with you rather than remaining fixed at the point the original advice was given.
Where your service includes ongoing investment management, your investments also benefit from the oversight of our in-house Investment Committee. The committee meets regularly to review investment strategy, market conditions and the investments used within our recommended portfolios.
Any changes are considered within the context of the investment strategy, while keeping your agreed attitude to risk and long-term objectives at the heart of the process.
Step Six: Annual Reviews
Financial planning isn't something you do once and forget about. Your circumstances, legislation and markets all change over time, so your financial plan should evolve too.
We will meet with you annually to review your progress, discuss any changes to your circumstances and ensure your plan remains aligned with your goals. Between reviews, your adviser and support team are available if you need guidance or if life takes an unexpected turn.
Our Purpose
At Douglas Steers & Company, our purpose is to help you to make confident, well-informed financial decisions that support a secure and fulfilling future. We believe financial planning should bring clarity, not complexity, so we take the time to understand your goals, explain your options clearly, and build strategies that reflect what matters most to you.
Everything we do is built on relationships that last, advice you can trust, and a commitment to doing what is right for every client, every step of the way.
Our Pillars
Big enough to handle your money, small enough to know your name. These are the principles that make that possible.
Clarity You Can Act On
No jargon. No confusion. We translate complex financial concepts into clear, practical guidance you can understand and use. Through transparent communication, you always know exactly where you stand.
Trusted Expertise, Built Over Generations
For over 30 years, we've guided individuals, families and multiple generations through every market cycle and life transition. While we are rated Excellent on Trustpilot, it's our longest client relationships that are the truest measure of the advice we give.
Advice That's Truly Personal
Your goals are unique, and so is your service. We remain accessible, attentive and genuinely invested in your outcomes at every stage, not just at the start.
Technology That Enhances, Never Replaces
We use digital tools to deliver sharper insights and smarter decisions, secure portals, advanced analytics, and real-time tracking. But the advice? Always personal, always human.
Douglas Steers & Company Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Our FCA reference number is 705132.
Registered office: The Old Fire Station, The Quayside Maltings,
High Street Mistley, Essex, CO11 1AR. Registered in England & Wales No. 04148619.
We are authorised for specific regulated activities and product types. Some services provided may not be protected by the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Protection depends on the nature of the product or service. If you require confirmation of which activities are covered, please contact us in writing.The advice and/or guidance on this website is subject to UK regulatory requirements and is only intended for consumers based in the United Kingdom.
0345 5000 909