The Money Marketing Podcast

Retirement risks do not exist in isolation; market volatility, legislative changes, and behavioural blockers compound one another over a 30-year retirement, with longevity acting as the ultimate wildcard multiplier. In this final episode of the series, Kimberley Dondo talks to Andy Fear from M&G to discuss the dangerous cost of adviser inaction and out-of-date planning assumptions. Discover how to build an evolving, joined-up retirement structure that values flexibility over rigid forecasting to secure optimal client outcomes. Listeners will learn why inaction has a hidden cost, how longevity amplifies other risks, and how advisors can act as coaches to keep plans adaptable and aligned to real client needs.

In this episode of MM Talks, Kimberley Dondo, Tom Browne, and Dan Cooper are joined by Rory McLaren, Chief Technology Officer at Dynamic Planner, to explore the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence in financial services. They discuss practical uses like hyper-personalised reviews, the importance of prompts and clean data, governance and evaluation standards, regulatory concerns, and the need to keep humans in the loop to maintain expertise and avoid unintended risks.

After decades of focusing entirely on accumulation, moving into the decumulation phase triggers major psychological friction for retirees. Kimberley Dondo talks to Ed Green, Investment Specialist at M&G, to explore why clients default to extreme caution and rigid mental accounting. Learn how market volatility distorts rational spending plans and discover how the adviser’s role must evolve from running mathematical cash-flow models to coaching clients to enjoy their wealth intentionally. Retirement Evolution Series

This episode explains how recent legislative changes have brought pensions into the inheritance tax (IHT) spotlight and why estate planning must be treated as active financial decisions made during life rather than a morbid conversation about death. Les Cameron and Kimberley Dondo cover immediate red flags for advisers, core IHT planning options (spend, insure, reliefs, gifting and trusts), practical steps for pension-driven liabilities, and the risks of delaying planning—emphasising early action, control, and tailored solutions.

Relying on a single standalone multi-asset fund during decumulation exposes clients to a dangerous trio of headwinds: sequencing risk, longevity risk, and behavioural panic. In this episode, Kimberley Dondo talks to Andy Fear, Investment Business Development Manager at M&G, to explain why structural portfolio design must evolve. Learn how partitioning client wealth by purpose and combining drawdown, guaranteed income, and smoothed structures like PruFund can mitigate real-world risks and manage client anxiety during market dips. M&G PruFund now live on Scottish Widows Platform

In this series opener, Amy Kibblewhite of M&G and Kimberley Dondo discuss how markets have shifted from a low-rate, low-volatility era to one defined by sticky inflation, higher interest rates, geopolitical risks and AI-driven concentration in equities. They explain why traditional 60/40 portfolios are under stress as equities and bonds increasingly move together. The conversation covers practical steps for advisors and investors: looking beyond public markets to private equity, infrastructure, real estate and private credit, understanding the true drivers of returns, avoiding hidden concentration risks, and building portfolios designed to navigate multiple future scenarios.

Kimberley Dondo explores the core findings of CIExpert’s Critical Thinking 2026 report, sponsored by Royal London. Joined by Gregor Sked (Royal London) and Paul Roberts (CIExpert), this episode tackles the realities of the advice gap, whether traditional income protection fits non-linear modern careers, and how to successfully navigate cover for self-employed clients with variable incomes. Access the full findings here: https://ciexpert.uk/ct26-registration-royal-london Money Talks Podcast

Kimberly Dondo speaks with Emma Boardwell, founder of Emotional Finance, and Tom Brown about Emma’s move from psychotherapy into financial advice and her mission to bring emotional literacy into the industry. They discuss the emotional labour advisers carry, the need for clearer boundaries, how vulnerability should be handled, and why relational skills should be embedded in advisor training as technology automates technical tasks.

In this episode, Kimberley Dondo is joined by Ilana Miller from Royal London about centralised retirement propositions (CRPs): what they are, why firms are adopting them, and how Royal London published a fully worked, editable example to help firms create consistent, client-centred retirement frameworks. The conversation highlights behavioural research showing fear and false confidence shape retirement choices, explains why CRPs should treat retirement as a journey (not a single decision), and offers practical steps firms can take to align principles, client needs, income strategies and ongoing support.

Hayley Rabbets joins MM Talks to introduce Evergreen, a Calton-backed initiative designed to support the full lifecycle of financial planners, from training and early careers through business growth and succession planning. She discusses practical steps to close the advice gap, the role of coaching and education alongside technology, and the need for diverse, structured career pathways and community support across the profession.

In this episode, Shelley Read of Royal London explores the rising problem of economic and financial abuse — how partners or carers use money, benefits, property and debt to control victims. She outlines differences between financial and economic abuse, highlights high-risk groups and common red flags, and offers practical advice for advisors, friends and family on spotting signs, supporting victims and signposting help.

Cathi Harrison, CEO of Verve and the Verve Foundation, explains how the foundation evolved since 2021 to attract and train new talent for the finance sector. She discusses program redesigns, a new recruitment platform, and bootcamps to help advisers launch independent firms. The episode covers key challenges like competent adviser status, industry bottlenecks, the role of independent academies, and the impact of AI on training and job roles. Cathi also shares her personal journey as an entrepreneur and how she balances leadership with family life.

In this episode, Andy Brown and Mark Baldwin explain how product design—especially smooth funds—acts as behavioral insurance to help investors avoid knee-jerk reactions to political and market volatility, bridge the gap between annuities and drawdown, and keep retirement plans on track. They discuss diversification, creating constructive friction, the advisor’s role in changing the conversation with nervous clients, and how smoothing strategies can reduce anxiety while preserving growth potential.

The advice gap remains a significant challenge for the UK financial sector, with 90% of people currently making major financial decisions unsupported. The advice gap remains a significant challenge for the UK financial sector, with 90% of people currently making major financial decisions unsupported. In this episode of The Advice Shift, Mark Baldwin and Andy Brown from Phoenix Group discuss why the industry's obsession with complex mathematical formulas often creates a barrier to trust. We tackle the "Great Compromise"—the fundamental tension between the desire to save for the future and the immediate need to feel good today. By examining AKG research on the rising cost of living, we discuss how advisers can keep clients focused on long-term objectives during times of financial stress. Learn why making retirement feel less distant and more human is the key to closing the advice gap and building lasting client relationships.

In this episode, Mark Baldwin from Standard Life discusses NextWealth research showing that technical skill alone isn’t enough—advisers must understand clients’ emotions and behaviours to create financial plans people will actually follow. Topics include the iceberg analogy, retirement choices since pension freedoms, and practical, small steps advisers can take to ask better questions, build emotional connection, and combine modelling with coaching. The Advice Shift Podcast

In this episode of Money Talks, Kimberly Dondo is joined by Fiona Hanrahan and Justin Corliss from Royal London to explain the impact of frozen tax bands through April 2031 and the rising problem of fiscal drag. They walk through adjusted net income, the high‑income child benefit charge, practical pension strategies (including third‑party contributions and salary exchange), and a clear case study showing how pension payments can reduce tax and protect family benefits.

Kimberley Dondo, Tom Browne and Dan Cooper discuss a busy start to 2026, focusing on the shortage of women in financial advice, where fewer than one in five advisers are female, the perception problem that deters candidates, and the need for better visibility, mentoring and events like the Women’s Symposium. They cover recent major deals — NatWest’s purchase of Evelyn Partners and Schroders’ takeover — and explore what consolidation means for banks, advisers and targeted support as the wealth-management landscape shifts. They also air frustrations with archaic practices like wet signatures, the disconnect between systems, and debate AI hype, ethics and regulation, while previewing upcoming coverage around International Women’s Day and sector events.

In this episode, Kimberley Dondo sits down with Fiona Hanrahan and Justin Corliss from Royal London to tackle one of the most frequent technical queries as the tax year-end approaches: carry forward. With the annual allowance now at £60,000, Justin and Fiona explain why carry forward remains a vital tool for clients, despite the recent increase. They dive into the complexities of calculating unused allowances from the previous three tax years, the crucial differences between individual and employer contributions, and the "gotchas" involving the Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA) and the tapered annual allowance. Listen to the full series here. Whether you are looking to maximise contributions for company directors or ensuring a client doesn't inadvertently trigger a tax charge, this conversation provides a practical roadmap for getting the calculations right. Adviser Resources To help with your year-end cases, visit Royal London for a range of technical support tools.

MMTalks launches 2026 with the Money Marketing team discussing the risks of advisors building in-house platforms, geopolitical shocks from Trump and their muted market impact, the rise (and possible burst) of the AI bubble, and whether virtual work experience helps or hinders new talent entering financial services. They also cover sector trends to watch this year — pensions, regulation, tokenisation and semiconductors — and share personal resolutions and predictions for the year ahead.

Kimberley Dondo and Dan Cooper wrap up 2025 with a deep dive into the year’s knottiest topics. From the "fatigue" surrounding the advice/guidance boundary to the confusing world of crypto regulation, the team asks: is the industry ready for what comes next? They also tackle the big macro questions: Is the Triple Lock unsustainable? Is Trump worse for markets than Truss? And will we really see a "crypto adviser" in 2026? Tune in for the analysis, the debates, and the predictions.