Financial freedom starts here
Wealth Alliance is one of Ireland’s leading firms of independent CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals whose core set of values define who we are and what we do. We are leaders in the field of financial planning, delivering the highest standards and service.
In 2011, our founding principals Brenda and Jane made the conscious decision to leave the security of the Corporate Private Banking World to follow their vision of establishing a transparent financial planning business which truly placed the client at the heart of everything they did.
We at Wealth Alliance remain as passionate and committed today to working tirelessly with both new and existing clients to understand their lifestyle goals, ambitions and to help them build prosperous secure futures. We act in our client’s best interest at all times.
We provide a comprehensive range of financial services for our clients and where necessary we work closely with like minded third party professionals to provide any specialist financial services such as legal and tax. This ensures a cohesive financial plan for our clients and removes the risks associated with multiple financial advisers.
We believe that financial planning is about more than just managing your money; it’s about your life, your goals and your ambitions. Financial Planning sits at the heart of the relationship, because it provides direction and insights not available from simply managing an investment portfolio alone.
Whilst we need to draw on our skills and expertise in fields such as pension, investment and tax - to name a few - we have found that it is more important to understand people and more specifically what they need their money to achieve for them.
How do I know if my current financial position is sufficient to meet my long term goals?
How appropriate are my existing arrangements in these ever changing times in context of my short, medium and long term needs?
At Wealth Alliance we can work with you to manage your finances with a view to achieving your financial objectives, while at the same time negotiating barriers that inevitably arise in every stage of life. The key defining aspect of what we do is help you find direction and meaning to your financial decisions whilst enabling you to adapt to changing circumstances.
We never forget it is your money. We take a collaborative approach to investment working with you to ensure that the investment strategy fits your objectives and most of all makes your feel comfortable and confident.
Do your investments provide you with sufficient return to meet your life style objectives whilst taking the appropriate level of risk?
Are your assets and income tax-efficient?
How often should I review my investment or pension assets?
Academic research suggests that the decision to allocate assets among various asset classes will far outweigh other decisions that impact portfolio performance. An investment approach based upon investment across multiple asset classes is an approach recommended the world over, but one which is followed with indifference.
At Wealth Alliance we use a disciplined and structured approach to investing, which includes the following steps:
As well as working with a number of leading investment houses and life companies, we have also recently introduced a new investment platform to enhance and broaden our offering. Wealth Alliance is one of a small number of advisers around the country who have been selected to partner with the Portus Platform, powered by Irish Life. We can now provide our platform clients access to institutional quality investments, enhanced flexibility, improved administration, automated quarterly rebalancing, transparent costs, all under the one tax efficient investment umbrella.
We do not believe retirement planning is simply about you buying a pension but rather it is about evaluating your current and future financial state applying agreed assumptions to predict future cash flows, asset values and withdrawal plans. Only then can you develop a plan to target your desired income at retirement. It is important to avoid seeking “income” in the traditional sense as inflows can also be derived from capital drawdown.
How soon can I afford to stop working?
How can I extract value from my business tax-efficiently for the benefit of my family and myself?
How can I minimise by income tax liability?
In determining a retirement strategy we can work with you to identify any potential gaps in your financial plans and help you take advantage of all the available benefits. We can advise you on how best to maximise your existing assets and develop future sources of personal wealth. Despite recent changes in pension legislation tax-efficient investment planning in Ireland is still very attractive. Planning ahead can offer significant tax advantages, regardless of when you decide to retire.
Many people are of the opinion that estate planning only involves the writing of a will. It is however a process that takes into account your wishes for loved ones, other individuals and in some cases charitable organizations of your choice. It involves your assets, (property) and the various forms of ownership that those assets may take. Your plan should address your future needs in case you ever become unable to care for yourself or how and to whom your assets will be distributed to during your lifetime or after your death. It can involve financial, tax, medical and business planning.
Like any financial plan, as relationships, assets and laws change, it may be necessary to adjust your estate plan every so often to reflect those changes.
How do I minimise my children’s inheritance tax liability?
How do I ensure the beneficiaries of my estate do not squander their bequest?
Even after accumulating a lifetime of assets the full value of your estate can be significantly eroded with taxes and legal costs when you die. Control and ownership issues could potentially threaten your legacy. By implementing a proper plan for the final transfer of your assets, you can help preserve and even grow your wealth. We will work with you and your own advisers to map out a plan at every point in you financial cycle and help bring you peace of mind.
You are your own biggest asset and at certain times you may need to put plans in place to protect your income or assets during your working life.
Risk management in Financial Planning is the practice of identifying potential risks to your lifestyle in advance and taking precautionary steps to minimise, monitor and control the probability or impact of such an event occurring.
Protection cover effectively gives you peace of mind knowing that your family will be looked after in the unfortunate event of you becoming sick, incapacitated or ultimately dying. Whatever your protection requirements is, you will always take it out in the hope that you will never need it but draw comfort from knowing that it is there.
How do I know if my family will be financially secure in the event of my death?
What would happen if my earning ability is affected by death or ill-health?
My business is my pension how do I ensure that my family receives the maximum benefit from it, on my death?
When establishing a home, family, career or business, it is sometimes easier to forget how important it is to protect these interests in the event of sickness or death. As your circumstances change, so will your needs and priorities; It pays to be prepared for the future. We can work with you to identify and quantify any potential risks, create a personalised action plan and guide you every step of the way to ensure you make informed decisions and receive value for money.
Given that taxes may become one of your single biggest expense over time, planning to minimise this cost is a critically important piece of the overall financial planning process.
Tax planning is the art of arranging your affairs in ways that defer, reduce or avoid taxes. By employing effective tax planning strategies, you can either have more money to save and invest or more money to spend. This is achieved by taking advantage of current tax-laws, making maximum use of all applicable and suitable provisions available within the Revenue Code.
Are my financial arrangements structured tax efficiently?
Tax planning is a vital component of financial planning. Although we are not regulated to provide tax advice, we do however work closely with a panel of independent tax advisers where appropriate. Alternatively we will work with your own preferred adviser.
Meet our dedicated team of professionals. Our work revolves around our clients and we are here to help you meet your financial goals. Find out about the individual personalities that make up our company.
Joint Managing Director
Brenda is co-founder and joint Managing Director of Wealth Alliance with over 24 years experience in the financial services industry. Brenda and her co-director, Jane McAleese, founded Wealth Alliance to provide independent transparent financial planning to clients whose needs and values closely match the services and values they hold. Brenda is driven by the want to remove a bias towards the sale of financial products by helping clients articulate their financial goals and empowering them to make considered and measured decisions in the development of their personal financial life plan.
Prior to establishing Wealth Alliance, Brenda held a number of Senior Corporate and Private Banking roles within Ulster Bank, KBC Bank, Bank of Ireland Private Banking and ICS Building Society. Education is a priority for Brenda, as she understands the financial services industry is constantly changing. She is a Qualified Financial Advisor, (QFA) and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. The CFP designation is internationally recognised and Brenda is one of the first people to qualify as a CFP Professional in Ireland. She received first class honours in the Masters level Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning as well as holding a number of professional qualifications in Investment and Financial Advice.
Joint Managing Director
Jane is co-founder and joint Managing Director of Wealth Alliance with over 18 years experience in the financial services industry and a further 13 years as a business owner in the Equine Industry. Jane and her co-director Brenda founded Wealth Alliance through a shared passion and belief that the backbone of a Financial Planning business should be formed around the client’s best interest and the earning of trust. Jane believes in the need to understand people and what matters most to them, which in itself forms the bedrock of their respective journey towards financial freedom.
Prior to establishing Wealth Alliance, Jane most recently worked for Ulster Bank Corporate in their Wealth division and before that she held a number of senior positions within KBC Private Bank and KBC Capital Markets. Her experience as a business owner has also given her an understanding and insight into the financial needs and requirements of an SME.
Jane fervently believes in the importance of further education in the financial planning sector. She is both a Qualified Financial Advisor and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. She received first in her class for the Masters level Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning as well as holding a number of qualifications in Corporate Treasury, Wealth Management and Financial Advice.
Jane has recently joined the committee of Society of Financial Planners Ireland. The main objective of the SFPI is to promote best practice in Financial Planning.
Head of Client Services
Tara Murphy has over 10 years experience working in the Financial Services Industry. She worked as part of the Life & Pensions team in Intersure Group Ltd and Alliance insurance for over 7 years and brings a wealth of experience to the team. Tara has a wide range of experience in every aspect of the administration role, from New Business, to Customer Services. Tara is a Qualified Financial Adviser (QFA). Tara currently volunteers with the Drogheda Special Olympics club and holds the position as the Athlete Protection Officer.
Client Services
Aislene Doyle has over 18 years working in Financial Services. During this time she has worked in the General Insurance industry in Fingal Insurance, Goggin Insurance and more recently Alliance Insurance Brokers. It was during her time in Alliance insurance that Aislene was introduced to financial planning and became part of the life & pensions team. She subsequently studied and passed her QFA exams. Aislene joined Wealth Alliance in March 2017 and works with Tara on the client services team.
Aislene has many interests which includes going to the gym, running and watching sports. She is a volunteer with her local GAA club St, Margaret’s, and coaches the girl’s minor team. She has 2 children who take up the rest of her spare time.
SEE WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY ABOUT US
Human Resources Manager
Ecclesiastical Insurance Ireland
Wealth Alliance provide 1 to 1 advice and support to our employees to assist them in making investment choices and contribution rates to their pension plans appropriate to each individual employee’s circumstances. Jane and Brenda have become trusted advisers to our employees and through their support and guidance we have seen real active engagement by employees in pension planning.
Company Director & Frances Keenan
We have been working with Wealth Alliance since they established in 2011 and throughout this period their advice and support has been invaluable. They are very proactive at exploring different strategies to meet our specific needs and to help us maintain our lifestyle. They help us to plan for the future with confidence. We’d have no hesitation in recommending Wealth Alliance.
Company Director & Charity Director
Gillian and I have been supported by Wealth Alliance since the firm opened. The direction provided regarding financial planning has been thorough and clear. The recommendations for investment match our risk profile and our financial needs. We like that they are professional yet we feel they know us personally. Overall we are delighted to do business with Wealth Alliance.
S.C. & Company Director
We have been working with Wealth Alliance since they established in 2011. During this time they more than lived up to our expectations of working with financial planners. They take the time to really know their clients which gives us great confidence that not just our financial goals are well understood but also our comfort level. They regularly provide updates and have always been available to answer any questions or to explain options within our financial plan. We can only give them our highest recommendation.
Accountant & International Public Sector Financial Consultant
I have been a client of Wealth Alliance since its inception and through regular reviews, advice and guidance, all aspects of my finances have improved. Through personalized risk assessment and comprehensive and in-depth knowledge of financial products, cost, taxation and investment and pension options, I feel I have access to all of the information I need to make informed and logical financial decisions. I have nothing but respect and trust for the Wealth Alliance team and have no hesitation recommending them.
Managing Director
We started working with Wealth Alliance in 2011 and they have regularly exceeded our expectations, starting with taking the time to really understand our financial position and our goals and objectives. They then outlined and explained the options available to us, ensuring that we understood the opportunities and risks involved with each. Over the years we have had regular reviews and they have suggested changes, as appropriate, ensuring that we feel confident and remain on track to meet our financial goals and objectives. We find them very professional and dedicated to developing their customer proposition. We are happy to recommend Wealth Alliance to people looking for financial planning advice.
Wealth Alliance has provided us with financial planning advice for a number of years. They spent a lot of time talking with us in order to fully understand both of our lifestyle goals and financial objectives. They explained our options in plain English and helped us put in place the various strategies required to achieve our goals. The ongoing contact and annual reviews are most important to us as they ensure we can feel confident that we remain on track to achieve our objectives. We have no hesitation in recommending Wealth Alliance to anyone looking for independent financial planning advice where the client is placed at the centre of the service.
When you share your hopes and aspirations with us, we can help you construct a plan to achieve them.
Firstly we work with you to understand and agree a clear set of life goals and financial objectives.
This involves gathering relevant information relating to you, your family and your business or employment amongst other things.
Our rigorous process of research and analysis helps us identify all the relevant financial issues that can affect you achieving your lifestyle ambitions either positively or negatively. We will work with you to prioritise and implement strategies where and when appropriate.
FOR EXAMPLE:
A What assets do you need in order to achieve financial freedom?
B Do your investments provide you with sufficient return to meet your life style objectives whilst taking the appropriate level of risk?
C Are your assets and income tax-efficient?
D What would happen if your earning ability is affected by death or ill-health?
E Business owners: do your structures allow you to optimally move wealth from your business to you and your family?
F Have you structured your wealth so as to be able to transfer it to your children in a tax-efficient manner?
As your life changes, your plan evolves. Ongoing supervision and advice are essential to ensure that you can adapt to changing circumstances whilst remaining on course. We revisit your objectives and where appropriate recommend and implement adjustments accordingly.
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Hope they play as well as they sing! #lionsnz2017 https://t.co/zuWSifVwRQ
Nice welcome for #LionsNZ2017 let the games begin! https://t.co/3adZ1p7P39
Great news for @galway2020 Galway Independent - Galway 2020 appoint Chief Executive Officer https://t.co/kSKaDVUEht
@_WealthAlliance
Follow usKnowledge is power and this area of our website aims to put the power back in your hands. It contains monthly investment research, articles of interest and useful calculators to give you a greater insight into the financial planning process.
US Election Results - Commentary
See attached a commentary from ILIM’s chief economist Lenny McLoughlin
Following the US presidential election result our key message is that with a sensible, diversified multi asset investment approach, combined with not having a short term time horizon, such market events should be weathered without undue concern. Market timing has not, in the past, served anybody well and at this stage it is impossible to predict the long term impact of this election result. Sticking to a well-constructed financial plan has yielded benefits to the long-term investor and is the correct path going forward.
See attached a commentary from ILIM’s chief economist Lenny McLoughlin
Budget 2017 - The Main Points
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Very welcome news coming from the Department of Finance. The Minister for Finance has arranged for individuals who have a Buy-out Bond that originated in a Defined Benefit pension scheme to be allowed to access to the flexible option of an Approved Retirement Fund (ARF) when accessing benefits.
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We are delighted to win the Irish Brokers Association LPI award for the Best Financial Planning Firm of the Year 2016
Wealth Alliance are delighted to be shortlisted for the ‘Best Financial Planning Firm’ award. The LPI Awards take place on March 31st
2016 Budget briefing – John Marks & Co
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Retirement planning with us makes sense
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Interesting read for those with Defined Benefit Pension Schemes. A recent court judgement confirms Pensions Act Funding Standard ‘insufficient to provide the benefits under the Scheme’
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The calculators on this website are based upon calculators built by Irish Life. They are designed to provide guideline indicators for life cover, pension, and income protection requirements. It is recommended that you speak to your Financial Planner prior to making any decisions.
‘It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so’. Mark Twain.
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Value Investment Institute Annual Report Review: Five Pointers
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Our financial planning service helps busy people to manage their finances
Wealth Alliance is one of Ireland’s leading firms of independent Certified Financial Planner™ professionals.
Here is some further information about this prestigious qualification and its stringent requirements.
The mission of Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) is to benefit the public by granting the CFP® certification and upholding it as the recognized standard of excellence for competent and ethical personal financial planning.
CFP Board has established five core objectives that support CFP Board’s mission.
1.Competency:
Establish and uphold rigorous competency standards for CFP®certification.
2.Professional Standards & Enforcement:
Protect the public’s interest through the establishment and enforcement of rigorous financial planning ethical and practice standards.
3.Public Advocacy:
Influence policy to benefit the public and increase access for all to competent and ethical financial planning.
4.Communications & Outreach:
Increase public and stakeholder awareness of and preference for CFP® certification as the standard for financial planning
5.Sustainability:
Strengthen CFP Board’s capacity to achieve its mission.
Education:
CFP® professionals must develop their theoretical and practical financial planning knowledge by completing a comprehensive course of study at a college or university offering a financial planning curriculum approved by CFP Board. Other options for satisfying the education component include submitting a transcript review or previous financial planning-related course work to CFP Board for review and credit, or showing the attainment of certain professional designations or academic degrees.
Examination:
CFP® practitioners must pass a comprehensive two-day, 10-hour CFP® Certification Examination that tests their ability to apply financial planning knowledge in an integrated format. Based on regular research of what planners do, the exam covers the financial planning process, tax planning, employee benefits and retirement planning, estate planning, investment management and insurance.
Experience:
CFP® professionals must have three years minimum experience in the financial planning process prior to earning the right to use the CFP®certification marks. As a result, CFP® practitioners possess financial counseling skills in addition to financial planning knowledge.
Ethics:
As a final step to certification, CFP® practitioners agree to abide by a strict code of professional conduct, known as CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, that sets forth their ethical responsibilities to the public, clients and employers. CFP Board also performs a background check during this process, and each individual must disclose any investigations or legal proceedings related to their professional or business conduct.
Once certified, CFP® practitioners are required to maintain technical competence and fulfill ethical obligations. Every two years, they must complete a minimum 30 hours of continuing education to stay current with developments in the financial planning profession and better serve clients. Two of these hours are spent studying or discussing CFP Board’s Code of Ethics or Practice Standards. In addition to the biennial continuing education requirement, all CFP® practitioners voluntarily disclose any public, civil, criminal or disciplinary actions that may have been taken against them during the previous two years as part of the renewal process.
Wealth Alliance Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland C120055