A day in the life of an SPW adviser
A glimpse into the daily routine of Katie Nutting, Financial Planning Director at SPW, highlighting client support, financial planning, and collaboration to deliver tailored advice.
Every day as a financial adviser brings a unique blend of structure and spontaneity. From early-morning email reviews to late-afternoon client meetings, no two days are ever quite the same. At the heart of it all is a commitment to helping people make informed decisions about their financial futures—whether they’re planning for retirement, managing investments, or simply seeking peace of mind.
Katie Nutting, Financial Planning Director at Schroders Personal Wealth (SPW), tells us about a typical day as a financial adviser.
My day starts with a review of any emails that have come in the previous evening. Clients often correspond with me at the end of their working day, when they have more time to focus on their personal affairs. Because my clients trust me to help them meet their financial goals, it’s essential that I pick these emails up as soon as my working day starts.
Next, I review any new client requests or updates that have come in overnight and write out my priority list. I might be old fashioned, but I prefer to work with a pen and paper. Writing it out helps me plan better and understand what needs to be done first, while highlighting any activities brought over from the previous day.
Typically, I have at least two meetings with clients each day, which could be on almost any financial planning topic. It might be a first meeting with a new client, where we create a visual timeline of what their financial future could look like. This often involves cash flow modelling, a process where we project a client’s income, expenses, assets, and liabilities over time to help them understand how their financial situation might evolve. It provides a dynamic picture of their finances and helps identify whether they’re on track to meet their goals. Or it could be a follow-up meeting where we present a plan to a client and make recommendations to help them achieve their financial goals.
Keeping people on track
Alternatively, it might be one of our regular review meetings with an existing client as part of our Ongoing Advice Service. These meetings are a key part of the planning process and help clients stay informed and in control of their financial situation. We review the performance of their plan, discuss any changes in their personal circumstances, and assess whether they remain on track to meet their goals. We also take the opportunity to remind them of the ongoing costs and charges associated with their plan, and explore any new or emerging needs where we may be able to offer further support or guidance.
Not everyone wants or needs regular meetings, however. For some people, we have one-off meetings or stay in touch via telephone or through our digital wealth portal, MY SPW.
Generally, if I am not working with our clients, I will be speaking with our colleagues at Lloyds Banking Group, to identify clients who could benefit from our financial planning support. Many people still don’t know about the full range of services and options financial planning can provide.
One of the misconceptions surrounding financial planning is that it is just for wealthy people, but in reality, it’s about helping anyone achieve better financial outcomes—regardless of their starting point.
Katie Nutting, Financial Planning Director at Schroders Personal Wealth
Financial planning covers a wide range of services and options for people at different stages of their financial journey, and there are many ways Schroders Personal Wealth can help.
We provide holistic financial advice to help clients plan for a comfortable retirement, for example, ensuring their finances are aligned with their long-term goals and lifestyle aspirations. We also offer advice on areas such as inheritance tax (IHT) planning to help clients pass on their wealth efficiently.
Using Schroders’ expertise
As a joint venture between Lloyds Banking Group and Schroders, SPW is well placed to offer investments that aim to help people grow their wealth or provide an income stream. We also offer a variety of protection insurance products to help people deal with illness or death.
Another important part of my day is dedicated to educating people about the benefits of financial planning, which involves planning webinars and financial advice days for third party businesses.
SPW advisers also receive regular updates from our investment colleagues about the latest developments in financial markets and what they mean for our investments and clients’ portfolios.
Before finishing for the day, it is important to make sure no important client emails received during the day remain unanswered and to note any tasks that need to be taken care of the next morning.
At SPW financial planning is what we do well, and we pride ourselves on our customer service and experience. We are devoted to helping our clients from the moment we start working until we log off at the end of the day.
Important information
This article is for information purposes only. It is not intended as advice.
Fees and charges apply.
The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and are not guaranteed. You might not get back your initial investment.
Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future.
Protection policies have no cash-in value at any time. If you don’t pay your premiums on time your cover will stop, your benefits will end, and you’ll get nothing back. If the benefit has not been paid out by the end of the selected term, the policy will end and you’ll get nothing back.
