James McLaughlin

Managing Director

James has almost 30 years experience in the Financial Services sector and has been advising clients for over 15 years. Having previously worked for Standard Life for 16 years, he then became an Independent Financial Adviser working with 2 of Edinburgh’s top advisers prior to setting up JM IFA Ltd in 2014.

A fully qualified adviser and pension transfer specialist, with particular expertise helping clients prepare for the transition from work to retirement. James provides financial planning solutions to help clients secure their desired lifestyle throughout their lives AND to mitigate any potential inheritance tax (IHT) liability.

Our approach

Our recommendations for investments and pensions are based on extensive research carried out on a continual basis by our advisers, supported by sophisticated computer analysis of performance, volatility and other investment characteristics.

We believe financial planning is a journey over a period of time and that any financial decision or solution must take account of our clients changing circumstances and therefore must be flexible and individual. As a company, we ensure that each client’s financial affairs are kept under constant review.

  • Assess

    Initially we will assess your current financial circumstances and then establish a picture of your financial objectives. During this part of the ‘getting to know you’ process and before arriving at any specific recommendation, the key areas which we will consider are tax efficiency, accessibility, attitude to risk, flexibility and of course, your objectives.

  • Research

    We research the available information from all leading financial services providers and make clear and concise recommendations appropriate to specific requirements.

    Our approach to investments is based on experience and research using the financial express analytics system. Our investment process is based on a maximum volatility approach which means we invest in actively managed funds which meet each individual’s attitude to risk.

  • Recommend

    A further meeting is then arranged to present our findings and recommendations. A detailed report is provided showing what we think is appropriate and specific to our clients’ needs and this will be backed up by information provided by the companies we are recommending.

    With all portfolios, it’s essential this is flexible so that investments can be altered to suit your future changing needs. For this reason, and because no one investment house performs well across all asset classes, we often recommend a selection of funds and the most suitable fund manager for each asset class.

  • Review

    We will meet regularly to review both performance of your investments and whether your requirements/situation has changed, and constantly fine-tune the strategy to ensure it is on target to meet your objectives.