The guidance and/or advice contained within this website is subject to the UK regulatory regime and is therefore primarily targeted at consumers based in the UK.

Bernas Coni Warren was founded by John Bernas AIFP, dip PFS in 1991, to provide financial planning advice to clients on a totally independent and impartial basis. John has been providing professional financial planning advice since 1985. John's professional qualifications include the Financial Planning Certificate and the Advanced Financial Planning Certificate. John follows a program of continuous professional development; is a qualified member of the Personal Finance Society; and is a founder member and Associate of the UK Institute of Financial Planning.   Financial Planning | Our Services | Our Clients | Expertise | Reviews | Fees & Commissions   The FSA do not regulate some forms of tax planning and school fees planning advice.     Financial Planning We all make plans when we want to achieve something. But many of us give little more thought to our financial future than we do to our food shopping. We're too busy and just don't have the knowledge or skills to sort out the big stuff. That's where a professional and independent financial planner comes in ... What is Financial Planning? Financial planning is: Learning about you and your circumstances   Helping you to clarify what it is you wish to achieve   Analysing appropriate solutions, based on our expertise and experience   Making clear, unbiased recommendations, based on what's best for you   Putting the recommendations into place   Reviewing your position in the future - to monitor progress and cater for any changes   <Top of Page> Our Services Being an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA), we offer the widest possible choice of financial solutions. We act as your "buying agent" - selecting items which really suit you - rather than being product-salesmen for a company. Your central financial adviser should be independent and impartial. Financial advisers who are not independent may: (i) have a conflict of interest between your needs and those of their employment; and (ii) also be aiming to sell you products which cost you more (or are less good) than those available via an IFA. But at Bernas Coni Warren, we can help you to: Organise your financial affairs   Protect your financial well-being, and that of your family   Improve your long-term finances, and save for the future   More objectively, we help clients with areas such as:     Estate planning & Inheritance Tax       Pensions planning for retirement       Business-owners' shareholding protection       Family's financial security       Mortgage-related life insurance       ISAs & other investments       Critical Illness Cover (CIC)       Income-Protection in case of ill-health       Educational fees planning   <Top of Page> Our Clients Our clients are men and women of all ages; are business owners, employees, self-employed and retired. They all have one thing in common: the desire to receive good, honest, unbiased advice which is in plain English and tailored to suit their particular needs and circumstances. <Top of Page> Expertise Our taxation and financial planning expertise, knowledge and judgement will help you with the most appropriate route to achieve your aims. The expertise of other professionals (e.g. accountants and solicitors) can be co-ordinated for you: to add in their particular skills, if/when needed. In this way, you can achieve your objectives - and avoid unnecessary or inappropriate use of other advisers' specialist expertise. <Top of Page> Reviews Banks, investment houses and insurance companies introduce new products regularly. And tax laws change yearly. In addition, your circumstances might change: you might marry / divorce / move house / have children / retire / win the lottery (well, perhaps not) / become ill / inherit some money / etc. etc. This means that most personal financial plans should be reviewed from time to time. If you wish, we can review your financial plans periodically in the future, providing you with further advice based on your needs. <Top of Page> Fees & Commissions To help to keep fees as low as possible, we generally retain any commissions received.   If an investment leads to a commission payment, then you are given details of that commission, in advance.   Our work generally includes: collecting and collating data;  research and analysis;  financial planning;  report production;  arranging purchases. It's only the final item which can generate commission.   Some types of investment pay more commission than others. To help maintain our impartiality, we may refuse part of the commission and instead add it to the value of your investment, for your benefit.   Only where the cost of our work for you is not fully covered by commission, do we need to charge you a fee for the balance. Timesheets are maintained, and our fees are based on the hours worked.   NB: We work for you: to provide you with what's most appropriate - rather than being biased by commissions.   Please contact us if you would like any additional information. <Top of Page> The editorial here does not constitute personal advice. It reflects Bernas Coni Warren's understanding of current law and tax practice, and is without prejudice. No liability shall attach. Errors & Omissions Excepted.   © Copyright Bernas Coni Warren www.BernasConiWarren.com 01275 83 73 03 7 School Close, Whitchurch, Bristol, BS14 0DU Bernas Coni Warren is an appointed representative of Sesame Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Sesame is entered on the FSA Register under reference 150427.