FAQs

You can find further information about our approach, minimum fees and typical ranges on the Our fees page.

Yes. Your values and preferences can form part of the investment planning process, including consideration of ethical or sustainable investment approaches where appropriate.

Yes. We regularly support people who have inherited money and are unsure what to do next. Your options can be considered in the context of your wider life, goals, tax position and need for short- and long-term flexibility.

Yes. We can advise on self-invested personal pensions where appropriate to your needs and circumstances.

No. We do not provide advice on final salary or defined benefit pension transfers.

Yes. We can help you consider later-life needs, including possible care costs, income, gifting, estate planning and how to maintain appropriate financial security as circumstances change.

Yes. We can help you understand your estate, consider potential Inheritance Tax exposure and explore appropriate planning strategies around gifting, investments, trusts and passing wealth to future generations.

Yes. We can advise on ISAs and other investments as part of a wider financial plan shaped around your goals, timescales, tax position and attitude to risk.

Yes. We can advise on protection needs, including life insurance, critical illness cover and income protection, where these form part of your wider financial planning.

Yes. We offer a free one-hour initial consultation, which can take place by telephone, online or face to face.

Our minimum initial planning fee is £1,995, so you can expect to pay at least this amount if you engage our services.

Initial financial planning fees typically range from £2,500 to £10,000, depending on your circumstances, the complexity involved and the scope of advice required.

This is a guide rather than a fixed quote. You will always be told and agree the fee before any work begins.

We charge a fixed fee for initial planning and advice, based on the complexity of your circumstances and the work involved.

For ongoing planning and advice, we typically charge a percentage of assets managed by our firm, using a tiered scale. The details will be explained and agreed with you in advance.

Not typically. Commission on retail investment products was banned in 2012, so our investment and financial planning work is fee-based and agreed with you in advance.

The main exception is protection advice, where providers may still pay commission when policies such as life insurance or critical illness cover are arranged.

Yes. We can help you understand your retirement income options and structure withdrawals with tax efficiency in mind, while considering your wider pensions, investments, income needs and long-term plans.

Yes. Financial planning can give you a clearer view of whether early retirement may be achievable and what would need to happen to get there.

We can model different scenarios, explore your income needs and help you build a practical plan around the retirement you want.

Yes. Retirement planning is a key area of our work. We can help you understand your options, assess whether you are on track and structure your retirement income with your needs, tax position and long-term security in mind.

We typically work with people who have more complex financial lives and value an ongoing relationship with a financial planner.

This includes business owners, people approaching retirement, high earners, those navigating major life changes, people managing significant lump sums, and families thinking about later life and legacy planning.

Yes. Many of our clients are business owners, company directors or self-employed. We can help connect business decisions with personal financial planning, including pensions, investments, tax efficiency, retirement and succession.

Yes. We regularly help clients who have inherited money decide what to do with a lump sum. This may include considering short-term access, investing, gifting, tax efficiency and how the money fits into their wider plans.

Yes. We can help you understand the personal financial implications of selling your business and consider how the proceeds could support your future, from investments and retirement to family security and legacy planning.

Yes. We regularly support clients who have lost a loved one, often at a time when important and emotionally difficult financial decisions need to be made.

This may include pension death benefits, death-in-service benefits, insurance proceeds, investments and longer-term planning. Our role is to bring clarity, structure and ongoing support at the right pace.

Yes. We can review your existing pensions and investments to understand whether they remain suitable and how well they fit with your wider financial plans.

No strict minimum applies. However, our services are generally designed for clients with pensions, savings and investments of £150,000 or more.

The most important consideration is whether we are a good fit and can deliver meaningful value through the financial planning relationship.

You can contact Murray Paterson directly by telephone or email. We will investigate your complaint and aim to resolve it fairly and promptly.

If you remain dissatisfied with our response, you may be entitled to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, an independent body that considers complaints about regulated financial firms.

Yes. As an FCA-authorised firm, Murray Paterson holds professional indemnity (PI) insurance in line with applicable regulatory requirements.

This insurance forms part of the protections and professional standards expected of regulated financial advice firms.

You can check our regulatory status on the Financial Services Register. Murray Paterson Limited is listed under FCA reference number 302865.

Yes. You can hear directly from some of the people we have supported in the Client stories section, where clients share their experiences in their own words.

Come prepared to talk about your goals, concerns and what you would like to achieve. It is also useful to have as much information as possible about your pensions, savings, investments and other financial arrangements.

We may sometimes ask you to bring identification, such as a passport or driving licence, although this is not a requirement for the initial meeting.

We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Our FCA reference number is 302865. You can check our regulatory status at any time by searching for Murray Paterson Limited on the Financial Services Register.

Yes. You can meet us face to face or online via Microsoft Teams, depending on what is most convenient and comfortable for you.

Most face-to-face meetings take place at our office at 10 Green Street, Strathaven, ML10 6LT. Where more convenient, we can also arrange meeting rooms at various locations in Glasgow, Edinburgh or London.

We do not have private parking on site, but there are several free car parks within a two- or three-minute walk of our Strathaven office.

Murray Paterson has been providing financial advice since 1996.

Our office is based in Strathaven, South Lanarkshire, but we work with clients throughout the UK. Our client relationships extend from Aviemore in the north to London in the south.

Murray Paterson is a Chartered Financial Planning firm. Craig is also a Chartered financial planner and Fellow of the Personal Finance Society, as well as an Associate Member of SOLLA.

The firm supports the Consumer Duty Alliance and Financial Vulnerability Charter and is a Corporate Member of Neurodiversity in Business.

Yes. You can hear directly from clients we have supported in our Client stories section, where we share video testimonials about their experiences. You can also find further reviews on Google.

As a boutique Chartered Financial Planning firm, we provide highly personal, independent advice shaped around your goals and circumstances.

You will have direct access to experienced planners who take time to know you properly, explain things clearly and build a lasting relationship. Our Chartered status reflects our commitment to high professional standards, while our straightforward approach helps you feel informed and confident at every stage.

Many of our clients are based in South Lanarkshire and the south of Glasgow, including Strathaven and surrounding areas. However, we work with people throughout the UK, from Aviemore to London and many places in between.

You can contact us by email, telephone or by submitting an enquiry through this website. A member of our team will then arrange a meeting at a time that works for you.

No. We offer a free initial consultation to understand what has brought you to us, learn about your goals and consider whether we are the right firm for you.

We will not provide regulated financial advice during this meeting, but it gives both sides an opportunity to decide whether working together feels right.

Yes. We are fully independent, which means our recommendations are based on your individual needs and circumstances rather than being limited to a particular provider or restricted range of products.

Your first meeting is a chance for us to get to know you beyond the numbers. We will explore what has brought you to us, what matters to you, your goals and any concerns or decisions you are facing.

We will also explain how we work, how we charge and what the next steps could look like. There is no obligation to proceed.

Initial meetings typically last around one hour.

No. There is never any pressure or obligation to proceed after the initial meeting. It is simply an opportunity to get to know one another, explore your circumstances and decide whether we are a good fit.

We coordinate annual leave internally, so there is always an adviser available during normal business hours. This means you continue to have access to support when your usual planner is away.

This depends on your needs and the service agreed with you. Most ongoing clients have regular planning reviews, alongside access to their adviser when questions arise or circumstances change.

Yes. We regularly coordinate with clients’ other professional advisers, including accountants and solicitors. A joined-up approach can ensure everyone understands the wider picture and is working towards the same goals.

Yes. Clients can access a secure personal finance portal through this website, helping them view important information and keep track of their financial arrangements.

No. We do not provide mortgage advice.

Yes. We can provide advice on equity release where appropriate to your circumstances.

Yes. We regularly advise clients on personal pensions as part of their wider financial planning.

Yes. We can advise on occupational pension arrangements where these fall within the scope of the advice we provide.