Personal injury trusts and deputyships

Clients whose money is derived from a personal injury settlement often have particular and challenging lifetime financial needs. They are rarely in the same position as most wealthy individuals who may have a high salary or pension fund to fall back on if their investments perform poorly, so they generally can’t afford to take too much risk; but they depend on the money to meet their lifetime financial needs so it has to work for them.

Seriously injured clients deserve a specialist financial adviser with the experience, empathy and analytical capability to design a smart, sustainable strategy that ensures their financial compensation makes a meaningful difference to their quality of life, for the rest of their life.

At Fensham Howes we start by getting to know our client, focusing on what they want as well as what they need. It often takes a few years to settle into a financial routine, but the sooner the planning stage can begin, the better. We use third party and proprietary financial modelling software to create an individual financial plan for every client, incorporating the tax allowances and statutory benefits that are not available to other wealthy individuals.

Once we’ve agreed a meaningful financial plan, we are in a position to identify an investment portfolio that supports the plan, and which recognises, and as far as possible mitigates, the risks each client is most likely to face. Personal injury awards often need to be managed conservatively but they must also be financially productive over the long term. Our role is to help our clients strike the right balance between risk and return, explaining which risks are worth taking and which are not.

We believe our approach helps clients and their families feel involved and informed – allowing them to feel in control of the process and giving them financial peace of mind.

Statutory funding applications

Because we use our knowledge and experience to incorporate likely future cashflows, our reports can effectively support an application to the Court of Protection where additional funding is required in order to meet a client’s lifetime care needs, but a reverse indemnity is in place.

Due Diligence

As well as working with clients whose claims have recently settled, we are happy to offer a second opinion to clients, trustees and deputies who are currently working with other advisers.

This service includes a comprehensive assessment of the client’s existing investment portfolio in the context of their lifetime financial needs. Our report identifies any potential weaknesses in the current approach and recommends remedial action where appropriate.

Pro bono work

We are able to provide pro bono support for injured clients who are not entitled to claim compensation, or whose awards are low in value but who still need specialist financial advice.

Our Serious Injury team is led by Katie Wilson. If you would like to discuss any of the services we offer please contact her at katie.wilson@fenshamhowes.com.

See also:
Trustees and deputies
Expert witness in serious injury claims