Financial Advisor - Life & Inheritance Tax

We are seeking a highly experienced Financial Adviser to join a specialist advisory team focused on delivering bespoke life insurance solutions for inheritance tax planning, business succession, and wealth structuring.

Our proposition is centred on:

• High net worth and ultra high net worth clients (typically clients with estate values of £10m+)
• Complex IHT mitigation strategies (including trust planning and liquidity provision)
• Close collaboration with professional introducers (lawyers, accountants, bankers, private client advisers)
• Large sum assured, technically complex protection cases

This is not a volume sales role. It is a consultative, technically led position focused on structuring and delivering high value, advice driven outcomes.

Role Purpose

Design and deliver life insurance solutions within IHT and estate planning frameworks.

Act as a trusted adviser alongside legal, accountancy, banking and other professional advisers.

Manage complex, high value cases involving UK and cross border estates and non UK residents / internationally mobile clients.

Provide a joined up approach integrating protection into wider financial and tax planning strategies.

Key Responsibilities

1. High Net Worth Client Advice
   • Advise clients on term life and whole of life planning for IHT liabilities, trust based protection structures, and family wealth preservation strategies.
   • Identify protection needs across personal protection (life, CIC, IP) and business protection (Key Person, Shareholder Protection, loan cover, Relevant Life).
   • Structure solutions aligned to estate equalisation, liquidity for tax liabilities, and succession planning.
2. Introducer Led Relationship Model
   • Build and maintain strong working relationships with private client solicitors, tax advisers and accountants, banking and other finance professionals.
   • Operate as a technical protection specialist within a wider advisory ecosystem.
   • Contribute to joint client strategies and professional discussions.
   • Support introducers with case structuring ideas and technical input on protection solutions.
3. Complex & Cross Border Case Structuring
   • Advise on cases involving international assets and multi jurisdictional estates.
   • Structure protection arrangements considering tax treatment, jurisdictional issues, ownership structures, and trusts.
   • Navigate complex underwriting scenarios including large sums assured, financial justification, and enhanced underwriting requirements.
4. End to End Case Management
   • Lead high value cases from initial concept through to placement.
   • Pre underwriting discussions and insurer selection with market positioning.
   • Co ordinate evidence (financial, medical, legal) and work closely with in house underwriting team to negotiate competitive terms.
5. Technical Excellence & Compliance
   • Deliver advice in line with FCA regulatory requirements.
   • Produce suitability reports and advice documentation.
   • Maintain awareness of changes in tax legislation (particularly IHT) and protection market developments.

Candidate Profile

• Strong experience advising protection or financial planning to high net worth clients.
• Proven track record working with high value life insurance sums (£5m+).
• Experience with introducer led business models and professional advisers (solicitors, accountants, bankers).
• Exposure to complex IHT planning cases and business owner or landed estate clients.

Qualifications

• Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning (Level 4) - essential.
• Progress towards Chartered or STEP qualifications highly desirable.

Technical Capability

• Strong working knowledge of protection products across the UK market.
• Trust planning and policy ownership structures.
• IHT planning principles and estate liquidity solutions.
• Underwriting approach for high value cases, cross border considerations.

Personal Attributes

• Commercial and relationship driven mindset.
• High attention to detail and organisational capabilities.
• Comfortable operating in professional adviser environments.
• High level of technical curiosity and problem solving ability.
• Strong communication skills with ability to influence professional introducers and explain complex strategies clearly to clients.
• Sensitivity to client medical information and ability to communicate underwriting decisions and philosophy.
• Ability to build trust while delivering tailored client solutions.

What Makes This Role Different

Focus on quality over quantity - complex, high value cases rather than volume sales.

Direct exposure to HNW / UHNW clients and advanced estate planning strategies.

Opportunity to operate as a specialist adviser within a wider financial planning framework.

Strong pipeline via established introducer relationships and internal introductions via Howden colleagues.

Ideal Candidate Positioning

• A protection adviser wishing to focus on IHT led, high value advice.
• A financial planner wanting to specialise in life insurance and estate liquidity planning.
• An adviser currently working in an introducer model but seeking better quality clients, more complex cases, and greater technical challenge.