Planning for Your Future workshops- speaker spotlight

As more organisations look to help their employees over 50 to plan for retirement, our Planning for Your Future workshops continue to grow in popularity and offer older workers the chance to hear from experts in the field of finance, legal issues, health & wellbeing and time management.

We thought we’d take the opportunity to introduce some of the brilliant speakers who donate their time and expertise to help us deliver our informative pre-retirement workshops.

Our first speaker, Malcolm Steel from Mearns & Company regularly presents the Thinking about Finance session of the workshop which looks at money matters, tax and other important financial issues.

We caught up with Malcolm to find out more about what he does and his involvement in our workshops.

Can you tell us more about the company you work for and your role?

I am Client Strategy Director at Mearns & Company, a firm of Chartered Financial Planners and Employee Benefits Consultants. Mearns & Company is a multi-award-winning team and has achieved the Gold Standard for Independent Financial Advice ten times since 2009. We are also Investors in People Platinum accredited.

I’m a qualified Chartered Financial Planner and Fellow of the Personal Finance Society. I’m also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and have an intimate knowledge of Wills & Executry matters. I’m passionate about helping people to have financial peace of mind, both now and in the future.

Can you share some of the topics you discuss in the Thinking about Finance session of our Planning for Your Future workshop and why they are so important?

We cover a whole host of important topics; including the level of income that the delegates might need for a comfortable retirement, the actions that they should consider taking before retirement, and the choices that they will need to take when they reach retirement.

I also share some tips for financial wellbeing which are appropriate for people at all stages of life.

What do you enjoy most about presenting the finance session?

Age Scotland’s Planning for Your Future workshop is a fantastic resource to help people plan for all aspects of retirement. I really enjoy presenting the financial segment, with the aim of making the delegates feel more confident about their future. The session gives a great opportunity for delegates to ask questions and learn some practical steps they should consider to secure a comfortable retirement.

Finally, when you’re not at work or presenting at our workshop, how do you like to spend your time?

Away from work, I love to spend time with my family – I am the proud father of two. I’m also happy when I have a guitar in my hands, or a craft beer!

For more information about Age Scotland’s Planning for Your Future workshop and to browse the dates of our open workshops, visit www.age.scot/planningforyourfuture.