Apex CB Financial Planning is proud to be a signed Armed Forces Covenant member, based in Dorset – the home of some of the UK’s most significant military communities, including the Royal Marines, Royal Navy, and Army units across Poole, Bournemouth, and the surrounding area. We act as a military financial advisor, and can provide independent financial advice tailored to the realities of service life and the transition beyond it.
Who we help with military financial advice
Our financial advisors work with serving military personnel, veterans, and their families at the financial moments that matter most: receiving injury compensation, investing a terminal grant, and planning the next chapter of life after service. If you’ve recently left the armed forces, or are approaching your exit date, you’re likely sitting on decisions that have long-term consequences, all of which deserve proper independent financial advice rather than a quick answer. Contact us today if you want to speak with a financial advisor for military families.
Where we add real value for those seeking forces financial advice
Injury Compensation & Lump Sum Investment
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) can result in substantial tax-free lump sum payments. Getting that money working properly – in a way that’s tax-efficient, appropriately invested for your risk appetite, and structured around your income needs – is exactly what we do well. We’ll help you understand your options clearly and put a personalised plan in place.
Terminal Grant Investment
Your terminal grant is a significant one-off payment, and how you deploy it in the early months after leaving service will matter for years to come. Whether your priority is building an income, buying property, supplementing your pension, or simply getting it working rather than sitting in cash, we can provide structured, independent advice.
Retirement Planning for Veterans
The Armed Forces pension schemes are unlike standard civilian pensions – they’re defined benefit schemes with their own rules around commutation, preserved benefits, and integration with the State Pension. We can act as a financial advisor for veterans and have experience working through these calculations as part of a broader retirement plan, helping you understand the full picture and make informed decisions about your future income.
Life & Critical Illness Insurance
We can help serving and former personnel access life assurance and critical illness cover from insurers who understand the nature of military service. Whether you need to protect a mortgage, provide for your family, or fill a gap in your existing cover, we’ll search the market independently to find the right solution.
A note on Armed Forces pension equalisation enquiries
We receive regular enquiries about the McCloud remedy and pension equalisation compensation following the transition from AFPS 75 and AFPS 05 to AFPS 15. This is a specialist and complex area. Providing personalised advice requires a full analysis of your individual pension record and entitlements – typically four to six hours of adviser time – and we want to be transparent that our fees reflect that. If you’re seeking a free or low-cost answer to whether you’ve been affected, the best starting point is the Veterans UK pensions helpline or your scheme administrator, who can provide your individual entitlement figures before specialist armed forces financial advice becomes appropriate.
What our military financial advice can’t do
In the interest of being straightforward: we are not able to advise on or arrange military equipment or kit insurance. If that’s what you’re looking for, we’d suggest contacting a specialist military insurer directly.
Armed Forces Covenant
Apex CB Financial Planning is a proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. We are committed to supporting the Armed Forces community – serving personnel, veterans, reservists, and their families – and to ensuring they are treated fairly and are not disadvantaged in accessing financial services / military financial advice.
Free initial consultation
We offer a free, no-obligation initial conversation to all Armed Forces personnel and veterans seeking advice on military financial planning. This gives us the chance to understand your situation and be honest about whether and how we can help – before any commitment is made. We are an IFA in Poole, but serve the whole of the UK.
FAQ
Can I get financial advice on my Armed Forces pension?
Yes — and it’s one of the areas where independent financial advice can make a real difference. The Armed Forces Pension Schemes (AFPS 75, AFPS 05, and AFPS 15) are defined benefit schemes with their own rules around commutation, preserved benefits, and how they interact with the State Pension. We have extensive experience helping both serving personnel and veterans understand their pension entitlements and plan their wider retirement income around them. If you’re unsure where you stand, a free initial consultation is a good place to start.
What happens to my pension when I leave the military?
It depends on how long you’ve served and which scheme you’re in. If you’ve served long enough to qualify for an immediate pension, payments will begin when you leave. If you have a preserved pension, it will become payable at a set age depending on your scheme. Either way, your terminal grant — the tax-free lump sum paid on discharge — represents a significant financial decision in its own right. We can help you understand your full picture and make sure everything is working as hard as it should be for your future.
Is my Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) payment taxable?
No — lump sum payments made under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme are tax-free. However, how you invest or deploy that money afterwards will have tax implications depending on the choices you make. Getting proper independent financial advice at that point can make a meaningful difference to how efficiently that money works for you in the long term, and we’re experienced in helping personnel and veterans structure AFCS payments in a tax-efficient way.
Do you advise reservists as well as regular service personnel?
Yes, absolutely. Reservists face a distinct set of financial considerations — including a different pension position, the financial impact of mobilisation, and the need to balance civilian and service income. We’re happy to work with reservists at any stage, whether you’re looking to understand your pension entitlements, protect your family financially, or plan for the longer term. Our free initial consultation is open to all Armed Forces community members, including reservists and their families.
How much does financial advice for Armed Forces personnel cost?
We believe in complete transparency on fees — there are no hidden charges and no commissions. Our initial consultation is free and carries no obligation, giving us both the chance to understand your situation before any commitment is made. If you’d like to proceed, we’ll set out our fees clearly before any work begins so you know exactly what to expect. We’re regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and happy to discuss our charges openly — just get in touch and we’ll talk you through it.
A couple of hours spent planning now can secure a financial future for life. A good financial adviser will help as a life planner and make major life and career changes easier.
The motto “train hard, fight easy” can be adapted to “plan well, live easy”. You wouldn’t go into a battle without a plan so why do it in life?
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