You don’t have to be over 70 to read this, but it helps if you are…
One of the catalysts responsible for the creation of The Money MOTco was my mother. In 1996 at the age of 70, following the death of her second husband, she was faced with the prospect of having to administer her household bills and manage her personal finances herself. This was not something which she either relished or would have been particularly comfortable and adept at undertaking.
I was able to step into the breach, and, for the next 19 years, I oversaw every aspect of her household budgeting and personal finances, ensuring that she was always on competitive tariffs for her utilities, managing her investments and completing her tax returns, as well as making sure that she always had enough spending money in her purse or in an accessible bank account paying a competitive rate of interest and out of reach of fraudsters.
Of course, if I had not been on hand to assist her whilst armed with a Lasting Power of Attorney, she would have been able to employ the services of a stockbroker to manage her investments and an accountant to complete her tax return, whilst remaining a loyal customer of British Gas and British Telecom. However, this may have created additional stress and come at a high financial cost.
Since I set up The Money MOTco five years ago, the the clients, who have benefited most from my input, have mainly been in their 70s, 80s and 90s. In some cases they have children and grandchildren, who have been able to provide a degree of assistance on an ad hoc basis, but they tend to derive tremendous reassurance, as do their family and friends, from knowing that they can always call upon me for impartial guidance and help whenever a problem arises without necessarily having to burden their nearest and dearest.
Sadly, we live in an age where finding someone you can trust implicitly is easier said than done, added to which there are plenty of people who are actively trying to defraud the elderly or pull the wool over their eyes, and often succeeding. Gaining the trust of my clients is not something which I take for granted, but once it becomes apparent to them that I am on their side and what a difference I can make to their lives, it no longer becomes an issue.
Another major attraction of the service is that the fee which I charge is always outweighed by the financial savings which I am able to identify, thereby effectively making the service free to use.
For those of a certain age, who are more accustomed to speaking on the phone, receiving paper bills and writing cheques with a fountain pen, the internet is perceived as the devil incarnate. However, with their permission, I am able to revolutionise my clients’ lives by automating everything from their water bills to their tax returns, enabling them to focus on more important matters without having to worry constantly about having to pay the next bill or when their insurance is due for renewal.
Another practical reason for using The Money MOTco is that I often have a better handle on my clients’ personal administrative arrangements than they do, which is particularly useful when they are no longer around and their Executors take over the reins. When my mother passed away in 2015, my knowledge and understanding of her situation was invaluable from my brother’s point of view, given that he was her Executor. With my help, he was able to apply for Probate quickly, efficiently and without recourse to a solicitor.
This article is not only aimed at the over 70s, but also at the extended family or friends of anybody in that age group. Knowing that the affairs of an elderly friend or family member are in safe hands provides considerable peace of mind to those around them. The testimonials contained on my website give a flavour of how my clients feel about The Money MOTco and I hope that anybody reading this will appreciate the merits of using what I believe to be a unique and invaluable service, and draw it to the attention of anybody who they think might benefit. Please do not hesitate to get in touch via Almost Essential for a free, no-obligation chat on the phone or a face-to-face meeting.