Society of Later Life Advisers - SOLLA

SOLLA aims to meet the need of people seeking advice about the financial issues in later life by ensuring they can find an Accredited Adviser local to them

SOLLA helps people and their families in finding trusted accredited financial advisers who understand financial needs in later life. A well-qualified financial adviser who is also somebody who understands the plans you need to make for your retirement years.

The complexities of the many decisions you or your family may need to face when looking at issues such as care funding matters or whether equity release is the right thing for you, need careful and considered advice. Financial advice should help you make clear and informed decisions knowing that you have had the information and choices presented to you in a way that helps you make the best choices and decisions for you or for a family member.

SOLLA helps you to find an adviser who is local and can help you explore what would work for you and where they are involved, your family too.

The Society

SOLLA was established in 2008 as a not for profit organisation dedicated to higher standards and accessibility to regulated financial advice for older people and their families.  There are no shareholders and any profit is used to sustain the Society and its objectives.

The Society of Later Life Advisers is committed to:

• Promoting and raising awareness amongst people, their families and professional advisers of financial issues faced in retirement and later life
• Building relationships with statutory and voluntary agencies, charities, housing and social care providers, financial services firms and those organisations who are involved in the financial wellbeing of those in later life
• Raising the standards of practice of those engaged in advising older people by promoting the highest levels of professionalism in financial advice
• Identifying and developing best practice by the provision of high quality training and the distribution of the latest information and know how in later life issues
• Acting as a source of technical excellence for later life advisers
• Actively inputting into legislative and policy changes and contributing to debates on policy

SOLLA Later Life Advisers

All SOLLA later life advisers specialise in the financial needs of older people. Professional qualifications, whilst essential, do not always give a full picture of an adviser’s experience or expertise. Those advisers who have taken the further step to become independently accredited can offer the added reassurance that they can give the practical help and guidance needed to help you make the right decisions at the right time. Why would anyone choose a financial adviser offering anything less?

All full members of the Society must achieve the Later Life Adviser Accreditation and adhere to a Code of Practice to ensure their clients know what to expect from their services. Accredited advisers can advise on:

• Retirement Planning - pensions and annuities
• Funding for Care Home fees
• Funding for care in your own home
• Equity release and other property options
• Savings and investment planning
• Tax matters and estate and wealth planning

Associate members are advisers committed to undertaking the accreditation and who have up to a two year period to become fully accredited.

Affiliate members are those non-profit, charitable and care sector organisations with links into Later Life matters and who support the work of SOLLA.

SOLLA also offers the Retirement Advice Standard and Care Advice Standard for those specialising in retirement or care advice.