Creative

Future-Proofing a Creative Founder’s Financial Legacy

Client Profile

Creative Entrepreneur | Age: 47 | Based in London | Industry: Media & DesignOur client, a successful creative founder of an independent design and branding agency, approached Aetas at a pivotal moment in her career. After 20 years of entrepreneurial success, she was considering scaling back her involvement in day-to-day operations. While her creative talent had built a thriving business, her personal financial planning hadn’t kept pace with her professional achievements.

The Challenge

  1. Irregular income: Large project-based payments created cash flow peaks and troughs
  2. Lack of pension provision: Most profits had been reinvested in the business
  3. Complex personal and business finances: Intertwined assets with limited tax structuring
  4. Desire to support her family: She wanted to help her children with future education costs while protecting their long-term financial wellbeing
  5. No clear legacy plan: She was unsure how to turn business success into lasting personal wealth.

Our Approach

Aetas Partners delivered a comprehensive financial planning and investment strategy tailored to the unique needs of creative entrepreneurs. Our multidisciplinary team collaborated closely with the client and her existing advisers (including her accountant and legal counsel) to implement a five-pillar plan:

  1. Cash Flow Planning
    We built a flexible cash flow model to map her income volatility over a 10-year horizon. This allowed us to:
    • Allocate income to personal reserves, ensuring six months of core spending was always covered
  2. Pension & Retirement Structuring
    The client had minimal pension savings. We advised on:
    • Backfilling previous pension allowances using carry-forward rules
    • Establishing a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) to enable flexibility and control
    • Introducing employer contributions from her business to reduce corporation tax
  3. Investment Strategy
    Given the client’s irregular income, we adopted a core-satellite investment strategy:
    • Core: Diversified global portfolio within her ISA, SIPP, and General Investment Account (GIA) – aligned with her moderate risk tolerance
    • Satellite: Exposure to Business Relief (BR)-qualifying assets to begin reducing her estate’s IHT exposure
  4. Legacy & Intergenerational Planning
    Future-proofing her legacy was a top priority. We advised on:
    • Establishing a Discretionary Family Trust seeded with BR assets, allowing her to begin passing on wealth without immediate tax charges.
    • Using gifts from surplus income to support school fees for her two children tax-efficiently.
    • Drafting a Letter of Wishes to accompany her will, reflecting her values and desired impact.
  5. Business Succession Advisory
    We worked alongside her corporate advisers to begin:
    • Developing a succession plan for the agency, balancing partial sale with family involvement.
    • Exploring Business Property Relief (BPR) eligibility for her shares to reduce future IHT liability.

The Outcome

After working with Aetas:

  • The client had built a pension pot and was investing regularly through structured contributions
  • A tax-efficient investment company and family trust were
  • Liquidity was better managed through disciplined income planning
  • She had peace of mind about her family’s future and a documented legacy plan in place

She continues to work with Aetas on a regular review cycle, ensuring the strategy evolves with her lifestyle, business interests, and family priorities

Conclusion

Aetas Partners didn’t just give me financial advice—they gave me confidence. I finally feel like my wealth is working for me, my family, and the future I want to build.