Mark Dodd

Awards & Accreditations

Mark has over thirty years’ industry experience, where he has gained a wealth of knowledge and understanding of clients and their requirements, providing a fully bespoke financial planning service to private individuals, small charities, trusts and corporate entities.

Mark believes in placing the client firmly at the centre of the financial planning process when developing strategies and setting objectives. He recognises the need to adapt solutions as circumstances evolve over time, providing high-quality service within agreed cost parameters, including working closely with his clients other trusted professional advisers where required.

His areas of expertise include tax-efficient investment planning; pre- and post-retirement planning strategies (including pensions and divorce); estate & succession planning, including inheritance tax mitigation; as well as both personal and business protection solutions.

Qualifications

Mark is one of a small number of financial planning advisers who is a Fellow of The Personal Finance Society, holding the Advanced Financial Planning Certificate and Chartered Financial Planner designation, in addition to being a member of the Chartered Institute of Securities & Investments, where he holds Chartered MCSI and CFP status.

To support his work in estate and succession planning, Mark is a qualified STEP Affiliate, having completed the Society Of Trust & Estate Planners Financial Services Certificate – Trusts and Estates Planning.

Mark is also a Chartered Insurance Institute accredited Later Life Advice Specialist, advising on long-term care solutions for clients and equity release arrangements.

Outside of work

Sport has always been an important part of Mark’s life, both as an active participant, then more recently as an administrator of a local youth football club. As well as spending time watching a wide range of live sports, including trips to Elland Road, Mark also runs a small charity Street Sports Hope set up to help Ebola orphans and street children in Sierra Leone; and when both time and circumstances allow, enjoys the occasional snowboarding trip or city break with family and friends.

Importantly

All financial advisers in the UK must be registered on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) register and hold a valid Statement of Professional Standing (SPS). In an age where financial scams pose a real threat, it’s important to make sure you don’t take financial advice from anyone who doesn’t appear on the FCA Register or hold a valid SPS.

You can view Holden & Partners entry on the FCA Register by clicking here.

FPFS – Fellow, Personal Finance Society

To achieve the Fellowship grade, individuals would be required to have 10 AFPC (Diploma) units or equivalent. This shows a commitment to continuous professional development.

APFS – Associate, Personal Finance Society

To achieve the Associateship grade, individuals would be required to have 6 AFPC (Diploma) units or equivalent. This shows a commitment to continuous professional development.

CFP – Certified Financial Planner

An internationally recognised financial planning credential. The holder must demonstrate a combination of experience, financial qualifications (usually AFPC/DipPFS) or equivalent, an IFP assessment, ongoing educational activity (continuous professional development) and ethical behaviour.

Chart FP – Chartered Financial Planner

Having achieved the APFS designation, advisers can go on to achieve this recognisable benchmark of quality and ethical practice for financial services professionals, elevating financial planning and advice in the public eye to the same standing as other Chartered professions. The holder must demonstrate a combination of experience, financial qualifications, ongoing educational activity (continuous professional development) and ethical behaviour.

STEP Certificate for Financial Services – Trusts and Estate Planning

This qualification is a collaboration between STEP and CLT International (CLTI). This Certificate bridges the divide between solicitors and financial advisers, enabling those in financial services to work more effectively with other professionals

AdvDipIP – Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning

This qualification enables professional advisers to develop specialist planning capabilities, covers topics like: personal tax and trust, business financial, pension and investment planning.

AF5 – Financial Planning Process

This examination assesses the candidate to develop an understanding of the financial planning process when giving advice to clients.

DipFP – Diploma in Financial Planning

This qualification develops advanced technical knowledge and understanding across a broad range of key advisory areas.

R01 – Financial Services, Regulation and Ethics

This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the financial services industry, including regulation, legislation and the Code of Ethics.

R05 – Financial Protection

This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of an ability to analyse financial protection planning issues.

PFS – Later Life Advice Specialist

Later Life Advice Specialists are identified on the Personal Finance Society ‘Your Money Adviser’ register. Only those advisers that have met the eligibility requirements and have opted into the ongoing CPD commitment required of a specialism will be shown in such search results.

CF2 – Investment and Risk

This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of investment products and the risks involved.

CF3- Financial Protection

This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of financial protection plans.

CF4 – Retirement Planning

This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of the various pension products, the pension tax regime and retirement needs.

CF6 – Certificate in Mortgage Advice

This qualification develops an understanding of the sector and the mortgage process, enabling advisers to meet individual client needs.

CF7 – Certificate in Financial Planning and Lifetime Mortgage Activities

This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the UK regulation environment in the financial services industry, lifetime mortgage products, repayment options and the giving of mortgage advice.

CF8 – Certificate in Financial Planning and Long-Term Care Insurance

This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the UK regulation environment in the financial services industry, long-term care insurance products and the giving of long-term care insurance advice.

CF9 – Pensions Simplification

This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of the Government’s simplified pension taxation regime which came into full effect on 6 April 2006 (A-Day). Eight tax regimes for pensions were reduced to one, radically affecting planning and transactions.

MAQ – Mortgage Advice Qualification

This qualification assesses the knowledge and understanding of the UK regulation environment in the financial services industry together with types of mortgage products and repayment options and the giving of mortgage advice.

GR1 – Group Risk

This examination assesses an understanding of group risks, including the operations of such schemes and their features and taxation.

HR1 – Home Reversion Plans

This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of the legislative and regulatory position of home reversion plans and their place in the advice process.

ER1 – Equity Release

This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of the different types of equity release products, risks to the consumer associated with equity release and application of suitable equity release solutions according to the circumstances of different customers.

G10 – Taxation and Trusts

This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of the UK tax system, the law and practice of trusts, but also an ability to advise individual clients on the tax treatment of their investments and the use of trusts to meet their current and foreseeable future needs.

G20 – Personal Investment Planning

This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of investments and an ability to advise individual clients on the construction of investment portfolios to meet both their current and foreseeable future needs.

G60 – Pensions

This examination enhances general pension knowledge, particularly in pension transfers and opt-out business.

Financial Planner & Partner