Welcome back everyone, This year really feels like it has flown by so far, nearly half way through the year at this point and so much as happened. It’s also starting to really pick up in temperature here in the UK, and we are preparing...
Welcome back everyone, This week I want to spotlight another brilliant cause supported by the Strategic Solutions Community Foundation. Earlier this month, the Community Foundation donated £1000 to Younger People with Dementia, a charity focused on giving people with early on-set dementia brilliant experiences through...
Welcome back everyone, I hope you all had a fantastic Easter break. Certainly one of the greater parts of it is the extended bank holiday weekend, which is also to blame for the lack of Update last week. But now it’s time to set aside...
Welcome back everyone, This week, we’d like to take the time to make sure everyone is feeling as secure as they can be given current events. Finances can be tricky at the best of times, but with geopolitical crises like the war in the Middle...
Welcome back everyone, Let me start off by apologising for the absence of Weekly Update last week. As I am keen to remind you all, things come up in life that are challenging, and it helps to be prepared where you can. I am grateful...
Welcome back everyone, Whilst Spring hasn’t “officially” started just yet, we have received the Spring Statement from chancellor Rachel Reeves, and some of you may have questions about what it means for your investments. Whilst I cannot give you an accurate rundown myself, I can...
Welcome back everyone, February has flown by as usual this year, and we are very much looking forward to March. Not just because it heralds in the spring and, hopefully, better weather, but because our very own admin extraordinaire, Jez Horgan, will be attending the...
Welcome back everyone, In a previous Update, Academic and Charitable Excellence, I spoke about how the Strategic Community Foundation was on the cusp of an enormous milestone. I am delighted to say now that they have smashed the £300,000 mark and much sooner than anticipated....
Welcome back everyone, In the spirit of Valentine’s Day tomorrow, I wanted to talk about how imperative it is to keep what we hold dear safe and looked after. Whether it’s your romantic partner, your children, your car, or anything else you care about, you...
Welcome back everyone, There’s something a bit special about supporting the pub, shop, or football team down the road. You get to know the people, build relationships, and be proud that you are helping them grow and thrive. It is also very fun to have...
Welcome back everyone, I regularly talk about the Community Foundation in the Weekly Update, and today will be no exception. They’re a consistent feature because they consistently help an incredible number of people and charities along the South Coast. Currently, they’ve managed to raise nearly...
Welcome back everyone, It’s always a pleasure to have positive news to bring you on a Friday afternoon. I am delighted to announce that both Chris and Rob have qualified for, and will be featured in, this year’s VouchedFor Top Rated Adviser Guide. The guide...
Welcome back everyone, In the absence of enormous, shocking, ground-breaking reveals in this week’s Update, I would like to take the time to reiterate what we really stand for at CBIFA and Strategic. When Chris Bibb ventured out into the world of independent financial advice,...
Welcome back everyone, Collaboration is an integral part of any successful business. This is why we’re delighted to be part of the Let’s Grow Conference 2026. Kev Forbes, our esteemed Partner at Strategic, will be speaking about his experiences and thoughts on the advice profession...
Welcome back everyone, And welcome to 2026! Now that the holiday season has come to an end, I hope you’ve all had time to rest and relax however you like to celebrate. Here at CBIFA, we’re getting straight back into the swing of things and...
Welcome back everyone, It is officially less than a week until Christmas Day! For those of your more sensible than me, and have done all of their shopping by now, congratulations and enjoy your well earned holiday, and for my fellow frantic shoppers, I wish...
Welcome back everyone, I think I can speak for the majority of people when I say that gifts are a pretty crucial part of the Christmas holiday. Receiving a lovely, thoughtful gift is great to experience, but there’s nothing quite like giving the perfect gift...
Welcome back everyone, Now that we enter the last month of the year, the Christmas spirit is really starting to flow. As I hinted at in the previous Update, we have plenty of exciting news to share and cause for celebration! As you well know,...
Welcome back everyone, You’ll have no doubt seen that the Autumn Budget has been (officially) announced. Some of the speculation we saw previously has been debunked, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to get into and digest. I won’t spend too much time working through...
Welcome back everyone, Some exciting news to share with you today to hopefully shake off the chilly weather lately. We are delighted to announce that not one, not two, but three members of the SSFS team have been shortlisted for the Professional Adviser Awards 2026!...
Welcome back everyone, Today I want to highlight some amazing work that Strategic’s Community Foundation have been a part of. They have sponsored Oly Newton’s tour across schools in Dorset this week. For a bit of background, Oly is an international mental health advocate, trainer,...
Welcome back everyone, I hope you had a lot of enjoyment on Guy Fawkes night this year, it certainly helps to keep warm as the weather is turning rather bitter. But let’s not turn to gunpowder, treason and plot just yet as we approach the...
Welcome back everyone, Happy Halloween! Whether you’re staying in or going out, hopefully the only spooks you get today are with good fun in mind. If you’re worried about any post-festivity money scares, then please get in touch with us, we may have some tricks...
Welcome back everyone, As we approach the end of the week, it is important for me to tell you that the coming Sunday is National Pension Tracing Day. It is estimated that over 3 million pensions of all shapes and sizes have been lost, with...
Welcome back everyone, To be recognised is a lovely thing. To have your needs acted upon, or your achievements highlighted is something that brightens you up even on a bad day. Today I’d like to highlight the achievements of someone who has been stellar at...
Welcome back everyone, You may have noticed a distinct lack of a Weekly Update last Friday, and for that I must apologise! I was busy enjoying some time in the Gibraltar sun on a long needed holiday. It can be strange when things, no matter...
Welcome back everyone, We are elated to share the news that Strategic Solutions came home with not one, but two Gold awards from the Moneyfacts Awards 2025! A huge congratulations to Rachael, as she thoroughly deserves Paraplanner of the Year, and the firm as a...
Welcome back everyone, As the title suggests, this week is Pension Awareness Week, and we cannot understate the importance of keeping on top of such a crucial later-life asset. Despite its importance, it can be really easy to ignore, forget or mismanage, and it’s brought...
Welcome back everyone, The weather has been a bit indecisive lately hasn’t it? I can’t speak for everywhere in the country but if it’s anything like how it is for us in Bournemouth, I wouldn’t be surprised if you had no idea how to prepare...
Welcome back everyone, For what appears to be the final time, I hope you’ve made the most of and enjoyed the summer! With the kids back in school, and we head out of the sunshine and into the, perhaps more familiar, autumnal breeze, now is...
Welcome back everyone, Fortunately I’m not heralding the arrival of SkyNet. Today we’ll be talking about how ChatGPT can now help you in finding suitable financial advice, and we would like your help in teaching it the ways of CBIFA. AI is becoming increasingly prominent...
Welcome back everyone, It’s always good when the future is something to look forward to. It’s twice as good as when the people who are looking after your financial future have a lot of years ahead of them, and are already earning praise and recognition...
Welcome back everyone, Hopefully you’re enjoying the summer holidays and making the best of the almost tropical weather that seems to be sticking around. During this time, we’ve been plugging away at all of your Q2 Valuations. Strategic Solutions have made a great article about...
Welcome back everyone, Chris Bibb isn’t just the name on the face of the company, he is now (by his own words) a radio celebrity. If you tuned in to Radio Solent just after 7 on Tuesday, you will have heard him discussing Premium Bonds...
Welcome back everyone, As the title may spoil for you already, Theo is moving on from CBIFA. So this week I’d like to take the time to thank him for his hard work and the positive impact he’s brought to the company and the team....
Welcome back everyone, This week we discovered that our very own Tash, who was nominated for the Women in Financial Advice Awards, has been made a Finalist! Over 1000 women from more than 100 different firms were nominated and she has made it to the...
Welcome back everyone, This week I’ll be talking about some of the good work Strategic have done in the community that is close to my heart. The Strategic Solutions Community Foundation recently donated to Counselling Together, an organisation that seeks to help people through difficult...
Welcome back everyone, Hopefully you’ve been making the most of the recent sunshine and not suffering too much in the heat this past week. As you well know, Chris has been away in Kalkan, and as he returns today I’m sure he’ll have to rub...
Welcome back everyone, This week we’re incredibly proud to announce we have returned to the VouchedFor Top Rated Adviser Guide for 2025! It’s an honour to be recognised alongside excellent company once again, with no less than 4 other advisers in Strategic’s cadre joining us....
Welcome back everyone, Unfortunately this week there is not much of a Weekly Update for you. I know, a horrendous fate, and I do apologise. We as always have a lot going on behind the scenes so do not take this as lack of work...
Welcome back everyone, Very last call! Final reminder that if you haven’t written a testimonial for us and Strategic, you have until the end of the day to do so. We really appreciate everyone who has written lovely things about us thus far. For the...
Welcome back everyone, We have even more fantastic news to share with you this week. Following on from awards nominations in our last Weekly Update, our superb colleagues Tasha and Julia with Strategic have been nominated for the 2025 Women in Financial Advice Awards. These...
Welcome back everyone, This week we wanted to highlight some of the lovely things our clients have said about us during the voting for the Moneyfacts Awards. Here is a great testimonial from Dawn M: “I wish to thank you for the excellent retirement...
Welcome back everyone, This week we’re very proud to announce that Strategic Solutions have been shortlisted as finalists in multiple categories for the Investment Life & Pensions Moneyfacts Awards 2025. We are all extremely proud to be a part of this fantastic achievement, and winning...
Welcome back everyone! Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Rhys and I am the new Social Media Officer for CBIFA. As you may have guessed from the title, I am here to provide you all with insights into what has been happening with...
From Friday the 14th of October the CBIFA team will be joining our Strategic Solutions colleagues at the Westbourne office, full details will be given nearer the time and it will be business as usual with service to our clients completely uninterrupted. Our phone numbers...
Very happy to share that we have been shortlisted again! Fingers crossed, can we win it a 3rd time? I do hope so.
Despite lockdown and having to work remotely for over a year it’s great to know our clients still appreciate what we do!
On the 7th of October Chris was delighted to receive a call from a researcher on the Pat Sissons show, on BBC Radio Solent asking if he would be available to join a phone in about the State Pension Age going up and Retirement Planning...
At it’s first ever Video-Conference Annual General Meeting today, Chris was appointed Deputy President of the Insurance Institute of Bournemouth, in it’s 99th year, so plenty of time to think about what to do for the Centenary! Chris has served on the IIB Council since...
Heartfelt thanks from all the team to all the clients who took the time to leave their feedback for us on Vouchedfor. It really does mean a lot, especially in extraordinary times like these.
We are fully committed to the health, safety, and wellbeing of our clients, staff, families, and wider stakeholders. During these challenging and uncertain times, we want to reassure all our clients and staff in letting you know we are here to offer our same level...
The impact of the Covid 19 virus has affected everyone, personally and anyone with investments, or pensions financially. Soon it will affect many more people whose livelihoods depend on people being able to do what they normally do. In this period of social distancing the...
In June 2019 we were delighted that the Chartered Insurance Institute re-awarded us Corporate Chartered status for the 7th year in a row. Chartered Financial Planners commit to adhere to the very highest standards of ethics, client care and professional qualifications, making sure that their...
In May 2019 we at Chris Bibb IFA were delighted to be admitted to the ‘club’ of professional advisers committed to excellence and quality advice in the field of Defined Benefit Pension Transfers. This is something we have been doing for over a decade and...
Very pleased to receive this today! Lovely to know our clients appreciate what we do!
Strategic Solutions 2018 Highlights video A little reflection on 2018 whilst wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas! Posted by Strategic Solutions Financial Services on Friday, 21 December 2018
We were very pleased to receive the accolade of Retirement Adviser of the year 2018 in the MoneyFacts Awards, our first time for this honour and I think you can see how happy we were about it!
Stop-Press! The Strategic Solutions team have been shortlisted for the Moneyfacts Investment Adviser of the year award for the 4th year in a row! Having won it twice and been highly commended once, we have already won it more than any other IFA Firm, can...
On the 15th of June 2018 Chris attended the RP Awards ceremony in London with our Strategic Solutions colleagues and Chris was delighted to receive, on behalf of the team The Best Individual Pensions Advice Firm of the Year Award (South West and Wales).
Chris and some of our friends and colleagues from Strategic Solutions Financial Services at the Moneyfacts Awards in London 21/09/2017
For the 3rd year in a row we were very pleased (as part of Strategic Solutions) to be shortlisted for Investment Adviser of the year in the prestigious Moneyfacts Awards and absolutely delighted to repeat our winning form from 2015 by winning once again in...
From the 13th February 2017 the CBIFA team has a new office in the Broadway in Broadstone. Come and see us at Suite 1 Sandalex House, 183A-185A Lower Blandford Road, Broadstone. BH18 8DH! Telephone and fax numbers and all email addresses unchanged!
It is with no small amount of pride that I can report that Chris Bibb IFA’s Principal firm Strategic Solutions won the Investment Adviser of the year award at the Moneyfacts awards on the 15th September 2015! Naturally we’re all very happy indeed.
Well, at last they are here! The much anticipated pension freedoms announced by the (no longer) pensions minister Steve Webb last year. Freedom to ‘buy a Lamborghini’ with your pension pot if you want. However you would need a pretty big pension pot to do...
It’s been somewhat busy since the last update! In December 2013 Chris Bibb Independent Financial Advice became an Appointed Representative of Strategic Solutions, a firm of Chartered Financial Planners with 12 financial advisers and many supporting colleagues across the South West, the main office...
Chris was very pleased to learn last Friday that he was successful in his final exam on the Advanced Diploma of the Personal Finance Society’s syllabus on the subject of Pension Planning. This is a specialist qualification that enables advisers to undertake occupational pension transfers,...
You will see from the new-look banner at the top of each page that Chris Bibb Independent Financial Advice Ltd is now a firm of Chartered Financial Planners! The award of this prestigious title from the Chartered Insurance Institute is only given to firms that can...
Chris is very pleased to announce that he passed his final exam on the Advanced Diploma of Financial Planning and so is now a Chartered Financial Planner, holding the highest qualification in financial planning and well above the level required to advise clients when the...
To Celebrate the launch of the new company and to support a very worthy cause Chris Bibb Independent Financial Advice Ltd sponsored 2 holes and fielded 2 teams at the President’s Charity Day in aid of Combat Stress at Rushmore Golf Club on Sunday 8th...
….to his new site. Please return to view his news and updates here as often as you like.
