Carter Thompson Wealth Management

Carter Thompson Wealth Management, financial advice in County Durham

Carter Thompson Wealth Management is the financial planning division of Mortgage Advice Centre and operates under the registered name Carter Thompson & Associates Limited, a company registered in England with number 9040400 and registered office at 64 West Auckland Road, Darlington. The firm acts as an appointed representative of The Openwork Partnership, a company authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority, and its activities fall within the UK regulatory regime.

The company was established in 1999 under the name Carter and Thompson Associates Ltd and, according to its own presentation, has over 150 years of combined experience in the financial services sector. It has two offices, in Darlington and Bishop Auckland, from which it covers the whole of County Durham, and a team of five financial planners supported by administrative staff.

Pension and retirement planning

Pensions are one of the firm's core areas. The team advises on drawdown and flexi-access drawdown pensions, self-employed pensions, SIPP (self-invested personal pensions), pension transfers to SIPP and stakeholder pensions. Retirement planning also includes analysing when a person can retire.

Investment, savings and wealth management

Alongside pensions, the company works in investment and savings, wealth management and retirement planning. Its approach, it says, is holistic: it starts from the client's needs, objectives and goals to organise their financial situation and help them achieve long-term goals, such as retiring earlier, investing for the future or reducing the tax burden. The firm warns that the value of investments and any income from them can fall as well as rise, and that the amount invested may not be recovered.

Tax, estate planning and corporate advice

Estate planning and inheritance tax form part of the services, together with tax-efficient investment vehicles. The company serves both individuals and families as well as businesses, and offers corporate financial planning for business owners and the self-employed.

Client profile and fees

The firm states that it works with clients from very diverse backgrounds and with varied planning needs. It does not charge for the initial consultation and does not require clients to continue with its services afterwards; fees are set according to each client's specific needs. The company maintains that its growth has been supported by recommendations from clients' friends and family and states that it holds a five-star rating on Trustpilot.

Team and local activity

The management team comprises Steve Thompson and Andrew Carter as directors. The structure is completed by Simon Cowing, Jenna Mackenzie, David Hardy, Biancha Tarran and Jon Bean as financial planners, as well as Steven White and Michael Harrington as financial advisers. The company presents itself as a local business and highlights its support for grassroots sport in Darlington, Newton Aycliffe and Bishop Auckland, as well as for several local charities.

Offices and locations

Darlington office: 64 West Auckland Road, Darlington, Co. Durham DL3 9EP

Bishop Auckland office: 126 Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham DL14 7EH · Telephone: 01388 665544