Everything you need to know about working with Callidus
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.
Getting started
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Correct. The discovery meeting is completely free. No hidden fees, no catch. We take the financial risk of getting to know you.
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We’ll ask you about your life – not your money (at least not yet). We’ll explain the Three Hats approach and how we work. We’ll give you a sense of whether we’re the right fit for each other. There’s no sales pitch, no pressure, no obligation to move forward.
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Nothing, really. Just yourself and an open mind. If you have recent pension statements or investment summaries, feel free to bring them – but it’s not required. We’re more interested in understanding what you want from life than reviewing your portfolio at this stage.
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We’ll tell you honestly – and we’ll often recommend someone who might be a better fit. You’ll still leave better informed than when you arrived.
Meetings
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We always meet clients at our offices. We don’t do home visits or meetings in the evening or weekend.
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Plan for about 90 minutes. We want to give you proper time without rushing.
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Both partners (if applicable) should attend if decisions affect you both. Financial planning works best when everyone’s on the same page.
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Unfortunately, being based in the centre of Edinburgh means that we don’t have any parking spaces. We ‘re located just off Charlotte Square and are close to major bus and tram routes. There’s also plenty of on street parking nearby. If you need us to help you organise coming to visit us please get in touch.
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After the discovery meeting, if we both think it makes sense to continue, we’ll schedule follow-up meetings to build your comprehensive financial plan. You’ll receive a detailed financial model showing what’s possible for your future.
Working together
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We work best with people approaching or in retirement (typically 55-70) who have substantial assets, and are wondering “Do I have enough?” You want expert guidance, not just products, and you’re prepared to trust a well-thought-out plan.
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We’re probably not right for you if:
You only want transactional advice (access tax-free cash and leave)
You want to manage your own investments
You’re looking for promises about beating the market
You’re not ready to trust expert guidance
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We charge an initial one-off planning fee, followed by an ongoing fee for continued planning and advice. Our fees are clear, simple, and competitive, and we’ll always be upfront about what you’ll pay before you commit to anything. The best way to discuss fees is in a discovery meeting, where we can understand your situation and explain exactly what’s involved.
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If we both think it makes sense to continue, we’ll schedule follow-up meetings to complete your financial plan. We do this work at our risk – you only pay if you decide to become an ongoing client. Once you’re onboard, we meet annually to review your plan and adjust as your life changes.
Our advice
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Independent, which means we can advise you on products from the whole of the market. We’re not tied to any company and will always put your interests first.
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Yes, we’re listed on the FCA register. You can find our entry here.
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We specialise in retirement planning. This includes pensions, investments, tax planning, estate planning, and helping you understand how long your money will last. We focus on “full fat financial planning” – understanding your life first, then building a plan around it.
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Graeme is a Chartered Financial Planner, the gold standard qualification in our industry.As well as this he’s a Fellow of the Personal Finance Society and an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute. These show a long-term commitment to learning over a wide range of financial services subjects.
Graeme is also fully qualified in other areas including Long Term Care, Mortgages & Equity Release and Pension Transfers.
In addition to this, every team member accumulates no less than 35 hours of Continuing Professional Development each year.
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The Financial Ombudsman Service is available to solve individual complaints that clients and financial services businesses aren’t able to resolve themselves. To contact the Financial Ombudsman Service please visit www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk.
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We’re fully independent, which means we can access the whole market and are never tied to specific providers or products. For investments, we use simple, low-cost, evidence-based solutions chosen purely on the basis of what’s right for you – not commission, relationships, or convenience.
Our approach
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Most of our clients are between 55-70, but if you’re younger with substantial assets and thinking about financial planning, we’re happy to talk.
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No. While we’re based in Edinburgh and most clients are in Scotland, we work with people across the UK. We prefer face-to-face meetings, but can make video calls work if you’re the right fit and based elsewhere.
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We use evidence-based investing. We don’t believe in active management, market timing, or trying to pick winning stocks. Our investment philosophy is built to capture market returns efficiently, while providing real safety and protection against short-term investment risks.
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Because they reduce risk to a single number on a scale. We think risk is more nuanced than that - it's made up of a number of factors that will affect you differently at different points in your financial journey, depending on your own circumstances. We'd rather build a plan around your actual life than assign you a generic profile.
Still have questions?
The best way to get your questions answered is to talk to us. Book a free discovery meeting and let’s chat.