Auto-enrolment Pension – My Future Fund – due to commence 1st of January 2026 LEARN MORE

West-Midlands Credit Union Financial Planning Service

As a member of West-Midlands Credit Union, you can avail of a complimentary financial planning review.

Michael - Financial Plans

Our Financial Planning service provides members with an advice based full financial review conducted by a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP™) who will provide advice in the following areas:

Life Cover

Income Protection

Pensions

Savings & Investments

West-Midlands Credit Union

Complimentary Financial Planning Appointment for Members

01

Book an Appointment

The first step is to use our booking calendar to easily schedule an appointment with our CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™

02

Meet our Advisor

You will then meet with our CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ either online, by phone, or in-person, whichever suits you best.

03

Receive Tailored Advice

During the meeting you will receive a full advice based full financial review to help you make the best financial decisions.

West-Midlands Credit Union

Financial Planning Services

West-Midlands Credit Union offers a complimentary financial planning review to its members. This is an exclusive offering for members which includes a full financial review carried out by a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in the areas of Life Cover, Income Protection, Pensions, and Savings and Investments.

Life Cover

We review what insurance you currently have to determine any gaps or potential savings to be made. We carry out an evaluation of the current market to determine which type of cover will meet your goals. This life cover will give you peace of mind that in the event of a premature death, your loved ones will be financially protected.

Income Protection

We insure our cars, homes, holidays and even our pets, however, does it provide protection for the future against the financial impact of a life-altering injury or serious illness? We will offer advice on how to protect your most valuable asset, your income. We will help protect your income all the way to retirement and help reduce your tax bill through income protection.

Pensions

Creating a retirement financial plan can be daunting, but with the right guidance, you can make informed decisions for a comfortable retirement. We will discuss your options and provide information to help you in choosing the best option for your needs and circumstances.

Savings & Investment

We understand that every member is different and that is why we offer a range of savings and investment options ensuring that you can find the investment that is right for your needs. We provide tailored plans for your specified objectives so you can achieve a return on your money.

The Team

Meet Your Financial Advisors

Michael

Michael has over 20 years’ experience in the area of Financial Planning. He joined the Credit Union in 2014, having previously held roles in banking and wealth management companies.

Michael holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation. He is also an Associate of The Irish Institute of Pensions Management and has an MSc in Financial Services.

Michael specialises in the areas of retirement planning and investments, along with the creation of individual financial plans for members including the protection against life’s unforeseen events.

Carmel

Carmel joined the Credit Union in 2017, bringing over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry.

Previously, she served as Office Manager at Mortgage Options, a mortgage, life, and pensions brokerage in Athenry, where she gained extensive knowledge in life insurance, pensions, and investment products.

Carmel holds a QFA qualification, further enhancing her expertise in financial advice and planning.

Her commitment to continuous professional development underscores her dedication to providing clients with informed and comprehensive financial guidance.

Testimonials

What our Members Say

Damien

“Being Self-Employed, my main priorities were how best to utilise my income with particular emphasis on Pensions and Retirement planning. Also, the protection of my income if I were unable to work due to illness or injury was an issue. Having 3 young kids and no Life Cover in place was also a worry for me. All of this was alien to me and I found myself putting it on the long finger, but as soon as I contacted Michael I was put at ease by his understanding and friendly personality.  I would highly recommend the Credit Union Financial Planning Service. Michael put my mind at ease by explaining clearly all the options available to me in relation to all three areas. From the offset I felt he had my best interests at heart, and I wasn’t just another customer. I will continue to recommend Michael and the Credit Union Financial Service to family and friends.

Ian

“I sought the services of Michael to help me transfer my pension over from the UK. Michael directed me through the process of with hassle-free hard work and determination. He is extremely professional and has great knowledge about the various financial sectors. He is also a gentleman, great listener and takes his time to help you the very best way he can. I would recommend [Financial Plans] to anyone that requires their help and advice; they will be treated by the very best.”

Padraig & Elaine

“The Credit Union Financial Planning Service have been providing advice to my wife and I for the past five years. Micheal and the team have guided us safely through important life milestones such as pensions, investments and life assurance in a clear and logical way that makes sense to non-experts. We both find Micheal and staff to be extremely personable, professional and very practical when it comes to financial advice. We have no hesitation in recommending the Credit Union Financial Planning service to anyone looking for top class financial advice”

David

“I know nothing about pensions so when I found out my Credit Union had an independent financial advisor, I jumped at the chance. Michael and I met, where he explained all the options in plain English. Once we agreed on the best option for me, he set about making it happen with no hassle for me. I would recommend him to my closest friends as I know he would never let me down.”

Anthony

“I found working with Michael to be very straightforward, clear of any difficult to understand financial jargon and easy to navigate the different financial products on offer. At all times I felt supported by Michael and his team, they kept in contact to ensure I was informed and updated as need be. I would highly recommend this service.”

Robert

“St. Jarlath’s Credit Union has been an invaluable partner in managing my personal finances. Their team offers expert advice and a personal, friendly approach that makes every interaction a pleasure. Whether it’s planning for short-term goals, or long-term objectives, such as securing my retirement through smart investments and pension planning, they’ve guided me every step of the way. Their tailored financial advice has provided me with the confidence and clarity I need to make informed decisions for my future. I can’t recommend St. Jarlath’s Credit Union enough for anyone seeking trustworthy and professional financial guidance.”

Adrienne

“Working with Michael has been a very positive experience. He is very experienced, helpful and knowledgeable in the field of financial services. I would highly recommend him as he goes above and beyond to deliver a positive outcome.”

Tom

“I first dealt with Michael two years ago in 2022. The service from Michael was highly professional, he was easy to liaise with and gave me a great understanding of the process.”

Orlaith

“We recently availed of investment and pension advice from Michael. We were very pleased with the quality of the service that Michael provided and felt that the advice we got was both impartial and cost-effective, as he ensured that we paid minimal charges with the investment products we selected. We were able to meet Michael at times that were convenient to us in our local credit union office. We were very impressed with his level of expertise and the efficient and professional manner in which he conducted business. We would highly recommend St Jarlath’s Credit Union as a provider of pension and investment advice.”

Andrew

“I met with Michael for advice on long term planning options, to plan for future lifestyle choices. He answered all of my queries with ease and responded to follow up emails quickly. Michael is extremely knowledgeable and confident in his field, he’s also a personable guy, easy to talk to too.  Michael made the entire process very easy for me, and I was delighted to be able to work with Michael on opening a savings plan that was tailored to my needs. I would recommend Michael to any of my family and friends when they are seeking financial planning options.”

Tom

“Michael has provided me with really good advice regarding my pension. From a position of being unclear on how best to manage my pension or what my pension status was, to a now, where I am very clear on the direction of both. Michael was helpful in explaining the various elements that there are to a pension, professional in terms of guidance on various decisions that I needed to make and supportive as we moved through the process.”

Jarlath

“Approaching retirement, I was unsure of my options. In particular in relation to an old employer pension scheme I had. Michael clearly outlined all the options available to me. He continues to manage my pension and a number of other personal investments on my behalf. If you have any pension or investment queries or are looking for guidance I cannot recommend Michael highly enough. He is very approachable and professional with a huge
amount of experience.”

Peter

“My wife and I, both mid 30’s, made an appointment to meet Michael to discuss our finances on how best we could secure the financially stable future we wanted. Michael was fantastic – he took our information onboard, listened to what we wanted to achieve, and provided us with recommendations on how we could better our future financial position. Michael also provided us with impartial information in relation to income and life cover policies for us to consider so that we would be financially safe if something unforeseen happened to one or both of us. I would definitely recommend contacting Michael. He is professional, approachable and
knowledgeable. I continue to rely on him for any large financial decisions.”

Partners

Who we work with

Insights

Auto-enrolment Pension

Auto-enrolment Pension – My Future Fund

Due to commence 1st of January 2026.

Auto-enrolment is a new pension savings scheme for certain employees who are not already paying into a pension. They will be automatically included in the scheme once they meet certain requirements, but can opt out after 6 months. It has been set up to provide a retirement plan for people without a work or private pension, to save for retirement.

The introduction of the Auto-Enrolment Retirement Savings Scheme, called My Future Fund, will start from 1 January 2026.

Under the scheme, the employee, employer, and Government all pay a certain amount into the employee’s pension fund.

Advice on making your money work for you

Advice on making your money work for you

Benefits of Multi-Asset Fund Investment

If you are looking to diversify beyond a standard deposit account and want to begin investing, consider a multi-asset fund investment. This type of fund spreads an investment across up to 700 different stocks covering various assets, countries, and market sectors.

By diversifying in this way, you reduce the risk associated with investing in just one or two individual stocks. For instance, a decline in one asset class may be balanced by a rise in another, helping to protect your overall investment. We recommend a long-term investment period of five years or more to maximize your returns.

Financial Services

Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find some frequently asked questions we receive about financial planning. If you have any further questions about pensions, life cover, or other financial services we offer, feel free to contact us.

Should I review my pension?

Yes, a pension review can be very beneficial. In particular, if you have left a pension behind with a previous employer, this most definitely needs to be reviewed.

Can I access part of my pension now?

It depends on the type of pension you are part of. Again another reason why you should have your pension reviewed.

Should I start a pension?

If you are currently in employment, are between the ages of 23 and 60 and earn more than €20,000 per year, you will be automatically enrolled in the new auto-enrolment pension scheme from January 2025.

A pension is a very tax efficient way to accumulate savings for your retirement. If you are not contributing to a pension you could be leaving very significant tax savings behind.

Do you recommend I get life cover?

Unfortunately, the policy holder will never get to benefit from Life Cover, however they will get the peace of mind that in the event of death, those who are left behind will be looked after and not have to suffer financially.

Do you recommend I get income protection?

If you were unable to work due to long term injury or illness then income protection would help you to meet all of your monthly outgoings i.e. mortgage, loans, living costs etc. 

I have money in an account earning no interest what should I do?

There are a number of options from Deposit Accounts to State Savings and Investments. The best option for you will depend on factors such as having sufficient emergency funds in place, the length of time you are able to put the money away for and whether you require access to the money or not.

I am approaching retirement what should I do with my pension?

There are a number of approaches that can be taken, depending on whether you would like a set monthly amount or more flexibility in retirement or both. 

What are the benefits of having a Financial Review?

A Financial Review can help you make the most of your finances. There are many stages in life when a Financial Review can be particularly helpful; starting a job, leaving a job, saving for a mortgage, getting married, birth of a child, approaching retirement and receiving redundancy to name but a few.

Each of these events can have a significant impact on your financial situation. At West-Midlands Credit Union we are here to help you keep your financial plan on track. 

Get in touch

Contact Us

Ask a question by contacting us by phone or email

Book your complimentary financial planning meeting

West-Midlands Credit Union

Terms & Conditions

Our Terms of Business for this service can be found here.

Information on the Commission Structures in place between WMCU and our various product providers can be found here.

Book your complimentary appointment here