West-Midlands Credit Union Financial Planning Service
As a member of West-Midlands Credit Union, you can avail of a complimentary financial planning review.
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.
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Insights
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
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
Call: 0818 212 931
Email: financialplans@wmcu.ie
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.




