Regulation and Credentials
Choosing a financial adviser is a trust decision.
That matters even more when you are an expat. Your financial life may involve UK pensions, overseas residence, investments, protection, estate planning, tax-aware planning, multiple currencies and future country moves.
Before you take advice, you should understand who you are dealing with, how they are qualified, how the advice process works, and what professional standards sit behind the relationship.
This page explains Josh Clancey’s professional positioning, credentials and approach to transparent financial planning for British expats and internationally mobile professionals.
Why regulation and credentials matter
Regulation and credentials matter because financial advice can affect some of the most important decisions you make.
For British expats, those decisions may include whether to review a UK pension, how to structure retirement income, how to invest across currencies, how to protect family income, and how to plan for estate and beneficiary outcomes across countries.
A good adviser should be able to explain:
- who they work with
- what they are qualified to advise on
- what regulatory framework applies
- how the advice process works
- what information is needed before advice is given
- what risks, costs and trade-offs need to be considered
This page is here to make that context clearer before you book a call.
What you should understand before taking advice
Who you are dealing with
You should know who is advising you, what they specialise in, who they typically help, and whether their experience fits your situation.
What they are qualified to discuss
Credentials matter, especially when advice involves pensions, investments, retirement planning, protection, estate planning and cross-border issues.
What regulatory framework applies
Expats should understand which firm they are dealing with, which regulatory permissions are relevant, and how this applies to the advice being considered.
How advice is documented
Good advice should be based on your circumstances, clearly explained, properly documented, and supported by a structured recommendation process.
Professional context
Years experience
Josh has been in the international financial services industry since 2010
Professional qualifications and memberships
18 UK/US/Trust & Estate Practitioner exams completed. 3 professional memberships
Operates under 4 licences within the Skybound Group
Employed as the Head of Technical, Josh advises under multiple licences
What a trust-led advice process should include
A clear understanding of your position
Advice should start with your circumstances, objectives, assets, liabilities, family position, residence, concerns and priorities.
Evidence before recommendations
Where pensions, investments or policies are being reviewed, recommendations should be based on relevant provider information and documentation, not guesswork.
Clear explanation of options
You should understand what options are available, what trade-offs apply, and why a particular route may or may not be appropriate.
Careful wording around risk
Pension, investment and tax-related decisions involve risk. Advice should not imply certainty, guaranteed outcomes or one-size-fits-all answers.
Transparent next steps
You should know what happens after the first call, what information may be needed, what the advice process involves, and what decisions may follow.
Ongoing review where appropriate
For many expats, planning needs change over time as residence, tax rules, markets, employment, family circumstances and retirement plans evolve.
About Josh Clancey
Josh Clancey works with British expats and internationally mobile professionals who need clear financial planning across pensions, investments, retirement planning, protection, estate planning and cross-border decisions.
His work is particularly focused on helping expats understand how UK pensions fit into wider retirement planning. That may include reviewing old pensions, understanding income options, assessing whether further technical advice is needed, and connecting pension decisions with tax-aware planning, investment strategy, currency exposure and family priorities.
Josh’s approach is designed to be clear and structured. The aim is to help clients understand their position before making major financial decisions.
Qualifications and professional memberships
Josh Clancey holds qualifications across financial planning, investment advice, estate planning, and trust-related matters. Professional memberships and qualifications include:
- Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment
- Full Member of the Chartered Insurance Institute
- Full Member of the Society of Will Writers
- Full Member of the European Financial Planning Association
- Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning
- Certificate in Securities Advice & Dealing
- Certificate in Discretionary Investment Management
- Certificate in Mortgage Advice
- STEP Advanced Certificate in Company Law and Practice
- STEP Advanced Certificate in Trustees’ Duties: Investment and Management of the Trust Fund
- STEP Advanced Certificate in Taxation of Trusts and Estates
- FINRA Series 65 Uniform Investment Adviser
- Certificate in Will Writing & Estate Planning
Regulatory information
Regulatory and registration details include:
- Josh Clancey's Financial Conduct Authority individual reference number: FCA info available here
- Josh Clancey's USA CRD reference: SEC info available here
All Skybound regulatory details are available here.
Why credentials matter more for expats
UK pensions can be technical
Pension decisions may involve scheme rules, transfer issues, guarantees, access options, beneficiary planning and retirement income choices.
Retirement planning crosses borders
Your retirement may involve more than one country, currency, tax system, pension regime and estate planning framework.
Investments need context
Investment decisions should be connected to time horizon, risk, income needs, currency, residence and wider financial planning goals.
Estate planning can be multi-jurisdictional
Expats may need to consider wills, pension beneficiaries, assets in different countries, guardianship, probate and inheritance tax exposure.
Planning areas Josh can help with
Pension Planning
Pension planning for expats means understanding how your pensions fit into your wider retirement, tax, investment, currency and estate planning position. It is not just about whether to transfer a pension. It is about knowing what you have, what it can provide, what risks apply, and what decisions need advice.
View Pension PlanningRetirement Planning
Retirement planning for British expats. Understand how much you need, when you can retire, and how pensions, investments and tax fit together.
View Retirement PlanningInvestment Planning
Investment planning for British expats. Build a portfolio strategy around goals, risk, retirement, currency and cross-border financial planning.
View Investment PlanningEstate Planning
Estate planning for British expats. Review wills, beneficiaries, pensions, inheritance tax, guardianship and cross-border estate planning risks.
View Estate PlanningTax Planning
Tax-aware financial planning for British expats. Understand how tax can affect pensions, investments, retirement income, estate planning and returning to the UK.
View Tax PlanningFinancial Planning
Bring pensions, investments, retirement, tax, protection and estate planning into one clear plan.
View Financial PlanningInsurance Planning
Insurance planning for British expats. Review life cover, critical illness, income protection, family protection and business owner insurance needs.
View Insurance PlanningFinancial Planning for Business Owners
Financial planning for British expat business owners. Connect business wealth, pensions, investments, protection, tax, succession and retirement planning.
View Financial Planning for Business OwnersRegulation and credentials FAQs
Important information
This page is for general information only and does not constitute personalised financial, tax, investment or pension transfer advice.
Before publishing this page, all credentials, regulatory references, firm details, licence numbers, professional memberships, awards, client numbers and assets under advice or management figures should be checked and approved for accuracy.
Financial advice should be based on your personal circumstances, objectives, residence position, existing arrangements and relevant documentation.
