Toni Chalmers-Smith

How can I help you?

I have worked in the financial services industry for over 30 years. While fully qualified in all forms of life, health, mortgage and pension business, I specialise in advising clients requiring later years’ advice, including later life lending/equity release and care fees planning.

I work closely with my Tees Wealth colleagues and legal teams in providing specialist care fees planning and equity release advice. This can involve liaising with Local Authorities and Government departments on behalf of our clients. 

Delivering what you really need

We believe financial and legal advice should take you to the stage where you can make clear and informed decisions, happy in the knowledge that you have received all the information and options needed to reach those decisions. We are able to offer our clients a path through later years, providing holistic advice on a wide range of legal and financial issues.

Our advice process provides advice not simply from a well-qualified adviser, but somebody who you feel you can rely upon to understand the plans you need to make for your retirement years and the complexities of the many decisions you may need to face.

Care funding "There is no right or wrong way"

We are extremely conscious that sorting out immediate or potential future care funding for you or a loved one can be a complex legal, financial, and emotional process. Tees, aim to make the process as easy and straightforward as possible. Advising has helped our clients through the care funding process and we have often found that, to begin with, our clients want a few simple answers to questions they have about specific elements of care planning. 

Care needs constantly change and we work with clients and families to provide advice tailored to the person requiring care specific needs. With careful planning, it may be possible to structure an individual’s finances in such a way that care fees can be paid indefinitely without diminishing all their assets.

Equity Release “Achieving your financial goals”

As part of planning for the future, or to help maintain or enhance your standard of living in retirement, you may wish to down-size, give your property away by way of a loan or release equity.  We can advise and explain all options regarding the costs, risks involved and its effect on things such as inheritance tax, needing care and entitlement to means tested benefits. 

Why choose Equity Release

Equity release is a term used to describe the various ways people can financially benefit from the value of their home and there are many reasons why our clients have chosen:

• Access tax-free cash from your home
• Maintain ownership and stay in your property
• Enhance your retirement lifestyle
• Repay outstanding mortgage or debt
• Provide financial support/care for loved ones
• Releasing equity to purchase a new home
• Gifting to children or grandchildren
• Home and Garden improvements  

Borrowers are free to use the money however they wish. Tees can provide a combination of legal and financial services required to advise within this specialist area. Working together we provide a professional, efficient, and friendly service. 

What else should you know?

I am an accredited member of SOLLA the Society of Later Life Advisers and a member of The Equity Release Council.

Over the years I have contributed to local and national press including the Cambridge Evening News, Financial Times, Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph, Guardian and Mail on Sunday.

Radio work includes a regular feature on BBC Radio Cambridge/ Essex and BBC Radio 5 Live.

Tees are here to help

We have many independent financial advisers who are based in:

Cambridgeshire: Cambridge
Essex: Brentwood, Chelmsford, and Saffron Walden
Hertfordshire: Bishop's Stortford and Royston

But we can help you wherever you are in England and Wales.