Professional Development – Financial MOT for writers

Middle age is typically those between the ages of 40-60. This period brings with it work, life and family commitments to juggle. Authors and writers have the added stress of meeting creative deadlines, sporadic earnings and contract negotiations. People in this life stage would be forgiven for letting their personal finances slip down their to-do list. However, for most, some of life’s key, financial questions remain unanswered, whether it be:

• ‘When can I afford to retire?’
• ‘What should I do financially to give my kids the best start in life?’
• ‘I’m self-employed, how can I harness this to achieve my financial goals?’
• ‘How would my family cope financially if I passed?’
• ‘I’ve got lots of objectives to consider, which one should I prioritise’?

This talk hosted by financial planners, Lewis Paterson and Matthew Roche is specifically for writers, authors and other creatives and is designed to answer these key questions. We will look at the typical, financial challenges of people who work in the creative industries and how to navigate these to improve their financial futures.

#SoAatHome Professional Development events – free for SoA Members

As of Feb 2025, #SoAatHome professional development sessions will continue to be free as a member benefit. However, for non-members, the price is £35 including VAT.

Not a member? Sign up here with our special #SoAatHome offer and get 20 per cent off for the first year of membership – use code SOAATHOME20.

Programme

• Welcome, introductions and housekeeping from Lilly Brend-Fish, SoA (3 mins)
• Presentation by Lewis Paterson and Matthew Roche (60 mins)
• Comfort break (5 mins)
• Q&A with audience (20 mins)
• Summary and closing comments (2 mins)

Who is this session for?

This session will cater for writers, authors and other creatives and their typical financial circumstances. Any member are welcome to attend, but the content is perhaps most relevant for those between the ages of 35-60.

What will this session cover?

As the session will cover a wide age demographic, we will be looking at the typical circumstances across different ages:

 40s – The accumulation years:

• Taking stock of your finances.
• Would my family be financially supported if I died?
• Am I saving enough for retirement?
• Am I being as tax efficient as possible?

50s – The expensive years:

• How do I fund major life events – university, weddings, etc.
• Mortgage vs. pension – which to prioritise?
• Pension review – where are my pensions and what are they worth?
• Special considerations for creatives.

 60s – How to fund retirement:

• What are my options in retirement?
• How much am I going to need throughout retirement?
• Common retirement mistakes (a cautionary tale).

Send us your questions

If you would like to send questions in advance, email  LBrendfish@societyofauthors.org with ‘Financial MOT for writers’ in the subject header. We will prioritise questions sent in advance and answer as many as we can from the audience on the day.

#SoAatHome Fundraising Bookshop

Browse our virtual Bookshop.org store featuring books by authors and speakers taking part in the #SoAatHome. When you make a purchase using our affiliate links, a percentage will go to the Society of Authors’ Access Fund, giving authors support for travel, subsistence, childcare or access needs for events, residencies, and retreats.

The Line-up

Lewis Paterson

Lewis is a Chartered Financial Planner with more than a decade’s experience in wealth planning for individuals, SMEs and trusts. He is passionate about helping people reach their financial goals by first understanding their individual needs and circumstances in order to give a truly personalised approach to financial advice.

Website: www.killik.com | Linkedin: Killik & Co | Instagram: @killikandco

Matthew Roche

Matt Roche is a Chartered Wealth Manager and has been part of the Private Client Group in Killik & Co’s Mayfair Head Office since joining the firm in 2011.

In this role he works with private individuals, families and trusts. Central to his approach is the development of long term relationships with clients. Combining his understanding of clients’ aims and constraints with his knowledge of markets, he constructs, manages and advises upon bespoke investment portfolios.

Website: www.killik.com | Linkedin: Killik & Co | Instagram: @killikandco

Need to know

Accessibility

• Attendees will have the option to turn on the live transcript, to watch with subtitles
• If you require BSL interpretation for this event, please email events@societyofauthors.org

Before the event

• Once registered, you will be sent a confirmation email with the Zoom link
• If the confirmation email doesn’t arrive in your inbox, please check your junk/spam email folder
• Please add events@societyofauthors.org to your Safe Senders list so you receive our confirmation and reminder emails

During the event

• This online event will take place on Zoom Webinar; you will not be visible on screen but will be able ask questions via the Q&A function or interact via the chat box
• This event will be recorded but you won’t be on screen
• Attendees have the option to turn on the live transcript
• This event is 90 minutes

After the event

• Hashtag for this event: #SoAatHome
• SoA Members and paid attendees of this event will be able to catch the recording on our Vimeo channel (password protected) or members can access via the SoA website.

Booking

SoA Members: Please use the ‘Register – SoA Members’ form below and provide your details, including your membership number. If you’re unsure of your SoA ID, please email info@societyofauthors.org.

Non-members: Choose one of the two ticket options below, complete the registration form, then fill out the billing info to finalise your payment.

For event or registration questions, email events@societyofauthors.org.

SoA Members – Free

Non-Members – £35