Chris Budd: Is financial planning actually holistic?

Lifestyle planning

clock • 3 min read

With the term 'holistic' in mind, Chris Budd takes a look at what financial planning really means and compares it with approaches in the medical profession

Holistic is a strange word. It means to deal with or treat the whole of something and not just a part (according to the Cambridge dictionary). Let's look at some other definitions; Medicine: Treatment for illness or injury. Financial planning: The activity of making decisions about how someone should manage their financial arrangements. I would suggest these dictionary definitions for medicine and financial planning already assume that they are holistic. Treating the cause If you want to treat an illness, surely you need to consider the cause of the illness. If the patient...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Your profession

OBR leak 'embarrassing' as Selby calls for pension stability after Autumn Budget

OBR leak 'embarrassing' as Selby calls for pension stability after Autumn Budget

AJ Bell’s Tom Selby joins Sahar Nazir in the studio to unpack the Budget

Sahar Nazir
clock 28 November 2025 • 1 min read
Andrew Goodwin: Advisers shouldn't have to be told to improve

Andrew Goodwin: Advisers shouldn't have to be told to improve

'The fact is that nobody stays ahead of the curve by standing still'

Andrew Goodwin
clock 28 November 2025 • 4 min read
Treasury Committee chair welcomes plan to replace Lifetime ISA

Treasury Committee chair welcomes plan to replace Lifetime ISA

LISA is ‘too complex'

Sahar Nazir
clock 28 November 2025 • 2 min read