The countdown is under way to one of the UK's biggest annual events for Paraplanners - the IFP's annual Paraplanner Conference.
The conference at Chesford Grange near Warwick is in sight, taking place next month on 21 and 22 May.
The event will be a mix of keynote and optional sessions focusing on a variety of technical and personal development topics specifically put together with Paraplanners in mind.
An exhibition will run alongside the conference providing further networking and learning opportunities.
An optional pre-conference workshop about building a Financial Plan will be run on the first day by Richard Gough CFPCM.
He will take Paraplanners through a number of the key areas using a client case study.
The session will work through scenarios, assumptions, cash flow modelling, tax calculations and more and is aimed at all Paraplanners, especially those working towards the CFP^CM certification or becoming an Accredited Paraplanner.
Thursday is when the main conference takes centre stage.
Among the headline guest speakers will be John Dashfield from Dashfield Coaching & Development.
His session will address how business people are keen to improve their time management, decision making and the quality of their communications. He aims to help attendees prevent themselves being increasingly reactive and, as a result, increasingly stressed and less productive. Mr Dashfield will share how to 'unleash the hidden performance factor'.
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Sessions include:
• Improve your memory – Nancy Slessenger, Vinehouse
• Paraplanners vs platforms - Mark Polson, principal, the lang cat
• Pensions health check – Bob Gordon, Standard Life
• Technology to help Paraplanners rock - Andrew Reeves CFPCM, FIFP, The Investment Coach Limited
• Maximising the benefits and mitigating the risks of drawdown – Just Retirement
• How to persuade anyone to do anything (well, almost) - Lee Warren, Invisible Advantage, who was a guest at a recent London IFP event
The IFP said it had excellent feedback on the 2013 conference, with 98% of those who participated in a survey recommend the event to a friend/colleague.
Among those who went last year was Aleksandra Sasin of Argentis Financial Management Limited, who said: "It was a great atmosphere and opportunity to share best practice. An event like this brings everybody together and offers valuable time to focus on our own development."
Gemma Siddle CFPCM, of Eldon Financial Planning, said: "The IFP Paraplanning Conference blew me away. To be surrounded by people with such passion for their profession and sharing ideas so openly was refreshing and exciting."