Financial Planner for Business Owners
Lab Financial Planning is an independent, FCA‑regulated financial planning firm specialising in helping UK business owners turn company success into long‑term personal wealth.
You’ve built something valuable.
Now it’s time to turn it into lasting financial independence, without guesswork, confusion, or leaving money on the table.
Why Business Owners Need a Different Kind of Financial Planning
You don’t just need a financial plan. You need a wealth-building strategy that accounts for you and your business.
Most financial advice is built for employees: fixed salaries, predictable pensions, standard tax planning.
Business owners live in a different world.
Cashflow fluctuates. Tax rules are complex. Your company is your biggest asset, and your biggest risk.
And your personal wealth depends on getting the big decisions right: how you take income, when you invest, how you plan an exit, and how you create independence from the business.
That’s what we specialise in. After all, we're business owners ourselves.
Common Pain Points
We see the following three issues so often. How many sound familiar?
The Business Owner Wealth Planning Framework
We focus on four pillars to ensure you build a plan with solid foundations, enabling you to live the life you want to, now and in future.
It looks like this:
1. Income Strategy
2. Wealth Building
3. Risk & Protection
4. Exit & Independence
1.Income Planning
What: Optimise salary, dividends, pension funding, director loans, and benefits.
Why: Keep more of what you work hard to earn.
2.Wealth building
What: Tax‑efficient investing, corporate investing, ISAs, pensions, surplus profit planning.
Why: Turn business success into lasting wealth
3.RISK & protection planning
What: Key person cover, shareholder protection, director illness and death planning.
Why: Protect the people that matter the most and the business.
4.exit and independence
What: Plan for sale, management buyout, or stepping back
Why: Create a future where your business fuels your life, not the other way around.
Lab FP - Independent and Specialist
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We specialise in working with business owners and directors.
Everything is tailored to the realities of owning a company.
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Independent.
Planning, not products always comes first, and is the focus of our advice.
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Integrated with your accountant.
So your tax and planning align perfectly. Accountants rightly focus on saving you tax, we focus on building your wealth, protecting your business and family and ensuring your profit extraction makes sense given your wider financial plan and goals.
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Clear, simple guidance.
No jargon, no overwhelm, no hour‑long lectures.
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A thinking partner for the long term.
Think of us as a non‑exec for your personal finances.
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Highly rated.
13 5 star reviews through Google and 100% client satisfaction in our most recent client survey.
How We Work
1. Discovery
2. Planning
3. Ongoing Support
1. Discovery
We get clear on your goals, challenges, current reality, and business structure.
2. Business Owner Wealth Plan
We build a coordinated plan covering income, tax, pensions, investing, business risk, and exit.
3. Ongoing Partnership
We help you implement the plan, adjust to changes, and stay on track as your business evolves.
Financial Planning Resources for Business Owners
We regularly publish clear, practical guidance for business owners on tax, investing, pensions, and building financial independence.
We highly recommend the following three articles, which are very popular on the website, for starters:
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April 2026 Dividend Tax Rise: Should directors take dividends early?
https://www.labfp.co.uk/post/dividend-tax-rise-april-2026-directors
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What should I do with my company profits?
https://www.labfp.co.uk/post/what-should-i-do-with-my-company-profits
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Salary Sacrifice is changing, but not for business owners:
https://www.labfp.co.uk/post/salary-sacrifice-is-changing-but-not-for-business-owners-here-s-what-directors-need-to-know-in-20
FAQ
1. What’s the most tax‑efficient way to pay myself as a business owner in 2026?
Because of the dividend tax rises in April 2026 (basic rate moves to 10.75% and higher rate to 35.75%) it means means the old low‑salary/high‑dividend approach may no longer be optimal. Reviewing your salary/dividend blend is now essential.
2. Are company pension contributions still worthwhile after recent tax changes?
Yes. Large employer pension contributions remain allowable and deductible for directors, and upcoming salary‑sacrifice restrictions do not affect owners making employer contributions.
Care must be taken with your personal pension planning position, but from a company perspective, pension contributions still make an awful lot of sense.
3. How can I build wealth outside my business?
Most owners and directors are over‑exposed to their company. Diversifying through ISAs, pensions, and corporate or personal investing helps convert volatile business profits into long‑term personal wealth.
4. When should I start planning for a business exit?
Earlier than you think. Because dividend tax increases in 2026 and shifting corporation tax thresholds affect extraction, timing, and sale readiness. Aligning exit planning with your personal wealth strategy provides the best results. If you don't yet have one, make it a priority!
5. Why is separating business and personal finances so important?
Clear separation improves tax efficiency, simplifies profit extraction decisions, and helps you model margins, cashflow, and exit readiness. All are essential for directors and business owners.