Poole Family Financial blends business insight and its own family experiences when advising company directors
When Matthew Poole and his wife launched Poole Family Financial in mid-2020, they entered a market with growing demand for specialist advice. Today, their practice focuses on a complex but increasingly common client segment: business owners with non-traditional income structures.
“We understand what it’s like to run a business and support a family simultaneously,” Poole said. “That helps us see the bigger picture when advising clients.”
One of the most persistent challenges for advisers is the gap between how directors understand their income and how lenders assess it. “Applying for a mortgage is usually a long-term plan before actually being ready to apply,” Poole said.
Many limited company directors assume they need to withdraw large sums – via salary or dividends – to demonstrate affordability. But this can lead to unnecessarily high personal tax bills. “There’s a huge lack of clarity,” Poole said. “Most people think, ‘Lenders use salary and dividends, so I need to draw as much as I can to maximise my lending capacity’.”
Instead, some lenders will also consider retained profits. “Some lenders will look at salary and retained profit, which is particularly useful for directors with a strong trading history but modest drawings,” Poole noted. “You can keep your personal tax bill lower and still present a strong case to lenders.”
Presenting a clearer client case
This type of strategy demands preparation and a consultative approach from advisers. “We sit down with clients well in advance,” Poole said. “We go through company accounts, personal tax returns, credit files, business bank statements – everything.”
By building a complete picture early, advisers can shape income strategy to match lender expectations. It also allows time to tidy up documentation, clarify profit trends, or address issues like credit anomalies or inconsistent drawings.
“It’s about telling the full story of the business and the person behind it. That’s what gives lenders confidence.”
For business-owner clients, brokers can’t simply wait until an application is imminent. “Some of our clients come to us two or even three years before they plan to apply,” Poole said. “That timeline gives us room to make adjustments, both in their business strategy and in how we prepare them for a lender conversation.”
One early client came via a referral during the height of COVID. He had a young family and was self-employed, but several brokers had already turned him away. “He wasn’t in a position to do anything right there,” said Poole. “We created a 12-month plan, focused on income tracking, tax returns, and account structure.”
By August 2021, the client had completed on his first home. “That was a light bulb moment for us,” Poole said. “It showed how valuable planning and patience can be, for both the client and the adviser.”
What brokers need to rethink
According to Poole, too many advisers are focused on short-term transactions. “You only get paid when a mortgage completes, and that short-term thinking shapes a lot of how advisers operate. But it doesn’t serve clients well, especially those who need guidance, not just access.”
He sees long-term engagement as a way to build trust and pipeline resilience. “If you support clients early, they come back. They refer people. And your pipeline is healthier because you’re not chasing last-minute completions.”
Poole also highlights the importance of communication and flexibility in modern broking. “We use WhatsApp groups with our clients all the time. Especially where there’s a couple involved – it keeps everyone in the loop and makes things simple.”
Flexibility, he added, is as important as product knowledge. “We don’t operate nine to five because our clients don’t. Whether it’s early mornings, evenings or weekends, we fit around them.”
That client-first mindset, Poole said, comes from balancing family and business life: “It’s the same mindset, whether it’s your kids or your clients, you’re trying to give them the best chance to succeed.”
Looking beyond the numbers
For brokers working with company directors, careful planning, documentation, and communication are central. “It’s not just about what income looks like today,” said Poole. “It’s about how you structure it for tomorrow, and how you present it to the lender.”
Advisers who start conversations early, understand lender preferences, and invest in long-term client relationships are better positioned to deliver positive outcomes.
“Some clients won’t be ready for months or even years,” Poole said. “That doesn’t mean the conversation ends. It means it starts early enough to make a real difference.”
