More national financial planning success from the Questa family.  24-year-old Molly Clayton from Lytham St Annes has passed her final Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning. Molly is the second Questa employee in three months to celebrate this landmark financial planning qualification.  

Molly joins colleague Yasmin Lester  in passing the qualification. The latest qualifications mean that Questa now has 12 qualified financial planners in its team.

The diploma, provided by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) is designed to meet the Financial Conduct Authority’s requirements for retail investment advisors. Ultimately the qualification equips paraplanners, technical consultants, and those in financial planning support roles with the necessary expertise to provide retail investment advice. 

Molly, a former AKS Lytham student, said: “This has been a long journey. I have been taking exams since I started at Questa two and a half years ago. The qualifications are important. They will help me to build trust with clients and work with them to create the financial future they wish for. But I’ve not stopped there. I’ll continue my studies and hope to become a chartered IFA one day.”

Molly joined the team in September 2020 after graduating with a degree in Mathematics from the University of Leeds. During her studies, Molly developed a particular interest in financial modules which inspired her to pursue a career path in financial advising. She also has nearly 10 years of experience working in her family’s jewellers.

Molly’s studies consisted of six core units covering financial services, regulation and ethics, investment principles and risk, personal taxation, pensions and retirement planning, financial protection, and financial planning practice. 

The diploma required an estimated total qualification time of 370 hours, encompassing various assessment methods such as multiple-choice question exams and a written case study-based exam. 

Anthony Hoskisson, the owner of Questa, said: “We are so proud of the hard work Molly dedicates to the business every day. The qualifications are just rewards for her hard work. We try to create a culture in the business where everyone feels they can learn and grow to further their career. Molly, and Yasmin before her, are great examples – showing where hard work can take you. They both have exciting financial careers ahead of them.”