any financial advisors/people around, need help on what is the best way forward.

[thesouthsbelle]

Firstly have any of you had dealings with Edward Jones of London? I am dealing with a perfectly nice chap who knocked on the door - seems to be new to the area/job. anyhow,

I've asked him to sort out life insurance, he's come back with what I think is a good policy, it's £37 per month thru legal and general. It will provide £180K upon death/critical illness, as a lump sum plus a monthly income of £1300 payable to whomever DS is with (ie his guardian) so they don't actually have to provide for him - the idea is it would cover towards rent, clothing food etc etc. This is all set in stone until he's 21, those payments would continue. (of the lump sum £150K is a mortgage - which i'm hoping to get within the next 5 years) and £30K would be for his university fees.

Anyhow does that sound good to you/anyone?, whilst i'm in accounts myself, when you start talking investments/the best life insurances/cover etc it goes a bit beyond me, (hence going with a professional)

Also, i've taken on more hours in work, which will provide me with approx £400 p/m extra, I was intending to put that with some other money, & invest approx £500 per month, plus put a little bit extra each month into an ISA for me, bank savings & also DS's child trust fund. but for the main psrt it would be £500 for me to invest (ideally)

My long term goals are to get a pension, I want to be able to provide the money for DS to go to uni, to save a good deposit for a house, but to achieve long term financial security for DS. (also also be able to live comfortably during my retirement)

I'm 27, so time is on my side, i'm a medium risk person really, I would invest and wouldn't mind too much if the markets dropped and I lost some money, however long term I would like to see a fairly good/modest growth/return.

Anyhow, I hope this is making sence to someone! lol.

also with ISA's, if I get one through my bank, (as my parents suggest) it will be free I assume, however will it be as good a return as an advisor could get for me/I know I would pay an advisor but how much of a 'cut' out of your monthly investment do they take?

also if I chose to go it alone, how easy/hard is it to buy stocks/pensions etc on your own - i'm literally clueless about this side of finance. (a cousin does it in the city for HSBC, some division or other and is quite high up with the stock markets, but tbh I don't want him knowing the ins and outs of my finances)
HELP!

[SnotBaby]

Ha ha, busted or what? Nice work Whippet