Are You Second-Guessing Your Retirement Plan?

Transform uncertainty into a confident financial roadmap with in-depth training, Voyant software and live Q&As with James and his team.
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Shackademy is an independent business to NOVA Wealth.
Have you ever found yourself staring at your financial planning spreadsheet, wondering if you've missed something important?

You're not alone.

I hear this all the time from people like Richard, one of our early Shackademy members.

He had index funds, detailed spreadsheets tracking everything, and what most would consider "good financial sense."

Yet there he was at 4am, trying to run calculations in his head...
  • "Can I retire earlier?"
  • "What difference would it make if I paid off my mortgage early?"
  • "Should I consolidate those old workplace pensions?"
  • "Will my family be okay if something happens to me?"

Is My Programme Right For You?

If this sounds anything like you, then you’re in the right place.
  • You’re already good with money, but you want to take it to the next level
  • You’re detail-oriented and like understanding exactly how things work
  • You want to optimise every aspect of your finances from insurance to mortgages and tax-efficient investing. 
  • You’re keen to start using professional financial planning software, to help you make better strategic decisions
  • You want to be part of a community of like minded people who share a passion for personal finance, who want to support and learn from one another
And this last one is important:
  • You’re willing to invest the time to do this right

Why I Created SHACKADEMY

You've probably watched some of my YouTube videos.

You know I'm not about fluff or oversimplification.

My videos are about financial education; this programme is about giving you the tools, knowledge, confidence and support to make informed financial decisions on your own terms.

I want to equip you with everything you need to take control of your financial future in one place - tools, on-demand courses, guidance and support from a community of like-minded people.

And none of the noise. (Arghhh those bots in the comments!)

What You'll Receive

Voyant Financial Planning Software

One year included

Voyant is the UK’s leading financial planning software. Trusted by professional financial planners to help clients make better strategic decisions. 

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Voyant has highly advanced capabilities such as:
  • ‘What if?’ scenarios where you can create multiple versions of your plan to see how your financial forecast would change if you, say, paid off your mortgage early, helped your kids with a house deposit, or the markets tank just before you retire - whatever you want!
  • Editable investment returns across different classes of investment so you can test what happens if rates of return rise or fall
  • Monte Carlo Analysis to stress test how robust your plan is
  • Retirement Spending Report to see how much you can spend without risking running out of cash
  • Potential Inheritance Tax to see how much IHT you’re likely to pay
  • Historic Simulation will map volatility onto your long term plan
  • Longevity Risk (Annuity Planning) to see how a guaranteed income source could affect your financials
  • And much, much more…

Meaning you can easily answer questions like:

  • Am I on track?
    Voyant projects your future finances so you can see if your current savings, pensions and spending will sustain your lifestyle
  • Can I afford to retire early? 
    Adjust your planned retirement date and instantly see if the numbers still work.
  • What if the markets crash? 
    Stress-test your plan against poor investment returns or high inflation and see how resilient your finances are.
  • What if I help the kids with uni or a house deposit? 
    Model lump sums or ongoing support, and see how it affects your long-term position.
  • Should I pay more into my pension or my ISA? 
    Compare different strategies to understand the tax impact and future outcomes.
  • Can I reduce work or go part-time?
    See the financial trade-offs of scaling back sooner vs staying full-time longer.
  • What if I or my partner dies early?
    Test how well your plan holds up in worst-case scenarios.
  • Am I making any dangerous assumptions?
    Catch blind spots - like forgetting inflation, underestimating future expenses, or ignoring tax thresholds.
  • How much can I spend each year without running out?
    Get a sustainable spending number based on your assets, age and assumptions.
  • How do I keep this plan updated?
    Voyant lets you easily tweak assumptions, track changes, and stay in control over time.
You begin using Voyant by entering all your financial details - this will take some time!

But then you can map all sorts of changes and scenarios to see how this affects your forecast.

And you can save multiple versions of your plan for easy comparison.

Comprehensive course modules

Lifetime access

Covering every aspect of personal finance
up to the point of retirement. 

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What you'll Learn

The Financial Planning and Investment Management courses are where you’ll learn how to structure your money with purpose, so you can stop second-guessing and start making decisions you trust.

The Financial Planning course gives you a clear, step-by-step process for deciding what to do with your money each month so nothing gets missed, and every decision has a purpose.

You’ll learn how to:
  • Decide when to invest, when to hold cash, and when to pay down your mortgage
  • Make sure you’re getting the full benefit from your workplace pension before moving on to other investments
  • Know exactly when it makes sense to increase your pension contributions
  • Use a tiered system to prioritise financial decisions as your situation evolves
  • Avoid common traps that leave money idle or misallocated
  • Build the right-sized emergency fund for your life stage, without overdoing it
  • Structure your cash savings to minimise tax and keep things simple
  • Understand what types of insurance matter, and whether you need them or not
The Investment Management course helps you build a portfolio that matches your goals, your comfort with risk, and your need for clarity and control.

You’ll learn how to navigate platforms, evaluate funds, and manage your portfolio over time, so you can invest with confidence, without relying on tips or guesswork.

By the end of the course, you’ll be able to:
  • Understand your own risk tolerance, and what that means for your investment decisions
  • Protect your money from inflation and avoid common portfolio mistakes
  • Choose where to invest based on cost, simplicity, and the right type of account for you
  • Find and compare investment funds confidently using factsheets and a clear process
  • Build a low-maintenance portfolio that suits you, whether that’s one fund or a simple mix
  • Know when to make changes, and how to stay on track when markets move
  • Understand bonds, stock markets, and different types of funds well enough to make smart decisions
  • Know how your money is protected, and what you don’t need to worry about
And that’s really just the start.

The programme is constantly evolving with new lessons, tools, and walkthroughs added all the time.

As part of the community (more on that next), you’ll help shape what comes next so it stays relevant to your journey, not just the average one.

Private Online Community

One year included

Connect with me, the Shackademy team, and other like-minded individuals

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Most of us don’t have people we can talk to about money. Not properly.

The Shackademy community changes that.

Inside, you’ll find thoughtful, like-minded people who care about making good financial decisions - just like you.

People who aren’t chasing hot tips, but who are working through the same questions about pensions, retirement, and doing right by their families.

As part of the community, you'll get:
  • A private forum with no ads, spam, or comment bots!
  • Monthly Q&A sessions where my team and I answer questions from the community
  • Live talks from trusted experts on topics that matter (like tax, estate planning, and retirement modelling)
  • The chance to connect with others who get why you’ve been tweaking your Voyant plan for the third week running
  • The opportunity to help shape future course content based on what you want to learn next
And while Voyant and the course content is incredibly valuable, many members say it’s the community that gives them the most reassurance.

It’s a place to ask the questions you’ve been sitting on.

To get a thoughtful response, not a sales pitch.

To hear how others are tackling the same challenges, and to know you’re not the only one lying awake wondering, have I missed something?

You don’t have to do this alone.

You’ll be surrounded by people who care about getting it right as much as you do.

Meet The team

All the expertise you need in one place. 
Joseph McLean
Chartered Financial Planner
Joseph is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of NOVA Wealth.

Alongside running NOVA, you will find him advising some of the UK’s most influential business leaders on personal financial strategies. He believes everyone can make smarter financial decisions and has been a passionate supporter of James’s YouTube channel since the first day of filming.

Joseph is the technical expert and editor of the course. 
James Shackell
 YouTuber & Financial Planner
James is a world renowned financial educator, having helped hundreds of thousands of people through YouTube. 

When he's not sitting in his kitchen filming,  James is a Financial Planner at NOVA Wealth.

James currently holds the Chartered Wealth Manager qualification, CISI’s highest qualification for financial advisers and investment managers. 

James is the lead instructor on the course.
Ben Kehoe
Mortgage & Protection Specialist
Ben has 18 years of experience within the financial services industry, with a background in holistic financial planning and specialist knowledge in mortgages and insurance.

As the mortgage and protection expert on this course, Ben brings valuable insights to support participants in these critical areas.

He will also provide guidance on using Voyant, helping you unlock its full potential for effective and confident financial planning.

"A real time financial planning system"

What’s important to understand is that this isn’t ‘just another course’. 


This is a fully-fledged system to make better data driven financial decisions, that you have confidence in.

A system you'll use for the rest of your life. 



And because the system updates with changing laws and regulations you can be confident you’re always up-to-date.

The Voyant planning software is continually updated, and we will keep the course modules in line with new legislation too.

You get access to all that for a year when you join the programme below.

After one year, if you want to continue your access to Voyant and the community, it’s only £20/month.

What our members Have to say

Here’s what some of our existing members had to say about the course (you’ll meet these people inside): 

Make the Decision You’ll Thank Yourself For

As you’ll know from my YouTube videos, I'm all about being straightforward with you, so let me be clear: doing nothing is a decision.

And from my experience with hundreds of clients, it's always the wrong one.

It's not just about the opportunities you’ll miss.

It's about the time you're spending worrying instead of enjoying life.

It's about missing out on the confidence that comes from knowing you've covered all your bases.

Missing out on making decisions safe in the knowledge that you’ve really done your homework.
You wouldn't build a house without architectural plans. You wouldn't drive across the country without a map. So why would you approach the next 30+ years of your financial life without a proper blueprint?

The compound effect of making better financial decisions over the coming years could be worth a significant amount of money to you and your family, but isn’t peace of mind worth even more?

Join us now and transform complexity into clarity, questions into answers, and plans into action.

This investment in your education will be the best investment you’ll ever make - if it’s not we’ll give you your money back. 

My Guarantee

We have a 60-day money-back guarantee. That means there is zero risk - if Shackademy is not everything you’ve hoped for, you’ll get a full refund.

The Three pillars

1 Year Included

Voyant

  • Powerful financial planning software
  • Trusted by professionals
  • Project your financial life into the future
  • Assess if you're on track to achieve your goals
  • Investigate different scenarios
  • Make data driven decions

Option to extend your Voyant and community access for £20 per month.

Lifetime Access

COURSEs

  • On-demand video-based courses

  • Covers all areas of financial planning

  • Rapidly gain financial competence

  • Feel confident making decisions

  • Check your blind spots

  • Work at your own pace

Continually updated as regulation changes and financial planning strategies evolve

1 Year Included

Community

  • Connect with likeminded people
  • Learn from & support each other
  • A safe space to ask questions
  • Connect with James & his team
  • Discuss more advanced topics
  • Monthly Q&As with James
  • Guest speakers
One off cost

£595

60 Day Money Back Guarantee
3 & 6 month payment plans available

Summer Intake 2026

My team and I are very hands-on within this community, so to make sure that every member gets the attention they need, we only open to new members a few times a year and places are limited.

There are only 100 places available in our 2026 summer intake. 

Be confident you’re doing everything you can to secure your financial future - click the button below to join now and I’ll see you inside within a minute! 
  • 100 2 places available
  • Exclusive opportunity work closely with me and my team
  • 60-day money-back guarantee 


We expect these places to go quickly; once they are, the course will not open again until later in the year.

Registration Closes

 10pm 9th September

Summer Intake 2026

My team and I are very hands-on within this community, so to make sure that every member gets the attention they need, we only open to new members a few times a year and places are limited.

There are only 100 places available in our 2026 summer intake. 

Be confident you’re doing everything you can to secure your financial future - click the button below to join now and I’ll see you inside within a minute! 
  • 100 4 places available
  • Exclusive opportunity work closely with me and my team
  • 60-day money-back guarantee 


We expect these places to go quickly; once they are, the course will not open again until later in the year.

Secure your place   

Closes 10pm 9th September

Summer Intake 2026

The course will close to be open again to new members at 9am on Saturday 5th September.

  • 100 places available 4 places left
  • Exclusive opportunity work closely with me and my team
  • 60-day money-back guarantee 



We expect these places to go quickly; once they are, the course will not open again until autumn.

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Get instant access

If you have a referral code you can skip the queue and get instant access.

Summer Intake sold out

New places will becomes available later in the year 

Places will be released to the waitlist on a first come first serve basis. So please join the line as soon as you can!

Join the Waitlist   

Join the waitlist now

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Frequently asked questions