Oi, FSA! Why don't you launch an ad campaign for IFAs?

by Alex Steger on Feb 07, 2012 at 11:12

Would it not be too much to ask that the FSA dug out a few pounds from its £578.4 million budget for the next year to promote the services of IFAs?

• 21 Comments

FSCS reform urgent in wake of uncertainty over levy

by Daniel Grote on Feb 06, 2012 at 10:24

The need for reform of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme has grown even stronger after it announced its latest levy on advisers.

• 1 Comment

How Standard Life won its £100m Sterling fund court case

by Daniel Grote on Feb 02, 2012 at 09:47

On the face of it, Standard Life’s success in its £100 million legal challenge to its professional indemnity insurers over the losses it incurred on the Sterling fund came as a surprise. IFAs should sit up and take notice of the verdict.

• 5 Comments

Life in the Fast Lane: Wagstaffs share their RDR secrets

by Natalie Fast on Feb 01, 2012 at 12:10

I received a pleasant Linkedin message from an adviser last week, inviting me to visit his firm. I duly accepted, so this week I went to Stevenage to see Simon Beedle and Elliot Stewart of Wagstaffs Wealth Management.

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Life planning: Born in the USA, but taking root in the UK

by William Robins on Jan 31, 2012 at 10:04

For better or worse the life planning movement has firmly taken root at the core of the UK financial advice profession.

• 10 Comments

Don't be fooled by January's fleeting market optimism

by David Sandham on Jan 26, 2012 at 14:23

Despite recent optimism, Europe’s problems are long term, and efforts to revitalise the banking system - though welcome - have not solved them.

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Advisers should beware the new regulator's approach

by Daniel Grote on Jan 25, 2012 at 09:30

A regulator that sees it duty as removing potential pitfalls from the path of irrational consumers may well start to train its eyes on IFAs.

• 11 Comments

Parascope: Charges should reflect the value of a highly skilled service

by Anonymous on Jan 24, 2012 at 13:58

Every now and then I encounter advisers who use paraplanners who provide reports for very low fees, such as £100 for a pension transfer report.

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Legacy commission demands would dilute RDR

by Daniel Grote on Jan 24, 2012 at 07:42

Protests from life companies about the Financial Services Authority’s plans to ban legacy commission are getting louder, but they need to be resisted if one of the retail distribution review’s key principles is not to be undermined.

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Parascope: should paraplanners be regulated?

by Anonymous on Jan 19, 2012 at 00:01

Paraplanning is becoming more proactive in the advice process. Advisers are delegating research and report-writing to spend valuable time with their clients. Delegating a task, though, does not mean delegating the responsibility, and both parties need to be clear on the scope of their service.

• 5 Comments