Money Marketing
23 August 2006

  • 97% of investors accept FDL deal

    24 Aug 2006

    Fund Distribution Limited says over 97 per cent of investors have accepted its first distribution offer and 113m has been paid out to around 24,600 investors. This covers losses totalling 284m and represents a recovery of 40 per cent of losses. FDL will make its second and final distribution of 29.5m, equivalent to 10p in the pound in the fourth quarter before winding up.

  • Fidelity hosting investment forum

    24 Aug 2006

    Fidelity is hosting its annual investment forum at seven venues across the country from September 25-29. Speakers will include Anthony Bolton, Jorma Korhonen and Tim McCarron at venues including Edinburgh to Southampton.FundsNetwork will hold IHT and estate planning workshops before each forum.

  • 500M leaves Fidelity special sits

    24 Aug 2006

    Fidelity has suffered significant outflows from Anthony Bolton's special situations fund ahead of its split next month and advisers say redemptions are only likely to increase.Data from Lipper reveals that the fund has shrunk by 500m to just under 6bn since details of the fund's split were unveiled in June. Special sits is now the second-biggest retail fund behind Neil Woodford's Invesco Perpetual high-income fund.Hargreaves Lansdown head of research Mark Dampier says he expects ...

  • 6K fee is revealed on 77k homeloan

    24 Aug 2006

    Claim firm alleges that mortgage case commission was undisclosed

  • Abbey - Two Year Base Rate Tracker

    25 Aug 2006

    AbbeyTwo-Year Base Rate Tracker

  • Aifa set for Treasury clash

    24 Aug 2006

    Aifa is on a collision course with the Treasury after urg- ing advisers to continue recommending alternatively secured pensions to clients despite warnings from the Treasury that it will scrap Asps if they do.The Treasury is now considering all options to ensure that Asps are used exclu- sively for religious groups with moral objections to annuities but admits that it cannot enshrine this in legislation because it would violate European anti-discrimination laws.But Aifa deputy ...

  • Alliance & Leicester - Premier Mortgage Service Exclusive Certified Near Prime Two Year Fixed Rate

    25 Aug 2006

    Alliance & Leicester Premier Mortgage Service Exclusive Certified Near Prime Two Year Fixed Rate

  • American idle

    24 Aug 2006

    The UK could follow the US, with rising rates slowing the market right down

  • Are eu being served?

    24 Aug 2006

    Britishinsurance.com managing director Simon Burgess looks at how the domain game is being played out for .eu web addresses

  • Asp axe would break age laws

    24 Aug 2006

    Pension guru Steve Bee has warned the Treasury that scrapping Asps would make A-Day rules fall foul of anti-age discrimination legislation.Last week, the Treasury told Money Marketing it would be forced to scrap Asps if advisers continue to "wilfully abuse" them to help their clients avoid inheritance tax.But Scottish Life head of pensions strategy Bee says forced annuitisation at 75 would be considered ageist under the European Directive on Age Discrimination, which comes into ...

  • Assigned deal could boost PTA business

    24 Aug 2006

    The Revenue is to allow mortgage lenders to be assigned the rights to death benefits on pension term assurance policies in a move which is expected to boost sales of PTA products.Legislation from the Revenue was unclear on whether customers taking out mortgages where the provider required them to have life insurance with the loan could take out PTA policies or were restricted to ordinary term life cover.But the Revenue says mortgage providers and banks can be assigned the death ...

  • Axa Framlington adds new UK equities manager

    29 Aug 2006

    Axa Framlington has appointed Jamie Hooper to its UK equities desk as it recognises the UK large cap sector as an area for growth.

  • Bankhall members get Aequos Engage

    24 Aug 2006

    Bankhall members using Defaqto's Aequos Online service can now access its Aequos Engage product as the licences have been renegotiated.

  • Bankhall wrap warning to advisers on client data

    24 Aug 2006

    'Intermediaries handing over one of the most valuable parts of their business to a third party'

  • Battle of the bonds

    24 Aug 2006

    John Pattullo's Henderson strategic bond fund illustrates the wide variety of holdings available to the fixed-interest manager and its performance is testimony to his skill

  • BBA reports increase in mortgage lending

    25 Aug 2006

    Mortgage lending in July was 19 per cent higher than for the same period last year, according to the British Bankers’ Association.

  • BBB network placed in default by FSCS

    23 Aug 2006

    The Financial Services Compensation Scheme has declared the former network Berkely Berry Birch in default, paving the way for consumers to receive compensation.

  • Broker shuns Bupa over admin

    24 Aug 2006

    A broker has stopped using Bupa after claiming the firm has poor service standards and slow response times to applications from protection advisers.Highclere Financial Services partner Alan Lakey says he refuses to deal with Bupa after problems with its admin department. He says in one case, it took Bupa 19 months to send an acceptance letter.Lakey says: "Bupa has got exceptionally good critical-illness contracts but I cannot deal with them due to their admin."John Joseph ...

  • Broker talkback

    24 Aug 2006

    Are you recommending alternatively secured pensions to clients who do not want to buy an annuity at 75?No - 63%Yes - 37%

  • Bupa - Private Medical Insurance Products

    25 Aug 2006

    Update: No annual monetary limits on benefits for out-patient cancer treatmentsTel: 0800 33 2000

  • Buy-to-let buoyant, says Paragon

    24 Aug 2006

    Data from Paragon Mortgages buy-to-let index shows rental yields remain stable as landlords continue to invest in additional properties.

  • Cameron wants to revive right to buy

    24 Aug 2006

    Tory leader David Cameron has called for a return of the right-to-buy policy of the 1980s and a planning revolution to boost housing supply.Speaking at a Cicero Consulting first-time buyers' summit in London last week, Cameron said a radical solution was needed to address housing problems and he has commissioned a Tory working group to look into boosting the right-to-buy scheme.Cameron said right to-buy led to hugely beneficial changes in society in the 1980s and would stem ...

  • 'Car dealers may soon be offering release'

    24 Aug 2006

    In Retirement Services head of business development Frank McCann says equity release could soon be distributed via credit card companies, utility firms and even car dealerships.McCann believes tradit- ional distributors such as IFAs and high-street banks will increasingly come under threat from new affinity deals with providers, which could also include debt management, travel and retirement village companies.He says: "The industry needs to think about where retired people are ...

  • Collective thinking

    24 Aug 2006

    Following publication of the article in Money Marketing, headlined, OFT tells regulator to get menu sums right, I am writing to clarify the situation about market averages on the menu. Following the complaint from Aifa to the OFT last year, we agreed with the OFT that we would examine the market average figure for collective investment schemes to see if there had been any problem with the data. This investigation showed that some providers had given the FSA information which included ...

  • Collegiate direct PI for small firms

    24 Aug 2006

    Collegiate is offering professional indemnity cover for smaller IFA firms which deals directly with the firm.Collegiate Direct will launch in September and is targeted at - but not limited to - adv-iser firms with a turnover of less than 200,000 which are not serviced by insurance brokers because of their size.Head of underwriting Richard Turnbull says smaller firms represent a lower overall risk profile so the application process will be simplified.He says applicants complete ...

  • Collins Stewart - Aim Portfolio Service

    25 Aug 2006

    Collins StewartAIM Portfolio Service

  • Colonial - the FSA's letters

    24 Aug 2006

    Last week, Money Marketing revealed a court ruling upholding an endowment complaint against Winterthur subsidiary Colonial Mutual UK Holdings Group partly based on evidence from FSA correspondence to MPs and the claimant.These letters show how the FSA's stance changed over the years. In its defence, Winterthur used the letter from FSA investment business director Michael Folger as evidence the firm was always authorised under the Financial Services Act 1986.LibDem MP Tom Brake ...

  • Correspondent's Week

    24 Aug 2006

    This week by Mortgage Solutions features and supplements editor Andrea Tryphonides

  • Coventry Building Society - Buy To Let + 0.39% Base Rate Tracker

    25 Aug 2006

    Coventry Building SocietyBuy To Let + 0.39% Base Rate Tracker

  • Coventry Building Society - Buy To Let + 0.55% Base Rate Tracker

    25 Aug 2006

    Type: Buy-to-let tracker mortgage

  • Coventry Building Society - Buy To Let + 0.65% Base Rate Tracker

    25 Aug 2006

    Coventry Building SocietyBuy To Let + 0.65% Base Rate Tracker

  • Crude awakening

    24 Aug 2006

    A number of supply factors are keeping oil prices high and they could go even higher in the short term

  • Date to remember

    24 Aug 2006

    The Money Marketing team participated in a recent Centaur afternoon out to celebrate record revenues.The team excelled at everything from egg and spoon and sack races to volleyball. But it also allowed those with longer memories to recall a team bonding day held by a downmarket rival's publishing firm, where staff took part in an afternoon of internal speed-dating. Far be it for the Diary to casually throw around words such as "desperate" and "lacking any kind of social skills".

  • Deer prudence

    24 Aug 2006

    Central banks are not there to give stockmarket traders a free ride and last week's decision by the Fed to pause its rate-raising programme did little to reassure investors. We should not be surprised. Ben Bernanke's team are very cognisant of the inflationary pressures that are swirling around the global economy and it would be extremely foolish to ignore their potential impact. However, the same team seem quite politically aware and I wonder if they are more interested in keeping growth ...

  • Defensive moves

    24 Aug 2006

    Large-cap growth shares will provide the best returns in the next 12 months, equities will outperform bonds, cash and commercial property and the FTSE 100 will end the year above 6,000. This is the consensus of the Adviser Fund Index panellists, according to the first AFI mid-season questionnaire.The vast majority of panellists expect the three AFIs to increase from their current values by the end of 2006. The average predicted end-of-year value for the Aggressive AFI is 141.1, ...

  • DWP rapped over disclosure delays

    24 Aug 2006

    The Department for Work and Pensions has been criticised for delaying reforms to the disclosure requirements for defined-benefit schemes.The regulations, designed to bring disclosure requirements in line with defined-contribution schemes, would have forced DB schemes to produce an annual statement of benefits to members from next April.But pension reform minister James Purnell said last week that the reforms will be put on ice pending the DWP's wider review of regulation, designed ...

  • Enterprising solution

    24 Aug 2006

    A new client's tax returns reveal opportunities to revive forgotten tax reliefs

  • Excuses, excuses

    24 Aug 2006

    Imagine you were an IFA firm operating under FSA regulation. Imagine that in the past the firm had been several firms operating under several different regimes. A reasonable merger had taken place although for a few years the firms existed as a sort of ad hoc alliance before a full merger.

  • Fees frame

    24 Aug 2006

    My firm's FSA fees are too high and the reporting structure is impenetrable

  • FinanceCube offering web solution for advisers

    24 Aug 2006

    FinanceCube has introduced an online portfolio management service in the UK that it says will shield advisers' business from the growing threat of the internet.Former Quay Software head of marketing Philip Calvert has been appointed as sales director to lead the launch, which incorporates a web-based software platform using Microsoft. net technology.The platform will be multi-currency and multi-language and will allow total transparency between adviser and client, with both ...

  • Firms aim to spur on shared-equity schemes

    24 Aug 2006

    Industry figures want more innovation to drive forward the Home Buy scheme and shared ownership in general.At the Cicero Consulting summit, John Charcol senior technical director Ray Boulger said lenders should make more of the opportunity to offer investment vehicles such as Reits alongside shared-ownership lending services.Morgan Stanley chief economist David Miles said more risk-sharing between lenders and homeowners is needed.He said lenders can create books of business ...

  • Firms plan to cut NPSS payments for new staff

    24 Aug 2006

    The introduction of pension personal accounts could see 80 per cent of employers reduce contributions for new staff.A survey of 750 employers by Deloitte and sponsored by Standard Life, Scottish Widows, Aegon and Axa found the Government's plans for an NPSS-style pension scheme is likely to result in a reduction in corporate provision.Total employer contributions are expected to drop by 10 per cent over the first 10 years of personal accounts and Deloitte predicts that employers ...

  • First4Brokers' ARs can carry on business

    24 Aug 2006

    Appointed representatives of intermediary First4- Brokers have been told that they can carry on conduc- ting business.Administrator Moore Ste-phens says that as F4B is still a regulated entity, its 29 ARs can continue trading, even though it advises them not to.The FSA has come under fire for failing to protect F4B's ARs. Network Data managing director Richard Griffiths says all networks need to be scrutinised by the regulator.Griffiths says: "Networks must have their systems ...

  • Four corners

    24 Aug 2006

    It was interesting to attend one of G&N's investment trust seminars and hear all four groups presenting kick off their sessions with an explanation of how they went about managing the funds at their disposal.

  • Free Cofunds link to manager interviews

    24 Aug 2006

    Cofunds is offering its 14,000 users free access to a web-based library of over 1,500 fund manager interviews available through asset.tv. Transcripts and a CPD record are also available.

  • FSA playing by a different rulebook

    24 Aug 2006

    Money Marketing's front-page articles last week have prompted me to write. I do this with some trepidation as within 24 hours of the last time I dared to raise my head above the parapet criticising the FSA and asking difficult questions, I was told by my network that the FSA had contacted them, stating that they wanted to pay me a visit. I have nothing to fear from a visit from the FSA but, on that occasion, I raised the question of this seeming coincidence on the Finserv forum and ...

  • FSA set to reshape menu for Mifid

    24 Aug 2006

    The FSA admits it may have to reform the payment menu and initial disclosure document to comply with the European markets in financial instruments directive.The regulator is due to consult on the directive in October and will investigate its potential impact on the disclosure documents ushered in by depolarisation last year.Its review of the success of depolarisation has been hampered by the directive which comes into force next November.The FSA is concerned that any reforms ...

  • FSA upgrades its IT systems

    24 Aug 2006

    The FSA has contracted Capgemini, Tata Consultancy Services and Xansa to upgrade its IT systems and says the move will enable it to cope with bigger demand more effectively.

  • Going out with a Banger

    24 Aug 2006

    Those kind folk at Invesco Perpetual invited a select few financial hacks to the cricket last Friday to witness the Fourth Test between England and Pakistan at the Oval in London.Apart from Lansons' Jonathan Grove explaining to a novice cricket fan just what a spin bowler is, why Monty Panesar is a likely candidate for Sports Personality of the Year and promotional girls' sensible provision of sunblock, not much actual cricket was seen. After lunch, the glorious British summer meant ...

  • Government IHT revenue hits 3.3bn

    24 Aug 2006

    The Government collected 3.3bn in inheritance tax revenue in 2005/06 and that could rise to 3.6bn over the current financial year, according to data from Halifax. It says there has been a 49 per cent increase in IHT revenue over the past five years.

  • Grant Thornton appoints new life actuarial director, financial markets

    23 Aug 2006

    Grant Thornton has appointed John Graham as a life actuarial director within its financial markets group.

  • Hartley SAS - The Lifetime Sipp

    25 Aug 2006

    Hartley SASThe Lifetime Sipp

  • 'HBOS is the Chelsea of the mortgage market'

    24 Aug 2006

    Pink managing director says top lender is using its financial muscle to pull ahead of rivals

  • HML appoints Mark Smith as new MD

    23 Aug 2006

    Homeloan Management Limited has appointed Mark Smith as its new managing director who says he will be targeting new business from his competitors.

  • House prices increased 3.9% to August

    25 Aug 2006

    Average residential values increased by 0.4 per cent over August showing a house price growth of 3.9 per cent for the first eight months of 2006, according to Hometrack.

  • 'I am the only voice that IFAs need,' says Gale

    24 Aug 2006

    Sesame has no serious competition in the marketplace and remains the biggest and best distribution group in the UK, according to chief executive Patrick Gale.He claims Sesame is the biggest distribution group with 7,000 registered individuals and writes the most business."I do not see we have many competitors at all. The new players are not a threat. We do the most work for the market as we are the biggest group of distribution and we offer more choice. I am not concerned about ...

  • IFAP backs Aifa on fees-based model

    24 Aug 2006

    IFA Promotion has pledged its support for Aifa and the Institute of Financial Planning's initiative to help IFAs move to a fee-based model. IFAP data reveals the number of enquiries for details of fee-only IFAs increased from 13 per cent to 17 per cent last year.

  • IFAs could face action over Eurolife secured bond

    24 Aug 2006

    IFAs who sold Eurolife secured bonds in the late 1990s could face action from the Financial Ombudsman Service after Eurolife went into administration last week.The secured bond, set up in 1999, was sold exclusively through advisers.The firm had to offer 2,300 investors a compromise deal 18 months ago when it became clear that they would not get back their capital.Investors could accept a reduced lump sum in compensation but 2,000 investors opted for staggered, reduced payments ...

  • In the Pink over case of mistaken identity

    24 Aug 2006

    As lookalikes go, Money Marketing is struggling to think of who Pink Home Loans managing director Tony Jones may bear a striking resemblance to but he was mistaken for a celebrity by a friendly Big Issue seller while being snapped for his profile in this week's MM outside the celebrity hangout and restaurant The Ivy in Covent Garden last week.When an MM hack explained to the vendor who Jones was, the seller's sales pitch to flog a copy of the Big Issue was to scream: "Mortgages, ...

  • Inflation poses threat to level conventional annuities, says research

    24 Aug 2006

    Almost ninety per cent of advisers consider inflation to be a risk for their clients buying a level conventional annuity, says new research from Prudential.

  • Insight bucks trend in move out of Nurs

    24 Aug 2006

    Insight Investment is bucking the industry trend by converting its diversified target return fund from a non-Ucits retail scheme structure to Ucits III next month.Most multi-managers have been converting their funds from Ucits III to Nurs to access the greater investment flexibility that enables. But Insight says Nurs funds require life insurance companies to conduct more due diligence than Ucits III funds and converting the fund it will make it easier to distribute through unit-linked ...

  • Intrinsic chooses Key for equity release

    24 Aug 2006

    Key Retirement Solutions has announced a partnership with Intrinsic Financial Services for equity release referral business. Intrinsic says it wants to ensure the best possible advice for their clients and has chosen Key Partnerships 300-plus advisers.

  • Is the Treasury about to make an Asp of itself?

    24 Aug 2006

    A lot of advisers probably think that the Government has been talking out of its Asp in recent weeks.

  • Jail threat over unscrupulous surveillance of customers

    24 Aug 2006

    Lenders and insurers have been warned they may face imprisonment if they use unscrupulous practices to gain information on clients.The Information Commissioner's Office claims it has found evidence that insurers use private detectives and other unscrupulous means to source information on clients they believe could be making fraudulent claims. Some lenders have been accused of using similar practices to trace debtors.It is calling for the Data Protection Act to be amended to ...

  • Legal & General - Growth Investment Plan Plus 4

    25 Aug 2006

    Legal & GeneralGrowth Investment Plan

  • Legal & General - HealthCare Choices

    25 Aug 2006

    Legal & General HealthCare Choices

  • Let us be more open-minded

    24 Aug 2006

    Daniel Godfrey, The AITC's view

  • Matrix Structured Products - Ascension Plan III

    25 Aug 2006

    Matrix Structured ProductsAscension Plan III

  • Merrill Lynch Investment Managers - MLIF India Fund

    25 Aug 2006

    Merrill Lynch Investment ManagersMLIIF India Fund

  • Model behaviour

    24 Aug 2006

    The right business model will attract the right recruits and nurture their development

  • Morgan Stanley - FTSE Protected Growth Plan 12

    25 Aug 2006

    Morgan StanleyFTSE Protected Growth Plan

  • Morgan Stanley - FTSE Simple Growth Plan 10

    25 Aug 2006

    Type: Capital-protected bondAim: Growth linked to the performance of the FTSE 100 indexMinimum-maximum investment: 5,000-no maximum, Isa 4,000-7,000Term: Six yearsReturn: 125% of the growth in the index at the end of the termGuarantee: Original capital returned in full regardless of the performance of the indexClosing date: August 25, 2006, August 11, 2006 for Pep/Isa transfersCommission: Initial 3%Tel: 020 7425 9000

  • Morley Fund Management/Barclays - Morley Barclays Global Balanced Income Fund

    25 Aug 2006

    Morley Fund Management/BarclaysMorley Barclays Global Balanced Income Fund

  • Morley Fund Management/Barclays - Morley Barclays Global Cautious Income Fund

    25 Aug 2006

    Morley Fund Management/BarclaysMorley Barclays Global Cautious Income Fund

  • NDF offers secure growth plus plan

    24 Aug 2006

    NDF has set up a secure growth plus plan, which has 100 per cent capital protection and offers a guaranteed return of 10 per cent of original capital plus 50 per cent of the growth in the index at the end of the term.

  • 'No network shield from complaints'

    24 Aug 2006

    Bankhall says there is no benefit in joining a network because they offer advisers no protection from liabilities arising from complaints against them.The firm says it is concerned that many advisers believe joining a network protects appointed representatives from regulatory and financial liability in case of complaints.Marketing director Richard Howells says: "What is the benefit of joining a network if the financial liability is passed back to the individual adviser? ...

  • On a mission

    24 Aug 2006

    Kevin Duffy, Mortgage View

  • Out of context

    24 Aug 2006

    "Do you think we should take a leaf out of their book and give out lives a rest?"Technology and Technical's Kim North to Mitchell Moneypenny's Nicola Mitchell about two virtuous Money Marketing reporters.

  • Pink Home Loans - Amber HomeLoans 2-Year Self-Cert Discount

    25 Aug 2006

    Pink Home LoansAmber HomeLoans 2-Year Self-Cert Discount

  • Pink 'seeking quality buys'

    24 Aug 2006

    Pink Home Loans is the latest network to go on the acquisition trail.Pink says it in discussions with a number of companies, reflecting the trend towards consolidation in the sector.In April, Home of Choice revealed it was talking to sev- eral networks and last month confirmed it will make at least one acquisition by the year-end.Pink, which merged with the Enable network in December, has also pledged to help its appointed representatives with promotions by designing a set ...

  • PMS announces second quarter results

    25 Aug 2006

    Premier Mortgage Service has announced its second quarter business volumes with £22.8bn applications and £16.7bn completions.

  • Portman Building Society - Two Year Discount Mortgage

    25 Aug 2006

    Portman Building SocietyTwo-Year Discount Mortgage

  • Portman Building Society - Two Year Fixed Rate Mortgage

    25 Aug 2006

    Portman Building SocietyTwo Year Fixed Rate Mortgage

  • PPF levy invoices to go out in September

    24 Aug 2006

    The Pension Protection Fund will send out its levy invoices for 2006/07 from September. Included with the invoice will be details of how the amount was calculated and the PPF has also added a help area on its website, including Faqs about the invoices.

  • Priming the pump

    24 Aug 2006

    Gregor Watt looks at investment approaches to pick up on the possibly long-term high price of oil

  • Product matters

    24 Aug 2006

    Real estate investment trusts will command much attention ahead of their introduction into the UK market on January 1, 2007. Franklin Templeton and Scottish Widows Investment Partnership have already positioned themselves in the market. But, first, a word about Reits.Advisers are aware of the low correlation benefits of commercial property in balanced portfolios.I see competitive returns coming from commercial property and it is appropriate for clients to consider the benefits ...

  • Pru staff moving to Capita in outsourcing deal

    24 Aug 2006

    Capita has signed a 40m three-year outsourcing contract with Prudential to provide its life and pension back-office systems.The deal will see around 540 Prudential support staff move into Capita, largely from its call centre, the direct-to-consumer offering, PruDirect, and its support services operations in Belfast.The move will take place in early autumn under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, meaning all staff will become employees of Capita ...

  • RBSIP to shake up brands

    24 Aug 2006

    Royal Bank of Scotland Intermediary Partners admits its intermediary brands are not performing well enough but has thanked brokers for sticking by it through its turbulent start.RBSIP, set up in February, promises that its four brands will be much improved by its first anniversary after conceding that it has had a number of service problems.It has revised forecasts about the launch of its online application facility, which will be available before Christmas, after saying it ...

  • Reality bites on Asp figures

    24 Aug 2006

    Do those allegedly intelligent people in the Government understand what they are talking about? As a result of pension simplification (remember, this was the Government in action) we have the alternatively secured pension. In the discussion phases of pension simplification, this was "wealth cascading down the generations". Then those clever people at the Revenue noticed what their colleagues were doing and wanted a slice of the cake and we have ended up with an inheritance tax ...

  • Renewed hope for advice on personal accounts

    24 Aug 2006

    A Department for Work and Pensions conference has given fresh hope to IFAs on the role of advice in the Government's personal accounts regime.Civil servants, advisers and providers met in London last week to discuss the best ways for members of the Government's personal accounts scheme to deal with the transition of their pension funds into annuities and drawdown.There was a strong consensus that almost everyone holding a personal pension account should be allowed to use an ...

  • Rewriting the rules

    24 Aug 2006

    I note that both Winterthur (the owner of Colonial Mutual) and the FSA claim that a section 44 agreement existed but that neither party has a copy of documentation to prove it. Isn't it the FSA who bangs on all the time that if it isn't written down, it didn't happen? Nick Bamford Managing director Informed Choice Cranleigh Surrey

  • Rhythm section

    24 Aug 2006

    Looking at the interaction of sections 167(1) to 167(5) in IHTA 1984

  • Self help

    24 Aug 2006

    The White Paper has largely ignored the lack of self-employed provision

  • Sesame backs regulation for support services firms

    24 Aug 2006

    Sesame is backing Tenet's move to apply for FSA regulation for its support services arm despite regulation not being required.Sales and marketing director Steve Young says it demonstrates a positive and confident attitude if a support services firm seeks FSA regulation.He says there have been very low barriers to entry in this sector and regulation will improve standards overall.He also dismisses SimplyBiz's suggestion that regulating support services firms would bring additional ...

  • Sesame chief calms fears of commission crisis

    24 Aug 2006

    Gale reassures IFAs that change will be gradual as providers come under pressure from analysts

  • Share necessities

    24 Aug 2006

    Scottish Widows head of pensions market development Ian Naismith explains how to benefit by investing employee share incentive plans or save as you earn schemes in Sipps

  • SimplyBiz takes steps to aid retiring members

    24 Aug 2006

    SimplyBiz is offering a retirement planning scheme for members which it says will work along similar lines to an annuity.The exit strategy programme, called Stepping Out, will marry retiring members with another member firm that will take over their book of business and its renewals.SimplyBiz will pay members 70 per cent of the renewal commission on existing business for life or 60 per cent of the current renewals earnings guaranteed for five years.Retiring members' beneficiaries, ...

  • Sites for sore IFAs

    24 Aug 2006

    It seems to me that every day I find or am recommended something to look at on the web. Earth.google.com, myspace.comand ebay.com are commercially successful sites that have changed the way I view property, talk to friends, find out relevant lifestyle information and buy products.

  • Skandia blocks Fidelity fund

    24 Aug 2006

    Skandia will close its links to the Fidelity special situations fund before the fund splits and will not put investors into the UK portion of the fund until 2007 at the earliest.Skandia, the single biggest investor in the fund, with 900m, will not accept new money into special sits from September 14 - four days before Fidelity splits the fund into a UK and global mandate.Existing money in the fund will be split evenly between the two mandates but Skandia will not accept new ...

  • Snakes and ladders

    24 Aug 2006

    The pension industry is warning the Treasury that trying to axe Asps could be a dicey move, says James Salmon

  • Standard makes PTA product available online

    24 Aug 2006

    Standard Life has rolled out its PTA product Life Insurance with Tax Relief on the internet via online submission, including underwriting.

  • Star performer

    24 Aug 2006

    Over the past two, three, five and 10 years, UK equity income funds have outperformed UK growth funds and only over the past year have growth funds marginally outperformed the average income fund.

  • STT winds up after it helps boiler rooms' share business

    24 Aug 2006

    Securetrade and Title (STT) has been placed into liquidation after it assisted a number of unauthorised 'boiler room' firms in promoting and selling shares to UK investors.

  • SVM to consider energy stocks for ethical engagement fund

    24 Aug 2006

    SVM Asset Management is introducing an ethical fund that will have the ability to invest in oil and carbon-producing energy stocks.The SRI pan-European opportunities fund, which launches on October 31, will use an engagement approach when buying into stocks typically excluded by ethical portfolios, agitating for companies to improve their environmental, social and corporate behaviour.Co-manager Hugh Cuthbert says all meetings with company management will include SVM's newly ...

  • Synaptic signs up M2 for Clarity

    24 Aug 2006

    Synaptic has signed up national IFA M2 to use its new online offering Clarity. The firm's 36 advisers and 15 paraplanners will be fully licenced to use the service which is set to rival Defaqto's online search engine Aequos Engage.

  • Tax-free cash is king

    24 Aug 2006

    My last article outlined three pension topics to finish my series on topical retirement planning issues. Most of that article elaborated on the definition of dependent within pension schemes and annuities but I briefly moved on to the relevance of tax-free cash.

  • Teamspirit sets up PR company

    24 Aug 2006

    Financial services marketing company Teamspirit has launched a public relations company. Teamspirit PR aims to gain coverage for its financial services clients not just in the money pages but also in the consumer press, TV, radio and online.

  • Term believer

    24 Aug 2006

    Andy Milburn is quite right to comment that clients should be careful not to be placed in a worse position when replacing existing term cover with an alternative tax-relieved solution. This should never be the case with the Lutine replacement cover for term insurance. First, we have a Lutine guide for our "partner IFAs" and their clients. These outline the basic parameters of the product. No smoke or mirrors. Second, we have made available an online system to carry out suitability ...

  • The comeback country

    24 Aug 2006

    In the May stockmarket correction, emerging markets and high-beta stocks were among the hardest hit by investors' flight from risk.

  • The estate of things

    24 Aug 2006

    The growing adoption of the Reit structure is increasing opportunities

  • The FSA four are the hot topic at cooler

    24 Aug 2006

    Guy Anker tries to track down which networks are the mystery quartet

  • The MM Profile: Tony Jones

    24 Aug 2006

    Snow White smoking inspired Pink Home Loans managing director to take a new view of service and he is campaigning to rid the adverse sector of the wicked witches while diversifying and building the firm, particularly on the club side and moving into business abroad. Interview by Guy Anker

  • This week in Investment

    29 Aug 2006

    With less than a month to go until the big split. Fidelity eyes will be closely watching the special situations fund for signs of outflows. From a peak of 6.5bn a few months ago, money appears to be trickling out and this week the fund dipped under 6bn.

  • Threesixty hosting protection seminars

    29 Aug 2006

    Service provider Threesixty is hosting a series of seminars throughout September on protection issues.

  • Up, up and away in RE/MAX balloon

    24 Aug 2006

    Estate agency franchise RE/MAX is offering the enticing prospect of tethered ride in its hot-air balloon at the Aylsham Show in Norwich on 28 August. For a small donation, punters can enjoy a birds-eye view of the idyllic Norfolk countryside, with all money raised going to the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

  • Widow is a Braveheart in company's new calendar

    24 Aug 2006

    Scottish Widows' new widow Hayley Hunt remains calm in the face of a storm in the company's latest marketing campaign.Widows has commissioned acclaimed Scottish photographer David Boni to produce a limited edition of 500 calendars featuring Hunt.

  • Woolwich - Lifetime Tracker Offset Mortgage

    25 Aug 2006

    WoolwichLifetime Tracker Offset Mortgage

  • Woolwich to extend retention scheme

    24 Aug 2006

    Woolwich has moved to calm broker fears by announcing it is planning to upgrade its retention scheme to include regulated mortgages.It is also considering plans to pay full proc fees on retained business rather than the current rate of 0.2 per cent.The lender currently pays retention fees only on mortgages sold before M-Day on October 31, 2004. This meant its retention scheme would have been useless when two-year fixes start come up for renewal in November.There still may ...

  • WPA doubles online discount

    24 Aug 2006

    WPA is doubling its discount for health and dental plans bought online from 10 per cent to 20 per cent. The discounts apply to premiums quoted for Providential, mini-cashplan and XS health as well as flexible health, flexible health freelance and professional health PMI plans.

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