John Moret: The next 25 years
Written by James
In my two previous articles reflecting on my 50 years in the world of pensions and financial services I looked at current issues and challenges, focussing on what I saw as some of the dominant features of the financial landscape today: technology, complexity, (inconsistent) government policy, (increasing) longevity and the evolution of financial advice.
I was going to dedicate this column to a timely look back at 2020 and a look forward to 2021 (see lower down). Then something happened.
Often people think about putting in place Lasting Power of Attorney for an elderly relative. Although it is something we talk to clients about all the time, I’m writing this article now having seen two high profile cases in the press in recent weeks which underline the vital Financial Planning importance of Power of Attorney.
The FCA’s comprehensive adviser sector review published this week brought some surprisingly positive news. The number of advisers is on the up after years of plateauing or decline.
Much has been written about the advice gap for workers in their 50s who may be contemplating the next phase of their career, along with thoughts of retirement, writes Peter Selby of Punter Southall Aspire.
Sceptics may have questioned warnings that the soaring cost of Professional Indemnity Insurance would put some advisory firms out of business. They may have to eat their words.
I spent several hours this morning poring over my old G60 manual to help work out some ‘scheme specific protected tax-free cash’ calculations in respect of some pre-2006 occupational pension scheme benefits for an adviser.
In 1981 two bored but ambitious accountants started a British investment business from a spare room. Today they are billionaires.
It is astonishing to think that investors who have been compensated by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme go on to lose some, or perhaps all, of their compensation money all over again with another dodgy firm.
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The news this week that platform engine provider FNZ has been ordered by the competition watchdog to sell GBST was a bit of a shock.
We have just witnessed another successful Financial Planning Week, and it was great to see the PFS joining the CISI for the first time in promoting this.
I’m a big fan of Monty Python and the famous ‘nudge, nudge’ sketch came to mind this week as the DWP announced plans to give a ‘stronger nudge’ to pension savers to seek guidance from Pension Wise before taking benefits.
I think we can all agree that any suggestion that in-specie pension contributions were a viable option for those who were asset rich but cash poor has now been revoked, even if the pensions tax manual (PTM) still implies that it could be possible.