Financial Planning Today’s story this week revealing that more than 600 ‘ambulance chaser’ firms had applied to the FCA for authorisation will have sent shivers down the spine of many planners, IFAs and wealth managers.

One of the greatest challenges for Financial Planning in the long term is how to reach the millions who have never heard of Financial Planning or have only a vague idea of what it is and its value. The estimable Pete Matthew, an entrepreneurial Chartered and Certified Financial Planner, may be showing one important way forward.

I’ve felt for a long time that what the fund management sector offers, and Financial Planners and advisers in turn recommend, is often far from what investors want to buy and two surveys this week back up that view.

I’m finding it difficult to decide whether the new Schroders Personal Wealth Financial Planning business announced this week, a joint venture between fund manager Schroders and Lloyds Bank, will augur well for the Financial Planning profession.