Latest - REGULATION / COMPLIANCE

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  New Selectapension tool to help expedite data collation for client reviews

  18 April 2019

  Selectapension is to launch a new “Rapid Reviewer” tool, designed to make client reviews of pensions and investments more efficient and cost effective. Annual client reviews, a mandatory requirement for MiFID II regulated products provides an opportunity for advisers to reassess previous recommendations against clients’ current circumstances and review the performance of investments. Selectapension...

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  FCA marks suitability of advice as “key priority”in 2019/20

  17 April 2019

  In its Business Plan for 2019/20 the FCA has highlighted suitability of advice as one of its key areas of focus this year and into 2020. In the document, the FCA said that while its Assessing Suitability Review, which reported in 2017, found that advice in investments, pension accumulation and retirement income was suitable in...

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  New software from O&M tackles compliant DB transfer reporting

  16 April 2019

  O&M Systems has launched a new TVC tool to support advice firms in the defined benefit transfer market. The firm said it has identified three key reports as part of this launch: 1. A client facing report containing the mandatory TVC, which runs to just 8 pages. 2. An adviser/file report, containing all the...

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  SM&CR is a problem looming larger

  16 April 2019

  As the introduction of the Senior Management and Certification Regime (SM&CR) looms closer, a number of advisers still remain a long way from becoming compliant, a new survey has found.  While almost two thirds (62%) of advisers are well on their way to meeting the requirements before the December deadline, nearly a quarter (23%)...

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  The problem that is Guaranteed Minimum Pensions

  15 April 2019

  Equalisation of benefits for Guaranteed Minimum Pensions is causing problems for pension schemes in terms of benefits and transfer values and requires clarification from DWP, says Fiona Tait, technical director, Intelligent Pensions Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP) has been in the ‘too difficult’ box for so long that for many of those reading this article...

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  Pet hates of a file reviewer – Part II

  8 April 2019

  Readers of Professional Paraplanner will no doubt recall my article on this subject. It contained our top 12 pet hates, in reverse order. It was half in jest and a bit in earnest. Since then we have identified a few more grumbles related to file checks, so we thought it was about time for...

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  STAR initiative to improve transfer times receives boost from FCA

  3 April 2019

  STAR reports a growing community of firms is signing to its initiative, which was highlighted in the latest FCA Investment Platforms Market Study report. STAR is aimed at delivering an industry standard for the transfer and reregistration of consumer’s money and investments from one financial company to another, thereby significantly improving the transfer performance...

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  Conflict of interest coming under greater FCA scrutiny

  31 March 2019

  Advice firms must review their conflict of interest policies and identify all conflicts whether actual or potential, says ATEB Consulting’s Steve Bailey MiFID II tightened the regulations around how firms deal with conflicts of interest. Firms must manage conflicts, not merely disclose them. Disclosure of a conflict of interest is a measure of last...

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