Latest

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  Life expectancy plateau has planning implications

  25 September 2018

  Life expectancy has stalled for the first time on record, the latest government statistics have shown, with potential implications for financial planning and government changes to the State Pension Age.  Data from the Office for National Statistics shows that females born between 2015 and 2017 have an average life expectancy of 82.9 years old, while male life...

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  Ethical investing no longer trade-off between returns and principles

  25 September 2018

  While the take up of ethical funds remains low, the latest statistics have shown leading ethical indices outperformed their non-ethical peers over the past decade. Despite the retail ethical industry launching 34 years ago, data from the Investment Association show funds with ‘ethical’ mandates now total £16.7 billion of total assets under management, representing...

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  30 September deadline for ‘disguised remuneration’ schemes

  25 September 2018

  The clock is ticking for anyone who has used a ‘disguised remuneration’ scheme to arrange a settlement or face new tax charges next April. The government has said loans or debts from a disguised remuneration scheme – where ‘income’ is replaced with ‘loans’ – will be taxed as earnings if they haven’t been fully...

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  Defaqto Engage now integrated with Intelliflo

  24 September 2018

  Financial information business Defaqto has upgraded integration of its financial planning software solution Engage with back office provider Intelliflo to improve accuracy for adviser firms. The latest update allows two-way integration for users of Engage Core with Intelliflo; bringing advisers’ customer data, fund and product data into Engage Core and then pushing their recommendations...

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  Triage would ease DB pensions transfers advice bottleneck, say advisers

  24 September 2018

  Advisers have come out in support of a triage process offered to clients ahead of receiving advice on defined benefit transfers, in an effort to help ease the advice bottleneck. Research by insurance and pensions giant Aegon found 56% of advisers would back the FCA introducing such a process. A triage service would aim...

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  DP Pensions launches single investment SIPP

  24 September 2018

  SIPP and SSAS provider DP Pensions Ltd has launched a new single investment SIPP in response to growing interest from advisers. The Premier Trust Single Investment SIPP will complement the firm’s existing product range and offers a low-cost option for advisers and their clients, DP Pensions said. The SIPP will hold the plan bank...

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  North-South investment advice divide

  23 September 2018

  Investment behaviours vary from North to South of the country, according to new research by Aegon.   While official statistics have underlined a North-South divide when it comes to wealth and income, Aegon’s research also showed investment strategies were also linked to wealth. Advisers in the wealthier South were found to place a higher...

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  Pension transfer rates remain stable

  23 September 2018

  Transfer values, as measured by the XPS Pensions Group Transfer Value Index, remained stable during August 2018, continuing the trend seen since September 2017. Pension transfer values  fluctuated mildly during August 2018, with a small fall during the month.  The index was £233,000 at the end of July and £232,000 at the end of August....

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