FTAdviser Podcast

Is the party over for ESG?

March 25, 2022 11:00 - 25 minutes - 23.6 MB

UK investors put £37bn into environmental, social and governance funds during 2021, continuing the trend of these funds attracting huge amounts of money. But at the start of 2022, rising inflation and interest rates meant the growth stocks which tend to populate ESG funds underperformed. Indeed the MSCI ACWI ESG Universal index has outperformed the MSCI World index in each of the past five years but so far in 2022 it is lagging behind. This week FTAdviser reporter Sally Hickey is joined by...

The evolution of responsible investing

March 23, 2022 10:36 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MB

Impact investing is a term within the ESG eco-system which describes investing only in the instruments of companies that have a measurably positive impact on society. This distinguishes impact investing from other forms of ESG, which can be more focused on excluding companies on the basis of specific harm caused. But impact investing does have the same challenges as any other kind of ESG investing, in that clients face the risk of being left over exposed to a narrow range of sectors. I...

Will the online safety bill tackle scams?

March 18, 2022 11:35 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MB

This month, the government has finally succumbed to pressure from the industry and included paid-for adverts in the scope of the online safety bill. Essentially, this means social media platforms and search engines will have a legal duty to prevent paid-for fraudulent adverts appearing on their services. This is in the hope that fewer people will be scammed via this method. This week FTAdviser news editor Amy Austin talks to Tom Selby, head of retirement policy at AJ Bell, and Tim Fassam, ...

VCT and EIS in a high tax environment

March 16, 2022 09:54 - 27 minutes - 25.3 MB

On this episode of the FTAdviser In Focus podcast we discuss how advisers can use Venture Capital Trusts and Enterprise Investment Schemes to make some last minute tax savings for their clients as we approach the tax year end. Both offer generous tax breaks while promising to be socially rewarding. But what are the perks and pitfalls of working with these assets, and should you ever let the tax tail wag the investment dog? We are joined by Moray Wright, CEO and co-founder of Parkwalk Advisors...

How can we solve the UK housing crisis?

March 11, 2022 11:28 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MB

It is no secret the UK housing market is facing one of its biggest supply crises yet. At the start of this year there were 350,980 properties for sale in the UK, 36 per cent fewer than at the start of 2020. As the number of houses available to buyers remains low, house prices have simply continued to rise. In this podcast, FTAdviser is joined by Imran Hussain, a Nottingham-based broker at Harmony Financial Services, and Ellie Bateman, policy officer at Propertymark - the professional body f...

Tips and tricks for using tax allowances and exemptions

March 08, 2022 14:00 - 18 minutes - 16.6 MB

Allowances and exemptions can amount to considerable savings and should be considered by every adviser looking to optimise tax savings ahead of the tax year end. But what's on offer, how can they be combined and should advisers prioritise one over the other? Carmen Reichman chats to Shaun Moore, tax and financial planning expert at Quilter, about which allowances advisers should be looking at and how they can help reduce the tax burden for their clients. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...

Has abridged advice been a success?

March 04, 2022 10:33 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MB

Abridged advice was launched in 2019 to help clients decide whether to go ahead with a defined benefit transfer as part of the Financial Conduct Authority's bid to put an end to unsuitable DB transfers. But has it worked? This week FTAdviser news editor Amy Austin is joined by Fiona Tait, technical director of Intelligent Pensions, and Simon Harrington, senior policy adviser at trade body Pimfa, to discuss whether it has worked. The FTAdviser Podcast is the weekly podcast for financial adv...

Advising clients as the tax year ends

March 02, 2022 08:00 - 37 minutes - 34.4 MB

We are fast approaching the end of the tax year. The tax burden is at its highest in 70 years and from April household incomes are further squeezed by higher rates of National Insurance, higher energy bills and a stubbornly high inflation rate.So what do advisers make of this? What are the tips and tricks for some last minute savings and what does every adviser need to know about the tax year end?Speaking on this week's FTAdviser In Focus podcast are: Paul Stocks, IFA at Continuum, Helen Howc...

Financial planning through rising inflation

February 25, 2022 10:24 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MB

Justin King, chartered financial planner at MFP Wealth Management, Philip Martin, managing director at Unique Financial Planning and Christian Tomaszewski, financial planner at Timothy James & Partners joined Sonia Rach, senior reporter at FTAdviser, to discuss how inflation impacts financial planners. Martin said the industry, and media, needs to think more long-term when it comes to inflation. “We have got to stop reacting to short term moves in the markets that over the medium to long term...

Insurance industry needs to act on scams

February 21, 2022 10:30 - 27 minutes - 24.9 MB

Alain Desmier, founder of lead generation compliance specialist Contact State, and Emma Thomson, founder of the Women in Protection network, have welcomed efforts in the insurance industry to root out the rogues but said more needs to be done. Speaking to Simoney Kyriakou, senior editor of FTAdviser, both guests urged the industry to highlight potentially misleading adverts to the regulators. "I believe it is all our duty, if we see an advert we do not like, to report it to the Financial Con...

Investing for inflation

February 18, 2022 11:00 - 39 minutes - 35.8 MB

Inflation across the globe is spiralling as price of energy rises due to a worldwide squeeze on supplies. In the UK, inflation has reached 5.5 per cent - its highest level in more than a decade - and it is predicted to get even higher over the course of 2022. This surge of inflation was originally expected to be transitory but some are now reassessing this. This week FTAdviser's special projects editor David Thorpe talks to a panel of investment specialists about investing at a time of surg...

Stephen Timms on pension freedoms, guidance and advice

February 11, 2022 10:51 - 14 minutes - 13.5 MB

The work and pensions select committee has published a report on the five years of pension freedoms which found that savers needed more support to navigate the pension regime. Overall, the MPs found pension policy had revolved too much around pension pots rather than the individuals who were relying on this money for their later life security. The committee said the government and regulators needed to play a more active role than they did when the pension freedoms were first introduced to ...

Emerging trends in protection

February 07, 2022 09:00 - 37 minutes - 34 MB

During 2020, advisers cited more interest in insurance than ever before. But with figures of sales tailing off in 2021, was this just a blip on the insurance radar? Are people truly seeing the value of protection or is this simply a knee-jerk reaction to Covid? Yet one trend that is emerging is a new proactivity among younger women aged 18 to 30. How can advisers capitalise on this current sentiment to encourage more clients and potential clients to consider taking out important health and li...

Are UK equities making a comeback?

February 04, 2022 11:00 - 24 minutes - 22.8 MB

For years UK equities have been seen as laggards compared to the US. The UK market has been seen as too focused on value stocks such as banks and oil companies, with the focus on equity income often coming in for criticism. Indeed during 2021 investors pulled £4.4bn from UK equity funds. But has this changed? Since the beginning of 2022, amid rising inflation and interest rates, the Nasdaq has fallen by 12% and the S&P 500 has fallen by 6%. Meanwhile the FTSE 100 has remained stable, rising...

Will a risk-based FSCS levy become reality?

January 28, 2022 11:00 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MB

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme levy may be one of the issues which most vexes advisers who run their own firms. Indeed the overall FSCS levy has increased in nominal terms from less than £300m in 2011-12 to an expected levy of £717m in 2021-22. The Financial Conduct Authority has accepted this situation is not ideal and it has admitted the burden of the levy has fallen on firms which have done nothing to bring about these liabilities. So now the regulator has set out plans to ...

The outlook for emerging markets in 2022

January 21, 2022 11:00 - 33 minutes - 31 MB

As interest rates start to rise, the prospect of lockdowns recede into the past and global economies reopen, the high-growth nature of emerging markets may become particularly relevant. But investing in emerging markets is not without risk and this week, FTAdviser special projects editor David Thorpe is joined by Fahad Hassan, chief investment officer at Albermarle Street Partners, Gustoavo Medeiros, head of research at Ashmore, and Zehid Osmani, who runs the Martin Currie Global Long-term ...

Has the advice market reached peak M&A?

January 14, 2022 10:33 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MB

2021 was a busy year for mergers and acquisitions in the financial advice market, with consolidation fueled by private equity money continuing apace. As well as the traditional consolidators, there is now a group of start-ups looking to build national financial advice businesses through acquisition. But how much longer can this go on for? This week FTAdviser reporter Sonia Rach joined by Louise Jeffreys of Gunner & Co and Heather Hopkins of NextWealth to find out. They discuss what is cur...

Clients at a crossroads in 2022

January 10, 2022 09:00 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MB

As we head into 2022, the pandemic is still ongoing. Variants are still being discovered. Travel plans are changing all the time. The UK and indeed most countries around the world have moved to hybrid working. Meanwhile, advised clients have moved house, saved money, lost money, taken out protection plans, reassessed their retirement goals and now many may feel they are at a crossroads. Where do they go from here? What new plans will they have to make in 2022? Guiding them on their journey a...

What does 2022 have in store for advisers?

January 07, 2022 10:18 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MB

The start of 2022 has been an improvement on the start of 2021 - if nothing else because we can leave our homes. But last year was eventful despite the ongoing fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. Consolidation activity continued at pace, with private equity continuing to play a major role, and last year's tax reforms will give advisers plenty to think about. So what does 2022 have in store for advisers this year? FTAdviser's digital editor Damian Fantato is joined by reporters Amy Austin, Ru...

In Focus: How to help clients when their plans change

December 20, 2021 09:00 - 30 minutes - 28.4 MB

The past couple of years have been difficult for many people in the UK and elsewhere. As a result, people have changed their plans and found their financial futures altered. So what happens when clients change their minds - either because they have to, or because they want to? How should investment portfolios be structured to help cope with big life-changing decisions? How can investors ride out the sort of pandemic-induced volatility seen in 2020 without being spooked? And can technology h...

Has a decade of robo-advice changed investing?

December 17, 2021 10:00 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MB

It has been a decade since Nutmeg launched as the first major British robo-adviser and since then, many start-ups have entered this space with the intention of disrupting investing but not all have succeeded. After several years of many private equity-backed launches, the number of new robo-advisers being launched has dried up and, if anything, the space is contracting. UBS Smartwealth, Investec Click & Invest, Moo.la and Scalable Capital have all quit the UK retail market. And earlier this...

Talking Point: Income for medium risk clients

December 15, 2021 09:47 - 34 minutes - 31.9 MB

The collapse in bond yields and the dominance of stocks which pay little in the way of dividends has forced many medium risk investors to confront the dilemma of whether accept a lower yield or take on more risk. In this edition of the FTAdviser Podcast, sponsored by Schroders, special projects editor David Thorpe examines what these investors can do to square this circle. He is joined by Andrew Marsh, manager of the Artemis Income fund, Darius McDermott, investment adviser to the Chelsea ...

Do pension statements fix a problem which exists?

December 10, 2021 11:00 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MB

Pensions minister Guy Opperman has said his next plans for reform involve legislating for simpler pension statements, including a "statement season" when everyone receives their pension information at the same time of year. Opperman said he wanted it to become normal for people would meet in a place such as a pub and have a frank conversation about their pensions with their friends. But should this be Opperman's priority? And what impact, if any, could pension statements and a "statement s...

Helping your clients though the cost of conception

December 06, 2021 09:00 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MB

The cost of raising a child is something many advisers discuss with clients, either on marriage or when the first child is born. Everything from funding school fees to food and clothing needs to be planned carefully. But what happens when clients are unable to conceive and need fertility treatment? How can advisers discuss this sensitive topic with their clients and help them cover the cost of conception? Talking to senior editor Simoney Kyriakou on this latest FTAdviser In Focus podcast is C...

Why the risks of investing in bonds are even more 'one-sided' than normal

December 03, 2021 09:41 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MB

The return of inflation, low yields and the spread of the new Omicron variant of coronavirus have raised some awkward questions for bonds and their role in portoflios. Yield curves, often used by investors to gauge the market's expectations for growth, have been flattening recently which suggests there is widespread concern about the economic outlook. With quantitative easing coming to an end in the UK and the Federal Reserve announcing the end of tapering, what does this mean the the outl...

The future of responsible investment regulation

December 01, 2021 11:00 - 24 minutes - 22.8 MB

The FCA has pledged to introduce ESG rules for financial advisers, implementing a regime which would require intermediaries to take into account sustainability issues when advising clients. But what is the current regulatory situation? In this podcast sponsored by Royal London, FTAdviser special projects editor David Thorpe is joined by Ryan Medlock, senior investment development and technical manager at Royal London, and independent investment commentator Adrian Lowcock. They discuss the ...

Does the CII's consultation face up to the future of financial planning?

November 26, 2021 11:00 - 23 minutes - 32.7 MB

The Chartered Insurance Institute is currently running a consultation which, it says, will help it and its members adapt to the changing world of new technology, more demanding regulation and changing attitudes among consumers. It puts forward proposals about the membership career journey and how the CII's learning and assessment could evolve. But the proposals have sparked some degree of concern among chartered financial planners - particularly since they come so soon after the CII's atte...

The wealth management industry cannot solve climate change on its own

November 19, 2021 10:52 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MB

The wealth management industry cannot solve climate change on its own, and there were significant elements missing from the Cop26 agreement, said Eoin Murray, head of investment at Federated Hermes. Speaking on the latest edition of the FTAdviser podcast about the outcome from the Cop26 summit in Glasgow, Murray said the devil was in the detail of the agreement. “So much of it is promissory and that always makes me nervous,” he said. “We also need to bear in mind that we will never solve [...

'Many bubbles will burst'the outlook for the economic recovery

November 12, 2021 11:00 - 35 minutes - 32.8 MB

The highly unusual nature of the economic recession and recovery means there are likely to be a number of “bubbles burst” in the coming years, according to this week's FTAdviser Podcast. As the global economy seeks to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, inflation is making a comeback and central banks are considering whether to increase interest rates. This week FTAdviser's special projects editor David Thorpe is joined by Simon King, chief investment officer at Vermeer Partners, Simon Ede...

Crypto currency ETFs: The next trend?

November 08, 2021 09:00 - 22 minutes - 20.6 MB

In October, the US Securities and Exchange Commission gave the green light to the ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF. This is the first US bitcoin futures-based exchange-traded fund, and for many this was seen as a turning point for cryptocurrencies when it began trading at the end of October. But the SEC drew a line in the sand just a few days later, refusing to authorise a leveraged ETF fund tracking a basket of synthetic crypto assets. This suggested the regulator wants to limit new bitcoin-...

Investing in a time of stagflation

November 05, 2021 10:13 - 35 minutes - 32.6 MB

Rising inflation has prompted concerns that the UK economy is seeing the return of stagflation. Last seen in the 1970s, stagflation is characterised by stagnant growth and high inflation. The supply chain disruptions which led to fuel shortages in September and the looming rising cost of energy saw many draw parallels with the that era. Indeed, the Bank of England's new chief economist, Huw Pill, is predicting inflation is likely to hit, or even exceed 5% next year. This week David Thorpe...

Autumn Budget 2021: The 'tax avoidance' Budget?

October 29, 2021 10:00 - 25 minutes - 23 MB

This week chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak hailed his second Budget of 2021 as heralding a "new age of optimism" as the UK seeks to leave the Covid-19 pandemic behind it. Are things that simple? On its surface, the Budget focused on reforming alcohol duty and business rates, and tinkering with air passenger duty, leaving many areas financial advisers might worry about unaddressed. But with rising inflation, a hike in national insurance already in the pipeline and many allowances fro...

Pay gap reporting can be positive for financial services

October 25, 2021 08:00 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MB

October 2021 marked the start of regulatory scrutiny over pay gap data reporting. Many companies have already reported, while others are still to unveil their data. Yet even with regulatory pressure to disclose the level of the so-called gender pay gap, many companies still seem unwilling to be as transparent as they could be. It is known that gender pay disparity leads to financial inequality between the sexes, greater financial vulnerability for women and poorer pension outcomes. So how ca...

What does the future hold for stamp duty?

October 22, 2021 10:00 - 17 minutes - 15.7 MB

With the stamp duty holiday at an end and the Budget taking place next week, what does the future hold for stamp duty? Regularly referred to as the UK's "worst tax", stamp duty is regularly seen as in need of reform. But did the Covid-19 stamp duty holiday, which ended this month and saw receipts increase to £12.3bn, make reform any likelier? Hosted by Damian Fantato, digital editor at FTAdviser, this week's podcast explores what the future of the stamp duty land tax looks like, and how it...

What role do providers have in plugging the advice gap?

October 15, 2021 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36.9 MB

As long as there have been financial advisers, there has been debate about how to plug the advice gap. But research has found that some 39m people have never sought any professional advice or guidance for their finances, and one in five advisers won't serve someone with less than £100,000. So there is clearly a gap to be plugged, but does the plugging of it fall to advisers? What role do providers have? And do the rules around advice and guidance help providers support their clients? This...

How to help mortgage clients get back on their feet post-divorce

October 11, 2021 08:00 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MB

Breaking up is always difficult. Quite apart from the emotional aspects, the financial aspects are particularly difficult for both parties, with division of assets often needing solicitors and court orders. Although there is a need for professional advice, too often people think they will simply split the assets - the man gets the pension; the woman (especially if she is the primary carer for the children) gets the house. Or the house might be sold and the equity split between the two. But th...

How will rising inflation affect financial planners?

October 08, 2021 08:49 - 21 minutes - 20.1 MB

For the past four months, the rate of inflation has beaten the Bank of England’s 2 per cent target. Despite saying that this rise will be “transitory”, the central bank has warned inflation might soar over 4 per cent before the end of the year - meaning it could reach its highest point in a decade, and so far governor Andrew Bailey has not confirmed that rates will rise in order to tackle this. This week, senior reporter Sally Hickey speaks to Lawrence Cook, head of UK intermediary distri...

What's going on in China?

October 01, 2021 09:54 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MB

Markets have been going through a turbulent period in recent weeks and, in part, this has been down to events taking place in China. Chinese equities have lost 11 per cent over the past three months because of concerns about an ongoing regulatory crackdown in the country. But these worries have been exacerbated by the liquidity crisis facing property giant Evergrande. Both of these developments have combined and rippled through global markets. What does this mean for investors, emerging ma...

Why do we need female financial advisers?

September 27, 2021 08:00 - 19 minutes - 18 MB

We've all heard the phrase 'people buy people'. But does this really apply to advising different genders? After all, a great financial adviser can deliver great financial advice to any client, regardless of their gender. But it is also true that there are additional benefits to an advice firm that can be gained by having a more diverse team. Moreover, there are sometimes particular sensitivities that women might face which would mean they are more comfortable with a female financial adviser....

Will CDC pension schemes take off?

September 24, 2021 10:00 - 17 minutes - 16.5 MB

Next year will see the launch of collective defined contribution pensions - at least one will come into existence when Royal Mail 160,000 employees move into this new type of scheme, but will others follow? CDC pensions aim to bridge the gap between defined benefit and defined contribution by having all employees pay into one massive pot from which their benefits are drawn. This week reporter Amy Austin talks to Simon Eagle, chairman of Willis Towers Watson's CDC working party, and Tim Mid...

What do the govt's social care reform plans mean for the advice industry?

September 17, 2021 05:00 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MB

After plenty of waiting, the government has finally unveiled a plan which, it says, will solve the UK's social care crisis. On this week's podcast, senior reporter Amy Austin is joined by Steve Webb, former pensions minister and partner at LCP and Tony Mudd, divisional director for tax & technical support at St James’s Place. They discuss the government’s social care plans and how it is unlikely there will be any new products in the immediate future due to timing issues. The FTAdviser Podc...

How to approach later-life planning

September 13, 2021 08:00 - 27 minutes - 24.8 MB

We know there is a gender pay gap - and therefore there is a gender pension gap that needs to be filled. But often we forget that this lack of funding for women in retirement can also lead to a poorer outcome for women needing care in later life. So how can advisers help women get on a better financial footing in retirement? And what is needed to help educate female clients about their financial needs later on in life? Joining Simoney Kyriakou, senior editor of FTAdviser, to discuss these que...

Why Silicon Valley is the real threat, not ‘digital’ brokers

September 10, 2021 10:00 - 30 minutes - 41.4 MB

Consolidation in the digital mortgage space has spiked in recent months as larger companies buy up the technology to service their own customer bases. Having attracted some hefty investments over the last year too - most notably the in August 2020, how much of a threat are these digital brokers? On this week's FTAdviser Podcast, reporter Ruby Hinchliffe is joined by Charlotte Nixon, mortgage adviser and protection proposition director at Quilter, and Billy Grimley, chief commercial officer ...

How central banks will dictate the UK's recovery

September 03, 2021 10:00 - 31 minutes - 42.9 MB

The re-opening of pubs and shops, as well as the return of international travel, might make some think the Covid-19 pandemic is moving into history. But the economic impact of the pandemic, and its impact on markets, has not yet fully played out, with the Bank of England yet to raise interest rates from their rock bottom position at 0.1% and the future direction of inflation uncertain as the re-opening of the British economy distorts the picture. This week FTAdviser special projects editor...

What role do academies have in the future of advice?

August 27, 2021 10:00 - 36 minutes - 50.6 MB

The gap between those who need advice and those who can access it - the so-called 'advice gap' - is one of the long-standing conundrums the financial advice profession has faced. For some advice firms, the solution is to encourage more people into the profession to level out the supply and demand imbalance which has led to a surge in the number of advice academies being launched. So what role do these academies - many of which are associated with large, vertically integrated advice firms -...

How protection fits into family wealth planning

August 24, 2021 08:00 - 29 minutes - 40.8 MB

Speaking on this latest FTAdviser In Focus podcast on the topic of how protection fits into family financial planning, panellists discuss why it is not just important to curate wealth, but also to protect the people bringing that wealth into the household. Tony Mudd, divisional director for tax and technical support at St James's Place; Kathryn Knowles, managing director at Cura Financial Services; and Alun Beynon, head of distribution for intermediary protection at Scottish Widows, tell Si...

The pros and cons of social media for advisers

August 20, 2021 10:00 - 21 minutes - 19.4 MB

Last month the Financial Conduct Authority warned that social media platforms were playing an increasing role in putting consumers at risk of harm through adverts for financial products and the rise of financial influencers - or "finfluencers". Advisers aren't immune either, with the regulator expressing concerns that the use of certain social media platforms by advisers wasn't always helping consumers. This week FTAdviser digital editor Damian Fantato is joined by Hugh Johnson, head of pr...

Preparing portfolios for higher inflation

August 18, 2021 08:00 - 39 minutes - 36.3 MB

As the world tentatively emerges from the pandemic, the thoughts of many market participants are starting to turn to the next phase of the economic cycle, and the potential for higher inflation to take hold and disrupt markets. In this podcast, Remi Olu-Pitan, multi-asset investor at Schroders, Chris Darbyshire, chief investment officer at Walker Crips, and Charlie Parker, managing director at Albemarle Street Partners, discuss the options for investors seeking to prepare portfolios for hig...

Lifestrategy at 10: has it changed advice?

August 13, 2021 10:00 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MB

This year marks a decade since Vanguard's Lifestrategy range launched in the UK and to say the passive funds had proven popular would be to downplay the situation. The five multi-asset funds are now worth £29bn and earlier this year their monthly inflows hit £1bn. But Lifestrategy range, which costs just 22bps, isn't just popular with investors. Advisers have also flocked to the range over the course of the past decade, integrating it into their propositions. So, what effects has this had?...

How to talk pensions across the generations

August 10, 2021 08:00 - 35 minutes - 32.4 MB

Much has been made of the need to start saving as early as possible and to keep this habit going as long as possible. But when it comes to pension provision, are the current products available suitable for all generations? Is the current advice or perceived wisdom around pension planning as appropriate for someone aged 20 as it might be for someone in their 40s or 50s? And why should it matter how old someone is when it comes to having a proper conversation about long-term retirement provisi...

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