Latest Blogs
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Lisa Webster: Till pensions do us part
There have been some fluctuations in recent years but overall divorce rates in the UK have been in decline since the 1990s.
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Tilley: Let’s end the SIPP vs SSAS debate for good
As you might know from my previous columns on SIPPs Professional, I am, and have been for some time, a huge advocate for Small Self-Administered Schemes (SSAS).
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Lisa Webster: Pre-Budget withdrawals are spiking again
Ever since “tax-free cash” changed its official name to “pension commencement lump sum” back in 2006 there have been pre-Budget rumours that it was going to change – and not for the better.
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Tilley: Will Pensions Dashboards be a missed opportunity?
I can’t be alone in thinking that the recent House of Lords committee sessions on the Finance Bill and, in particular, discussion on bringing unused pension pots into scope for inheritance tax (IHT) made for interesting viewing.
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Lisa Webster: A tiny step forward on IHT and pensions
Last month I talked about the headaches and liabilities of being a personal representative (PR) for a deceased’s estate when pensions are included for inheritance tax (IHT) purposes from 6 April 2027.
Popular News
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Scottish SIPP firm among 13 in default
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), the industry-funded consumer compensation body, declared 13 regulated firms in default between August and November, including a Scottish SIPP firm, it reported this week.
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HNWIs face IHT risk by not recording gifts
Nearly half (45%) of HNWIs have no written record of what they’ve gifted to loved ones, according to new research, leaving them at risk of falling foul of IHT rules.
Nearly three-quarters (72%) of people surveyed say they would not pay for financial advice, according to new research.
Women are more likely to miss out on entitlement to free guidance despite having the most to gain, according to a new report.
Nearly nine in 10 (88%) women aged 45-54 surveyed by retirement specialist Just Group did not know they were entitled to free, independent and impartial pension guidance.
The 12% who said they were aware was nearly half the 20% of men aged 45-54 who knew about the service.
The FCA has abandoned plans to ban platform exit fees.
In a regulatory update today the watchdog said the move was no longer necessary as a number of platforms had dropped exit fees after the regulator highlighted the issue.
The FCA criticised exit fees as a barrier to investors moving platforms.
The FCA’s Investment Platforms Market study (2018/19) found that while the platform market “works well overall, there were areas where it could work better.”
One of the areas highlighted was the barrier to moving platforms created by exit fees levied by a number of platforms.
The FCA said in Policy Statement 19/29 it would consult on restricting platform exit fees in Q1 2020.
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic the FCA then delayed the move to Spring 2021.
It now says: “We have now decided to stop work on this consultation.
“Since expressing our concerns in the 2018 Interim Report, there has been a marked shift in the market away from exit fees, with at least two major platforms announcing that they would no longer be charging exit fees.
“The FCA welcomes the direction of travel by the investment platforms sector in phasing out the use of exit fees.”
The regulator added that while it has dropped the Exit Fees Consultation it will be closely monitoring the situation and has hinted it will shake up the sector if new barriers to moving platform or any other consumer detriment emerges.
The move to drop an exit fee ban has been criticised by some.
Richard Wilson, chief executive of interactive investor, said: “We are saddened to see this news snuck out on the afternoon of Friday 13th. Exit fees are a recipe for rip offs and a genuine barrier to consumers seeking better value for money - they should have been banned.
“The FCA rightly points out that the direction of travel in the industry has been away from exit fees, in large part because interactive investor and Hargreaves Lansdown have done away with them. But there are still platforms out there that have grown far too complacent, relying on customer inertia and hefty penalties."
“There is no reason to turn off the heat - quite the opposite. Scrutiny on exit fees needs to be extended to life companies, asset and wealth managers, life insurers and beyond. We are completely bewildered by the FCA’s announcement and today is a sad day for consumers.”
FSCS chief executive Caroline Rainbird has revealed that the major factors pushing up the FSCS levy have been the surge in claims against Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) operators and a rising trend of pensions-related claims.
The Financial Conduct Authority expects a significant number of smaller regulated firms to fail over the next few months.
The FCA has launched High Court proceedings against a company and two individuals over alleged links to care home investments which saw investors lose more than £30m in a UCIS.