Money Management articles from January 2009

Money Management archives from January 2009

L&G gets litigious on clawbacks.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Joe McGrath Commission based advisers are bracing themselves for larger clawbacks after Legal & General has been accused of taking a more aggressive stance on lost revenue from cancelled policies. It follows a series of...

Taking stock - investing with confidence.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Russell Taylor 2008 was a terrifying year for investors, says Russell Taylor, and 2009 may be worse. But investment remains necessary and can be made safer 2008 may be the year that the cult of the equity died. Today the...

FSA quizzed over compromised rights.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Lindsey White Former FSCP chairman claims consumers taking second place Consumers' financial rights will take a back seat for some time, until the economic conditions improve, the former head of the Financial Services Consumer...

It's up to US.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Gareth Shaw American funds Investors are seeing a transatlantic boom with yet another launch of an American equity fund, this month from JP Morgan Asset Management (JPAM). The US Equity Income fund, the first true US...

Left out in the cold.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Laverne Hadaway Have first time buyers been forgotten altogether as mortgage rate cuts and government initiatives on repossession policies focus on existing homeowners? Laverne Hadaway investigates Time was when first time...

Prospects for independents.
January 1, 2009... Byline: David Severn After more than two years of debate, the FSA has finally decided the future shape of financial advice. David Severn looks at the implications for IFAs of the RDR report The announcement in November 2008 that the...

Friendly approach.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Helen Pridham Complexity is one of the main reasons behind the lack of income protection policy sales. Helen Pridham looks at why the more straightforward friendly society approach is gaining supporters Friendly societies...

How personal accounts might deliver retirement income.
January 1, 2009... Byline: John Chapman PADA's decumulation report raises questions it didn't expect, suggests John Chapman The Personal Accounts Delivery Authority (PADA) has sprung into life again with a consultation paper on decumulation of Personal...

Life challenges - and opportunities.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Annabel Gorringe The UK life market will face serious challenges in 2009. But Annabel Gorringe, lead analyst at Datamonitor, argues that there remain significant opportunities in the difficult times ahead Life markets are...

Disillusioned of Planet Zog.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Janet Walford OBE Seasonal letter to the editor Madam, I was a financial adviser for 10 years up to 1988 but, finding myself increasingly disillusioned with what was happening in the personal finance industry, I...

Getting fixed.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Geordie Clarke Structured products Yet another structured product option launches that pays a monthly income with Arc Capital & Income's Fixed Income Plan 10. The plan runs for a five year term with the choice of two income...

Statistics - January 2009.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Lindsey White Click on any of the links below to view this month's statistics in a PDF file UK Registered Investment FundsUK Registered Investment Funds Investment TrustsInvestment Trusts Insurance FundsInsurance Funds...

Soc it to 'em.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Joe McGrath Structured products Societe Generale has become the latest to launch a structured product designed to benefit from gains in UK and US equities while protecting against the risk of further declines. The UK and...

FOS meets small firms.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Joe McGrath The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) will begin a series of roadshows next year focusing on intermediaries with smaller businesses. The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) will begin a series of roadshows next year...

Clear terminates PTFS deal.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Joe McGrath Packager calls it a day amid difficult market conditions EXCLUSIVE: Personal Touch Financial Services (PTFS) has confirmed that it is terminating its packaging agreement with Clear Financial Services. The news...

Fruits of the forest.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Lindsey White Child trust fund On the back of research showing that the current credit crunch has made parents less likely to save for their child's financial future, Foresters Friendly has launched an ethical with profits...

FISA hikes member fees.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Joe McGrath Lenders must pay more for standards body Lender members of the Finance Industry Standards Association (FISA) will pay increased fees if they choose to renew their membership next year. Last year, lender members...

Royal London shuts out adviser.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Gareth Shaw IFA accuses life office of breaching agency agreements EXCLUSIVE A Hertfordshire based IFA has accused Royal London of unlawfully removing his authorisation to access information on his client's pension plan. ...

IFAs leading the "flight to advice".
January 1, 2009... Byline: Gareth Shaw New report suggests independent advice is dominating wealth management market Private banks are struggling to attract higher net worth clientele as the lure of fully independent advice woos customers away, new...

MVR outlook healthier.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Gareth Shaw With profits bonds survey, December 2008 In the with profits bonds survey in the December 2008 issue of Money Management, Healthy Investment was shown as levying a market value reduction of 5% on policies with a...

PATC urges Equitable compensation.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Gareth Shaw Investigating committee demands redress and apology for policyholders The parliamentary committee charged with investigating the failures of Equitable Life has published a damning report, calling on the government...

TEPid market to warm up.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Gareth Shaw In uncertain times, traded endowment policies provide guaranteed returns and a solution to the with profits problems of the past. Gareth Shaw finds that many offer surprisingly good value Advising on with profits...

Windsor migration triggers FSA checks.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Geordie Clarke Regulator contacts advisers over mass transfers EXCLUSIVE Advisers that have made large numbers of transfers out of Windsor Life have been asked to explain their actions to the FSA. Colin Stratton, an adviser...

SIPPs sliding.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Janet Walford OBE FSA review finds unsuitable advice given on switches The FSA is to write to 4,500 firms that give advice on pension transfers, setting out the standards that it expects from them. SIPPs have grown in...

Equitable decision delayed again.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Gareth Shaw Government fails to meet response deadline Hopes of resolving the Equitable Life saga before 2009 have been dashed yet again as the Government pushed back its response to the Ombudsman's report from autumn 2008 to...

Third way annuities could prove costly.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Gareth Shaw Providers may struggle to meet guarantees in current climate Life offices offering third way annuities may run into serious problems meeting guarantees, stunting growth in the flexible market, Royal London has...

Time for TEPs in uncertain market.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Gareth Shaw Retail interest in second hand endowments soar EXCLUSIVE: Low bonus rates, tumbling equity and diminishing property values have pushed the cost of investment in traded endowment policies (TEPs) to its lowest point...

Long stop rejection hitting IFA pockets.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Gareth Shaw RDR outcome will see advisers incurring additional costs The refusal to implement a time limit on complaints will incur advisers in thousands of pounds of storage and extended insurance costs. In the feedback...

Ad campaign triggers transfer debate.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Joe McGrath Standard targets existing demographic with marketing drive Standard Life is to launch its first aggressive marketing campaign on SIPPs at the beginning of 2009. London based full service advertising agency VCCP...

Emerging markets dive in downturn.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Geordie Clarke Equity funds suffer deep losses while fixed income on upswing Emerging markets funds have had their worst year of performance since the beginning of the decade, Money Management's latest survey has found. ...

Meatier offerings.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Geordie Clarke Structured products Meteor Asset Management's newest income and growth plans are being pitched as investments that can beat low interest rates and falling equity markets. The Prima Growth Plan 11 will be...

Bear income.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Geordie Clarke Structured products Investors are being given a choice between the FTSE 100 and the Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50 in Keydata's latest structured product. The Extra Income Plan has a six year term and offers a...

Friendly rebrand for national mutual.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Joe McGrath Aggressive plans ahead for 2009. EXCLUSIVE National Deposit, the Bristol based investment provider and insurer, will be known as National Friendly from January ahead of a planned push into the group medical...

Top 15 stories online.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Lindsey White Most read Money Management content online 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) 13) 14) 15)

MetLife launches MDRT competition.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Janet Walford OBE MetLife is teaming up with SimplyBiz to offer IFAs the chance to win an all expenses paid trip to the 2009 million dollar round table (MDRT) annual meeting on 7-11 June in Indianapolis. To enter the...

Pension transfer service launches.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Joe McGrath AIFA backs move by providers A pension transfer service is being launched by ecommerce standards body Origo, in conjunction with 16 UK annuity providers to speed up service levels. Options is an open market...

Funding hope for specialist lender.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Joe McGrath Alchemy-owned Swift sets out development plans EXCLUSIVE: Swift Group, the private equity backed mortgage lender, has said that it expects to have new funding lines in place early in the New Year. In one of the...

No buyer for TML.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Joe McGrath Former lender-owned brokerage forced into liquidation EXCLUSIVE Corporate restructuring agents hopeful of selling TML Financial Solutions, the brokerage that went into administration 12 months ago, have admitted...

Pre Budget report and financial planning.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Marcia Banner What impact will the pre Budget report have on financial planning in particular? Marcia Banner of Clerical Medical discusses the points that directly apply The Chancellor's 2008 pre Budget speech, delivered on 24...

Don't bank on it.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Lindsey White Many banks failed to pass on the two big base rate cuts in November and December. Were they being prudent, or just plain greedy, asks Lindsey White? The surprise announcement on 6 November by the The current...

Drawdown vs Annuities.
January 1, 2009... Byline: Joe McGrath Five years ago, with equity markets buoyant, drawdown looked an attractive option. How has it fared against annuities? Joe McGrath investigates Even the hardened adrenaline junkies of the investment world cannot...

3yr fixed mortgage.
January 19, 2009... Byline: Joe McGrath Astra-nomical Astra Mortgages has launched a three year fixed rate mortgage exclusively for members of the Legal & General mortgage club at a headline rate of 4.58% (an APR of 5.4%). The lender, backed by...