You get what you pay for

Over the past few years, most major life offices have tried to copy their offshore counterparts by launching onshore discounted gift trust arrangements. Often the economies of scale mean that these mass market providers can undercut the price offered by the more specialist offshore companies. However, this is not the full story and, as with so many other things in life, it is a case of 'you get what you pay for'. The flexibility of onshore bonds has vastly improved in the last couple of years with many now offering fund ranges comparable with those previously only available offshore. This...