Professional Adviser www.professionaladviser.com Market Movers: Israel-Hamas drives investors to safe haven assets <img alt="Market Movers: Israel-Hamas drives investors to safe haven assets" src="https://www.professionaladviser.com/api/v1/wps/05daaf1/9cb23db7-d841-4d16-9041-aa4ef4748cdd/27/iStock-1262967772-185x114.jpg" /> <p><!--summary start--> <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/api/v1/wps/05daaf1/9cb23db7-d841-4d16-9041-aa4ef4748cdd/27/iStock-1262967772-185x114.jpg https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/4053643/market-movers-blog https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/4053643/market-movers-blog https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/4053643/market-movers-blog Tue, 10 Oct 2023 06:31:21 +0000 Ukraine crisis panel: Investment experts respond to key questions <img alt="Ukraine crisis panel: Investment experts respond to key questions" src="https://www.professionaladviser.com/api/v1/wps/09fae0f/dc819ea0-5f36-4658-b735-402a5703d11d/10/Ukraine-video-185x114.jpg" /> <p><!--summary start--> As we say at the start of this broadcast, a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Ukraine and our thoughts are very much with the people there at this very frightening time. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/api/v1/wps/09fae0f/dc819ea0-5f36-4658-b735-402a5703d11d/10/Ukraine-video-185x114.jpg https://www.professionaladviser.com/discussion/4046316/ukraine-crisis-panel-investment-experts-respond-key-questions https://www.professionaladviser.com/discussion/4046316/ukraine-crisis-panel-investment-experts-respond-key-questions https://www.professionaladviser.com/discussion/4046316/ukraine-crisis-panel-investment-experts-respond-key-questions Thu, 10 Mar 2022 15:10:27 +0000 With-profit insurers embrace 'emerging' risk management solutions <img alt="With-profit insurers embrace &#39;emerging&#39; risk management solutions" src="https://www.professionaladviser.com/api/v1/wps/3cdc4a9/1bd5c075-6c9b-45a7-b850-a092243bd20f/6/martin-wilner-J1ActGs9Qzg-unsplash-185x114.jpg" /> <p><!--summary start--> A growing number of insurers are taking steps to rationalise their with-profits funds in order to simplify complex portfolios and address associated rising costs, according to a survey by Willis Towers Watson (WTW). <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/api/v1/wps/3cdc4a9/1bd5c075-6c9b-45a7-b850-a092243bd20f/6/martin-wilner-J1ActGs9Qzg-unsplash-185x114.jpg https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/4044608/profit-insurers-embrace-emerging-risk-management-solutions https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/4044608/profit-insurers-embrace-emerging-risk-management-solutions https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/4044608/profit-insurers-embrace-emerging-risk-management-solutions Tue, 8 Feb 2022 11:19:06 +0000 Royal London policyholders back move to consolidate three closed with-profits funds <img alt="Royal London policyholders back move to consolidate three closed with-profits funds" src="https://www.professionaladviser.com/api/v1/wps/2800fca/4d8ed9f1-a640-4ac0-9e99-622bcde548f4/6/voting-185x114.jpg" /> <p><!--summary start--> Royal London policyholders have backed plans to consolidate three of the mutual provider’s closed with-profits funds. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/api/v1/wps/2800fca/4d8ed9f1-a640-4ac0-9e99-622bcde548f4/6/voting-185x114.jpg https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/4040063/royal-london-policyholders-consolidate-closed-profits-funds https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/4040063/royal-london-policyholders-consolidate-closed-profits-funds https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/4040063/royal-london-policyholders-consolidate-closed-profits-funds Wed, 10 Nov 2021 12:15:09 +0000 Bradbury Hamilton's long game sees profits surge 168% <p><!--summary start--> A surge in yearly profits at Chartered financial planner Bradbury Hamilton is the fruit of 20 years of acquisitions, the firm said. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2442166/bradbury-hamiltons-game-profits-surge-168 https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2442166/bradbury-hamiltons-game-profits-surge-168 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 12:20:27 +0000 Phoenix Life reviews pension fund pricing after life product blunder <p><!--summary start--> Phoenix Life is reviewing the pricing of the majority of its pension funds after a rounding anomaly in some of its life products was pointed out by a retired IFA. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2402529/phoenix-life-reviews-pension-fund-pricing-life-product-blunder https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2402529/phoenix-life-reviews-pension-fund-pricing-life-product-blunder Thu, 2 Apr 2015 07:34:00 +0000 Phoenix reviews unit-linked fund costs after being forced to refund ex-IFA <p><!--summary start--> Phoenix Life is reviewing the charges on its Scottish Provident unit-linked funds after refunding a former financial adviser who realised he had been overcharged for years. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2397666/phoenix-reviews-unit-linked-fund-costs-forced-refund-ifa https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2397666/phoenix-reviews-unit-linked-fund-costs-forced-refund-ifa Tue, 3 Mar 2015 07:56:00 +0000 Three things clients may call you about this week <p><!--summary start--> Professional Adviser's weekly round-up of the articles that may have caught your clients' attention over the weekend... <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2395388/-clients-about https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2395388/-clients-about Mon, 16 Feb 2015 08:32:00 +0000 Banks' pull out from advice hurts Pru's with-profits bond sales <p><!--summary start--> Prudential has reported a 25% fall in the sale of its with-profits bonds, which it attributes to a fall in the number of bank advisers who were major distributors of the product. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2306924/banks-pull-advice-hurts-prus-profits-bond-sales https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2306924/banks-pull-advice-hurts-prus-profits-bond-sales Thu, 14 Nov 2013 10:53:52 +0000 LV= cuts or holds with-profits bonus rates <p><!--summary start--> The LV= with-profits fund achieved an investment return of 9.9% in 2012 while bonus rates for policyholders have been held or cut, the firm has confirmed. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2253272/lv-cuts-holds-withprofits-bonus-rates https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2253272/lv-cuts-holds-withprofits-bonus-rates Thu, 7 Mar 2013 15:34:06 +0000 Standard Life cut with-profits bonus rates <p><!--summary start--> Standard Life has lowered 600,000 savers' with-profits bonus rates for 2013 as its Heritage fund saw an overall return just shy of 8%. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2240136/standard-life-cut-withprofits-bonus-rates https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2240136/standard-life-cut-withprofits-bonus-rates Wed, 30 Jan 2013 12:04:02 +0000 Equitable Life scheme pays out £277m to policyholders <p><!--summary start--> The Equitable Life payment scheme has made payments to 288,823 policyholders, totalling at more than £277m, since its launch in June 2011. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2188840/equitable-life-scheme-pays-gbp277m-policyholders https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2188840/equitable-life-scheme-pays-gbp277m-policyholders Tue, 3 Jul 2012 14:00:00 +0000 Royal London holds with profits bonus rates <p><!--summary start--> Royal London has maintained bonus rates on with profits policies while increasing the majority of final payouts. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2162968/royal-london-holds-profits-bonus-rates https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2162968/royal-london-holds-profits-bonus-rates Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:28:56 +0000 Memory lane #2: Five products you want revived <p><!--summary start--> Not all change in financial services has been for the better. Plenty of "good" products have been dropped, either by regulators or the government, in favour of less-workable alternatives. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2162338/memory-lane-products-revived https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2162338/memory-lane-products-revived Wed, 21 Mar 2012 09:58:00 +0000 FSA confirms MVR rule-change for with-profits <p><!--summary start--> The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has published final rules on the use of market value reductions (MVRs) by with-profits providers. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2157691/fsa-confirms-mvr-rule-change-profits https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2157691/fsa-confirms-mvr-rule-change-profits Wed, 7 Mar 2012 13:30:00 +0000 Five things your clients will call you about this week <p><!--summary start--> It's our round-up of the stories your clients may have read in the national newspapers over the weekend... <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2155204/clients https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2155204/clients Mon, 27 Feb 2012 09:15:00 +0000 Five things your clients will call you about this week <p><!--summary start--> It's our round-up of the stories your clients may have read in the national newspapers over the weekend... <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2153492/clients https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2153492/clients Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:45:00 +0000 L&G holds with-profits bonuses <p><!--summary start--> Legal & General's with-profits fund returned 1.7% in 2011 in a year which saw total bonuses of £459m added to with-profits policies. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2152953/-reports-rise-profits-bonuses https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2152953/-reports-rise-profits-bonuses Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:04:00 +0000 Aviva cuts with-profits bonus rates <p><!--summary start--> Aviva has reduced bonus rates on some of its with-profits funds, citing adverse economic conditions. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2145369/aviva-cuts-profits-bonus-rates https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2145369/aviva-cuts-profits-bonus-rates Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:25:00 +0000 Half Standard Life with-profits holders hit by bonus cut <p><!--summary start--> Standard Life is cutting some bonus rates on its UK with-profits plans from 1 February, in a move which will impact about half of the insurer's total policyholders. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2142615/half-standard-life-profits-holders-hit-bonus-cut https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2142615/half-standard-life-profits-holders-hit-bonus-cut Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:45:00 +0000 Five things your clients will call you about this week <p><!--summary start--> It's our round-up of the stories your clients may have read in the nationals over the weekend and this morning... <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2137632/clients https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2137632/clients Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:45:00 +0000 Five things your clients will call you about this week <p><!--summary start--> A quick scan of what your clients may have read in the nationals over the weekend... <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2135957/clients https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/2135957/clients Mon, 9 Jan 2012 10:10:00 +0000 Scot Life compensates 17,000 underpaid with-profits investors <p><!--summary start--> Insurer Scottish Life is sending cheques worth an average £350 to more than 17,000 former with-profits investors after discovering it underpaid them when their policies matured. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2117528/scot-life-compensates-underpaid-profits-investors https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2117528/scot-life-compensates-underpaid-profits-investors Mon, 17 Oct 2011 07:15:00 +0000 Phoenix considers further cash-ins for policyholders <p><!--summary start--> Phoenix Group, the closed life fund consolidator, may allow more holders of small policies to cash them in without penalties. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2106689/phoenix-considers-cash-ins-policyholders https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2106689/phoenix-considers-cash-ins-policyholders Mon, 5 Sep 2011 14:30:00 +0000 Phoenix fights for annuity comparison tool inclusion <p><!--summary start--> Phoenix Group, which only manages closed books of business, is campaigning to be included in online annuity comparison tools. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2079155/phoenix-fights-annuity-comparison-tool-inclusion https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2079155/phoenix-fights-annuity-comparison-tool-inclusion Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:00:00 +0000 FSA admits with-profits probe was 'unsatisfactory' <p><!--summary start--> The FSA says its research into the mutual sector was "unsatisfactory" but it has not changed its view that policyholders are entitled to all the proceeds of with-profits funds. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2037234/fsa-admits-profits-probe-unsatisfactory https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2037234/fsa-admits-profits-probe-unsatisfactory Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:07:00 +0000 FSA tightens MVR rules for with-profits <p><!--summary start--> The FSA is proposing to restrict when firms can impose a market value reduction (MVR) on with-profits funds, in a consultation aimed at tightening rules to better protect policyholders. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2028562/fsa-tightens-mvr-rules-profits https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2028562/fsa-tightens-mvr-rules-profits Thu, 24 Feb 2011 10:25:00 +0000 IFA shames Friends Prov in with-profits bonus bungle <p><!--summary start--> Friends Provident is facing calls to review hundreds of pension transfers after an IFA formally complained details about bonus guarantees had been left off a client's statement. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2025952/ifa-shames-friends-prov-profits-bonus-bungle https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/2025952/ifa-shames-friends-prov-profits-bonus-bungle Sat, 12 Feb 2011 14:09:00 +0000 With-profits under the microscope <p><!--summary start--> Prudential's Gerry Gallagher examines the findings of the FSA's recent review of the operation of with-profits funds. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/1742045/-profits-microscope https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/1742045/-profits-microscope Thu, 14 Oct 2010 08:00:00 +0000 Name and shame 'poor' with-profits firms, FSA urged <p><!--summary start--> Advisers and consumer groups are calling on the FSA to reveal the identity of the two with-profits providers this week referred to its enforcement division. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/1720094/-shame-poor-profits-firms-fsa-urged https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/1720094/-shame-poor-profits-firms-fsa-urged Thu, 1 Jul 2010 09:35:00 +0000 FSA refers two firms to enforcement after with-profits review <p><!--summary start--> Two unnamed firms have been referred to the FSA's enforcement division for further investigation following a review of the £330bn with-profits sector. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/1719712/fsa-refers-firms-enforcement-profits-review https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/1719712/fsa-refers-firms-enforcement-profits-review Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:10:00 +0000 Left without profit? <p><!--summary start--> IFAs can add value by advising clients on exiting with-profits funds, writes Michelle Cracknell, strategy director at Skandia. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/1635091/left-profit https://www.professionaladviser.com/feature/1635091/left-profit Thu, 6 May 2010 08:00:00 +0000 Friends removes last remaining MVRs <p><!--summary start--> Friends Provident has removed all market value reductions (MVRs) from its with-profits policies. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/1599519/friends-removes-remaining-mvrs https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/1599519/friends-removes-remaining-mvrs Thu, 1 Apr 2010 13:33:19 +0000 Majority of with-profits investments 'unsuitable' <p><!--summary start--> The majority of clients transfer out of with-profits funds following reviews, say advisers. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/1595112/majority-profits-investments-unsuitable-survey https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/1595112/majority-profits-investments-unsuitable-survey Fri, 5 Mar 2010 10:46:00 +0000 LV= with-profits bonuses up to £76m <p><!--summary start--> The LV= with-profits fund generated a return on investment of 15.4% in 2009. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/interview/1594191/lv-profits-bonuses-gbp76m https://www.professionaladviser.com/interview/1594191/lv-profits-bonuses-gbp76m Mon, 1 Mar 2010 18:45:00 +0000 Pru with-profits fund returns 18.7%; Bonuses maintained <p><!--summary start--> Prudential's with-profits fund made pre-tax returns of 18.7% in 2009 and the insurer confirmed bonuses would be maintained. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/1593773/pru-profits-fund-returns-bonuses-maintained https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/1593773/pru-profits-fund-returns-bonuses-maintained Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:16:00 +0000 Skandia launches with-profits workshops <p><!--summary start--> Skandia is today launching a series of free seminars for advisers on with-profits reviews and retirement planning. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/1592893/skandia-launches-profits-workshops https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/1592893/skandia-launches-profits-workshops Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:04:00 +0000 L&G with-profits fund sees double digit returns <p><!--summary start--> Legal & General's with-profits fund generated double digit returns during 2009. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/1592526/-profits-fund-double-digit-returns https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/1592526/-profits-fund-double-digit-returns Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:58:52 +0000 Advisers to lose out to banks on with-profits <p><!--summary start--> Banks will take over from IFAs as the major point of sale for with-profits investments in the future, according to Aviva. <!--summary end--></p> https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/1590398/advisers-lose-banks-profits https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/1590398/advisers-lose-banks-profits Thu, 4 Feb 2010 14:00:00 +0000