The FSA should test advice with an annual exam

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A good ten years ago I mentioned in a speech that we were professionals. I was rudely interrupted at that point by an observer who said that by definition we couldn't be professionals as we weren't in a profession.

I confessed to being speechless for a second and then agreeing with him. To this day we are not really any further on. It’s all very reminiscent of my management training days when you had to manage someone who was ‘unconscious incompetent’ but thought he was ‘consciously competent’ - a bit like the three-year-old who stands on the car seat and believes he is actually driving. Unfortunately, most financial advisers who cause good financial advisers excessive FSA and FSCS bills won’t get to the point at age 17 when they stall their car, accept that message, learn, and move on. Callum McC...

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