The financial advice industry is likely to consolidate in the wake of the Retail Distribution Review (RDR), according to Thinc Group's Patrick Murphy.
Consumers consolidating debts into their monthly mortgage repayments could be making an "expensive mistake", according to personal finance data analyst Moneynet.co.uk.
IFA consolidation will be an inevitable by-product of regulatory pressures and will lead to a shift in the market, according to Cofunds' chief executive Charles Eppinger.
Claims suggesting an investment platform could be used to resolve the issue of protecting tax-free cash when consolidating pensions are unfounded, says Standard Life.
The next 12-18 months should see the industry move towards deals that tie up different front-end systems to create single point-of-sale solutions for intermediaries, says Ben Goss, managing director of Distribution Technology.
Consolidation of the IFA sector continued today with news Bestinvest is acquiring SMA Group in a cash and shares deal of unspecified value.
Contrary to jokes about women and spending, new research suggests men are more likely to need to rein in their debts.