IFA

New rules come into effect today affecting endowment policies and advertising including references to past performances of investment funds.

The integration of the five separate Aegon IFA businesses under the Origen brand will be completed by the year end of first quarter of 2005 by the latest, the provider says.

Depolarisation is now unlikely to alter the IFA market, its labels and distribution processes, contrary to discussions when the FSA's first consultation on the issue surfaced, says Datamonitor.

Financial services giant American Express has launched a wrap platform for UK intermediaries, but says only those IFAs that fit its user-profile will be invited to the party.

Webline and PMI provider Health-on-line have inked a deal that will enable IFAs' clients to get quotes or buy PMI 24/7 through their own websites.

Publication of Lord Penrose's report into the financial crisis at Equitable Life has certainly set the cat among the pigeons, and is already being labelled in some quarters of the industry as nothing more than a whitewash.

IFA Charcol Holden Meehan has added another 12,000 clients to its name after Airbus UK announced it has appointed the firm to provide financial advice for its UK employees.

The Chartered Insurance Institute has unveiled plans to launch a new framework for financial planning examinations this autumn, following the negative feedback this week surrounding publication of the Financial Services Skills Council's official exam...

Independent financial advisers are more likely to GAIN from depolarisation, as the latest Datamonitor report now suggests banks will struggle to gain market share of business from IFAs.

Berkeley Jacobs, part of the 80m euro Dublin-listed IFG Group, has been hit with a £175,000 regulatory fine for misleading advertising and failures in the advice it gave clients releasing cash early from their pensions.