RDR

Mortgage advisers are more efficient at selling protection than IFAs, John Cupis tells Paul Robertson, while IFAs have decisions to make

With sluggish sales, a tough economy and the government's reform of welfare provision, Owain Thomas writes that the timing is right for income protection to finally receive the level of attention it deserves

Mark Hoban, the financial secretary to the Treasury, yesterday said the FSA had "consulted extensively" on the RDR after he was again asked about the impact the Review could have on IFAs.

One third of IFAs are already prepared for RDR compared to just a fifth last year, according to the latest Defaqto research.

The rules on giving advice would need to be eased up if the FSA pushes for a rumoured tightening of product regulation, says Legal & General's (L&G) executive director of savings.

Paul Burgin charts the main events of 2010, including the flash crash, a rush to gold and the emergence of new fund structures

An MP at the centre of this week's maiden parliamentary debate on the RDR has hinted advisers should not expect changes to the FSA's adviser charging rules, but says the regulator could "soften" its qualification requirements.

Modest investors who may be priced out of holistic financial advice post-2012 will need less of it anyway as they become auto-enroled into pension schemes, investment manager Vanguard says.

Axa Wealth says RDR does "appear" to be a threat - but thinks there are huge opportunities for those who accept it is an immovable object.

Harriett Baldwin, one of the MPs who called this week's Commons debate on the RDR, has asked Treasury financial secretary Mark Hoban to expand on comments linking higher qualifications to adviser competency.