RDR

Almost three quarters of IFAs plan to enhance their qualifications in response to the RDR, according to Defaqto.

Advisers are faced with a stark choice of adapting their business to harsh economic downturn conditions or facing extinction.

Skandia is set to run a series of Trailblazer seminars focusing on advisers' use of platforms and the possible impact of the RDR on intermediaries' businesses.

AIFA policy director Andrew Strange has called on the FSA to provide a "sensible" transition period of at least five years for advisers to gain post-RDR qualifications.

Software has already been launched to cater for the ‘guided sales' approach outlined in the Retail Distribution Review (RDR), with a pilot scheme currently in progress.

MPs are being urged to give the FSA time to get the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) right, rather than completing it quickly.

The Association of IFAs (AIFA) is offering advisers the chance to chat directly with its policy director ahead of the next phase of the RDR in November.

The FSA should not restrict 'advice' to solely whole of market post RDR, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) urges.

AIFA has brushed aside fears consumers would be ‘locked in' to either sales or advice in the post-RDR world, saying the two industries can work in tandem.

Over 1,000 advisers are expected to sign up for a diploma level qualification, showing they are keen to prepare for tougher rules on professionalism.