Targeted Support: The Pitfalls of Prioritising Investment Sales Over Personal Empowerment

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) recently acknowledged a harsh truth: their new "targeted support" measures won’t deliver "perfect advice" for everyone. The initiative aims to encourage more people to invest and take on long-term financial risks. But as we dig deeper, it becomes clear that this approach prioritises financial capital over human capital, raising significant … Continue reading Targeted Support: The Pitfalls of Prioritising Investment Sales Over Personal Empowerment

The Illusion of Advice: Why Financial Capital Isn’t the Whole Story

The financial services industry can be a confusing maze for consumers. At the heart of it all, you’ve got distributors (the salespeople), manufacturers (the product creators), regulators (the watchdogs), and their suppliers (everyone from tech providers to marketers). What do they all have in common? They want you, the consumer, to buy more of their … Continue reading The Illusion of Advice: Why Financial Capital Isn’t the Whole Story

The Rise of Co-Manufacturing: Are Adviser Firms Really Adding Value, or Just Fees?

A growing trend called "co-manufacturing" in financial advice is shifting more responsibility for your portfolio's performance to adviser firms, who are now partnering with discretionary fund managers (DFMs) to customise investments. But while these arrangements might sound beneficial, especially when marketed with claims of higher returns, there are crucial details that clients should examine closely. … Continue reading The Rise of Co-Manufacturing: Are Adviser Firms Really Adding Value, or Just Fees?

D2C Investors Drive AJ Bell’s Success: A Growing Trend

AJ Bell, a prominent investment platform, has seen significant growth in its direct-to-consumer (D2C) segment, a trend that highlights the increasing empowerment of individual investors. In the three months ending 30 June, Citywire reported that AJ Bell secured net inflows of £1.7 billion, a 55% increase compared to the same period last year. This surge … Continue reading D2C Investors Drive AJ Bell’s Success: A Growing Trend

Financial Advisers: Rethink Your Approach for Gen Z or Face Irrelevance

Financial advisers clinging to traditional "delegating models" in hopes of attracting Generation Z are in for a rude awakening. This new generation, poised to inherit a staggering £5.5 trillion in assets over the next 30 years, has no need for your outdated services. The rise of "finfluencers" has shattered the information asymmetry that once defined … Continue reading Financial Advisers: Rethink Your Approach for Gen Z or Face Irrelevance

Creating Income as a Financial Planner: Leveraging Human Capital for Sustainable Revenue

In the dynamic landscape of financial planning, the traditional paradigms often focus on managing financial capital, overlooking the vast potential of human capital. Financial planners can significantly enhance their clients' income streams by recognising and leveraging their human capital, a concept extensively studied and endorsed by leading institutions such as the CFA Institute and the … Continue reading Creating Income as a Financial Planner: Leveraging Human Capital for Sustainable Revenue

The Growing Concern of Impact-Washing in Social Investing

The Growing Concern of Impact-Washing in Social Investing At the Academy of Life Planning, we are dedicated to fostering transparency, integrity, and true social value in financial planning. Recently, a thought-provoking article by Mick McAteer of the Financial Inclusion Centre has brought to light a significant issue in the social investing sector: impact-washing. As champions … Continue reading The Growing Concern of Impact-Washing in Social Investing