/ Investments / Pensions / Platforms / Regulation / Whimsy

What will September bring?

If there is one thing I’ve learnt during 20 years in financial services, it’s that August is traditionally a quiet month. Everyone goes on holiday and then frantically crams in two months work into September. Already I can feel the September surge coming through, but this time it feels different. Quite a lot did happen in August, and it wasn’t particularly pleasant.

During August the FTSE100 went down by 9.52% , or 637.74 points if you prefer. Anyone who spent August on a beach away from it all would have had a nasty shock when they logged on yesterday. As well as the traditional accumulating investor there is now a new set of investors for whom August’s events could potentially have been very damaging. The pension reforms, and resultant surge in drawdown investors have created huge debate about the risks of the pound cost ravaging, and August duly served up a live example of just how damaging market falls in drawdown can be. Any investor who went into drawdown in the first few days of pension freedom would have invested with the FTSE above 7000, or 13.64% above where it’s at now. If ever you needed an illustration of the need to take advice at retirement this is it.

Advisers we speak to are generally very confident about their investment propositions, normally with some sort of centralised investment proposition in operation, but are less confident about post retirement propositions. The rules are changing, there are new products coming to market, and whilst the need for advice has never been greater, how can advisers construct a centralised retirement advice proposition (might need a new name for this!) that is compelling, compliant and commercially viable?

Fortunately, there is a conference later on this month that will discuss all of these issues and more. The FE Investment Summit will explore the issues surrounding post retirement financial planning, with experts from asset management, regulation, insurance and advice.

The day will be structured into three distinct cohorts looking at the post retirement world from the point of view of insurers, asset managers and advisers. The insurer cohort features Partnership, Met Life and Aegon, Asset Management is represented by Old Mutual Wealth, Novia and Square Mile, and the adviser cohort will feature HC Wealth Management, First Wealth and Ernst & Young.

Alongside the cohorts we have 4 keynote speakers, Thomas McMahon from FE, John Lawson from Aviva, Gregg McClymont from Aberdeen Asset Management and Rory Percival from the Financial Conduct Authority.

Throughout the day there will be plenty of opportunity for questions, discussion and challenge from floor, with panel sessions hosted by Clive Waller and Mark Polson. The presenters have been told to expect questions! Tickets are still available!

Tickets

Click here to book your place.

Early bird, prior to 4th Sept

Adviser individual seats are available at £100 plus VAT.
Tables (seating 8) are available at £1,950 plus VAT.
Provider individual seats are available at £395.

From Sept 4th

Adviser individual seats are available at £125 plus VAT
Tables (seating 8) are available at £2,495 plus VAT.
Provider individual seats are available at £495.

A 10% discount on all adviser rates is available for PFS and IFP members.

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