As is the case in most industries, technology is driving innovation for financial services firms. It is increasingly recognised as an essential part of the sector's collective efforts to ensure processes are as efficient as possible and the needs of clients are comfortably met. From advisers right through to consumers - the benefits are impacting all parties. It isn't enough, however, to simply expand the IT budget and secure the latest applications.
The introduction of the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) had huge implications for the financial services industry; in particular, it has changed the way financial institutions decide who to target as customers.
If you are, then you’re not alone. In a recent survey conducted by us more than two thirds (69%) of those polled stated that their goal was to one day sell their financial advice practice, with 43% stating that they plan to do it within the next five years.
When it came into force at the end of 2012, the retail distribution review (RDR) became among the biggest changes to ever hit the financial sector and financial advice. Implemented with the aim of increasing fairness and transparency in the investment industry, these new rules really have shaken things up for advisers.
With the Scottish Independence referendum fast approaching, now is the time for voters to start seriously considering whether they fall on the 'Yes' or 'No' side of the campaign. The question, "Should Scotland be an independent country?", is a potentially historic one; a range of issues including finance, oil, defence, currency and taxes will all be significantly affected by its result.
For any business, team or function looking to determine whether it is meeting its strategic goals, progress measurement is vital. When that business operates within a highly-regulated environment, such as financial planning, it is imperative.
It’s long been said that Bank of England governors have a history of going 'zig' when everyone else is going 'zag'. This is certainly a trait that media pundits have highlighted as being present in current governor Mark Carney, and you only have to look at his early policies to see why. As nations around the world were slowly recovering from the global financial crash, many highlighted policies to amend their interest rates accordingly. Whether this was to keep them low indefinitely to encourage spending or elevate them slowly and surely in a bid to maintain stability, each had their own take on what to do for the best.
Carney, on the other hand, cemented his maverick status almost immediately by reprising a policy first rolled out back in his native Canada - that of tying interest rates to the unemployment figures.
Financial analysts are largely unified in the belief that a vast array of factors combined to create the recent financial crash - the largest since the infamous 1930s Great Depression. Whilst a single reason or event can't be pinned down, a perfect storm of risky 'casino banking', fraudulent practices, property price bubbles and competitive sub-prime lending all combined (with a few others as well) to bring about a crash - the effects of which are still being felt many years later.
Intelliflo has today released its free Mortgage Market Review (MMR) ‘MOT’. The MOT is a practical guide aimed at helping mortgage advisers identify the pain points they may have experienced following the implementation of the MMR, and provides easy to follow steps on how these issues can be overcome.
With the recent transformations in the mortgage market, this document will serve as an extremely useful tool for any mortgage adviser wishing to assess the impact the MMR has had on their business.
It’s been just over a month since the Mortgage Market Review (MMR) conduct of business reform was launched and much has been made in both the national and trade press about the possible effects. What impact has MMR had over this period?
The impact on financial advisers
