One in eight bankers say it is difficult to progress in their careers without ‘flexible ethical standards’ and sometimes feel it is necessary to ‘bend the rules’, a review by the UK’s Banking Standards Board (BSB) has found.
Some changes in inheritance tax law can affect wills and trusts, including the introduction of the first tranche of the Residential Nil Rate Band (RNRB) of £100,000 on 6 April 2017, says Karen Clark, tax partner in charge of the London private client team at RSM.
Many advisers woke up last Thursday morning aware their pipeline Qrops business had just been vastly reduced, says James Pearcy-Caldwell, co-founder of fee-based adviser Aisa International.
The Isle of Man’s financial regulator has underlined the importance of fine-tuning the scope and timing of its commission disclosure rules for international life companies, amid industry concerns about an unlevel playing field with local companies in markets such as the UAE.
The Financial Conduct Authority has set out a plan to give better redress to those clients who were given unsuitable advice to transfer out of a defined benefit (DB) pension scheme.
Integrity in finance is a global concern but the ethics journey differs country to country, say key members of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI).
Estate planning in France is made far more challenging by ‘forced heirship’ succession law and inheritance tax rates of up to 60%, explains Jason Porter, director of European IFA firm Blevins Franks. The regime is particularly daunting for complex family situations.
A lot more financial institutions could find themselves caught by the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) requirements despite being exempt from Fatca reporting, Allan Wilkinson, associate director of chartered accountancy firm Buzzacott, has warned.
Three financial services institutes have launched the Chartered Body Alliance to help consumers recognise the benefits of engaging with qualified professionals.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has revealed the tactics used by investment fraudsters to deceive the over 55s, as it urges the demographic to check investment opportunities are genuine before parting with their money.
Life companies should better vet their advisers rather than hide behind the Law of Agency and claim they are not involved in any mis-selling that occurs, says Simon Willoughby, head of proposition at Utmost Wealth Solutions.
The UK will go ahead with plans to change the definition of financial advice so that regulated firms will only be giving advice when they provide a personal recommendation.
