The FCA has published a new 17-minute video for consumers to help them understand pension transfer advice. The video, which can be viewed here, explains the FCA’s expectations of financial advisers when they provide pension transfer advice and outlines the process which advisers should follow. It highlights the key information advisers should provide and the questions they should be asking.
Aspects covered include:
- disclosure of costs & services;
- a detailed analysis of personal circumstances
- content of a suitability report
- any ongoing services which may be recommended.
The FCA make it clear at outset that their message to advisers is, and always has been very clear, that generally it will not be in a client’s best interest to leave a pension scheme that will give them a guaranteed and sustainable income when they retire.
A transcript of the video is also available.
Abridged advice – how is it going so far?
Alistair MacDougall Compliance 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021, abridged, Drawdown, FCA, Pension, Pension Transfer, PI, transfer
Based on data and live visits to firms during the period from April 2015 to rule changes in 2018 and 2020, the FCA believed that far too high a proportion of clients were being recommended to transfer safeguarded benefits. This was predicated on the longstanding rule which stated: “… a firm should start by assuming […]