Client’s own words (COWs).
This is a powerful and effective way of personalising suitability reports. When you gather know your customer (KYC) information (see ‘K’ blog post) try to record some of the client requirements and objectives using their own words, so that you can repeat the quotes back to the client in the reports.
This provides the ultimate in personalisation and is a great way to cement recommendations.
If you can quote something like
“Both you and Beth want to use you maximum ISA allowance for the next 7 years (when you plan to retire Tom) for the purpose of supplementing your retirement income but also to buy that camper van you’ve always wanted and fulfil your dream of driving around Europe”.



Thematic review of retirement income advice
Shirley McKenzie Compliance 2015, 2022, FCA, Lifetime Mortgage, Mortgage, Pension, PI, Suitability Review
The FCA has announced that it will shortly be undertaking a thematic review to assess the advice consumers are receiving on meeting their income needs in retirement. Why? Previously planned work on this topic (known as ‘Assessing Suitability Review 2’) was paused as a reaction to Covid but the Regulator believes that it is […]