Hot topic: Suitability in wealth management
“Any successful wealth management service is entirely dependent on providing clients with suitable investment portfolios.
Helping firms to improve their standards on suitability is one of our priorities in supervising the sector.
… many firms still need to up their game – suitability remains one of our main concerns in the sector. “
So said the FCA in a recent regulatory roundup. The regulator has completed three separate phases of work on this aspect over the past six years, culminating in a Thematic Review in December 2015 – see our view here.
Suitability was also the theme of the investment roadshows that the FCA has been conducting around the country. See our summary here.



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 […]