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Pension freedoms are being compromised

Now there is possible relief in sight. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is poised to clamp down on greedy managers by insisting they cannot charge more than one per cent of the value of the pot, but the change will not come into force until next March at the earliest.

So, anyone cashing in or transferring out of their pension today could still have their pocket picked. The move will make it easier for people to drop their pension if they are getting a poor deal or make full use of their new pension freedoms to cash in their pot without penalty.

Before you take any action on your pension you should seek advice from a financial adviser to see how you may be affected.  This could help you avoid the pitfalls of being overcharged for moving your money to a better position.  You will also receive advice on the most tax-efficient position you can achieve.  A simple review will also allow you to compare the benefits you are likely to receive from your current plan and the other options that are available to you.  

This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, investment advice, investment recommendations or investment research. You should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this communication is correct, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions.

Other News

Dealing with scams

Blacktower Financial Management

You may have seen emails alerting you to a new fraud specific to the financial services advice industry. We are not aware of any of our clients having been targeted in the way described below, but it is our responsibility at Blacktower to do everything we can to educate our clients about these scams to avoid any harm coming to them.

The fraudsters claim to be from the Financial Conduct Authority or local law enforcement and are targeting clients of investment management firms. They are advising clients that the investment manager, adviser or firm is under investigation. The fraudster specifically asks the client not to speak to their investment manager, adviser or firm, or even close connections, claiming this would be considered tipping off. The client is then advised to encash their portfolio and move the cash to the client’s bank account. Once this is done, the fraudster then ‘recommends’ an investment which is actually a scam.

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Investment Cons and Misleading Deals

Blacktower FM News

Social Media is now a prime area that investment scams are targeting.  Be careful of very clever advertising using your friends to lure you in.  

I am came across one very recently on Facebook where a friend of mine had supposedly ‘liked’ a company that claimed to compare rates of investment interest from all providers available for Expats in Spain.  The rates offered looked extremely good, as an IFA I am supposed to know all the best rates available so I was intrigued to know more.

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