Independent financial advisers (IFAs) are professionals who offer independent advice on financial matters to their clients and recommend suitable financial products from the whole of the market. The term was developed to reflect a United Kingdom (UK) regulatory position and has a specific UK meaning, although it has been adopted in other parts of the world, such as Hong Kong.
The term "independent financial adviser" was coined to describe the advisers working independently for their clients rather than representing an insurance company, bank or bancassurer. At the time (1988) the UK government was introducing the polarisation regime which forced advisers to either be tied to a single insurer or product provider or to be an independent practitioner. The term is commonly used in the United Kingdom where IFAs are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and must meet strict qualification and competence requirements.
Typically an independent financial adviser will conduct a detailed survey of a client’s financial position, preferences and objectives; this is sometimes known as a factfind. The adviser will then recommend appropriate action to meet the client's objectives; and if necessary recommend a suitable financial product to match the client’s needs.[1]
New rules for financial advisers in the UK from 2013
From the end of 2012, there will be two types of financial advisor: independent or restricted.[2] IFAs will no longer be allowed to receive commissions from financial services companies on new sales of investments. Instead, they will have to set their own fees, based on the services they offer, and agree with the client on fees before providing any services. Any advice that does not meet this standard must be labelled as restricted. IFAs should also be able to demonstrate to the FCA that they review all the suitable products in a market and that they give fair, unbiased and unrestricted advice. These changes are intended to make their charges more transparent and advice more genuinely independent.
However, some banks, building societies and insurance advisers could switch to offering an ‘information only’ (non-advised) service instead, where fees won’t be apparent. Advisers will also be allowed to keep earning it on products they have sold before the end of 2012, and still charge a regular fee if they are providing an ongoing service such as reviewing and advising on a client's investments. Neither do these new rules apply to the sale of cash savings products, general insurance, protection products (term life insurance, critical illness cover, income protection insurance etc.) or mortgages unless they are sold at the same time as a regulated investment product.
Qualifications for IFAs in the UK
To offer financial advice an individual must represent or be an appointed representative of a firm registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA require that firms ensure that individuals acting for them have appropriate qualifications. The list of appropriate qualifications is determined by the Financial Services Skills Council at the behest of the FCA.
Up to the end of 2012 all financial advisers only required a qualification at Level 3 or above of the Qualifications and Credit Framework. From the end of 2012, financial advisers will need to be qualified at Level 4 or above. (This is about the same as completing the first year of a university degree.) An increasing number of advisers are now also “Chartered”, which means being qualified to a level 6 standard (equivalent to a first class honours degree.)
From the end of 2012, financial advisers will need to obtain an annual Statement of Professional Standing. This statement confirms that the adviser is suitably qualified, that the adviser subscribes to a code of ethics and that the adviser has kept his or her knowledge up-to-date through continuing professional development.
Most financial qualifications are assessed under the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). You will see that these have a QCF grade, from level 1 to level 8.[3]
IFA Network
IFA Network is an association of IFAs. All financial advisers in the UK must either be authorised or exempt under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Membership of an IFA Network qualifies an IFA as being exempt from regulation. The IFA Network is then responsible for the advice and regulatory compliance of its members.[citation needed]
Source: Financial Conduct Authority What is an appointed representative? An appointed representative is a firm that conducts regulated business on behalf of a directly FCA-authorised firm, who is its ‘principal’. The principal firm takes regulatory responsibility for the appointed representative, and must ensure it meets FCA requirements.
A stockbroker is a regulated broker, broker-dealer, or registered investment adviser who may provide financial advisory and investment management services and execute transactions such as the purchase or sale of stocks and other investments to financial market participants in return for a commission, markup, or fee, which could be based on a flat rate, percentage of assets, or hourly rate. The term also refers to financial companies, offering such services.
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) was a quasi-judicial body accountable for the regulation of the financial services industry in the United Kingdom between 2001 and 2013. It was founded as the Securities and Investments Board (SIB) in 1985. Its board was appointed by the Treasury, although it operated independently of government. It was structured as a company limited by guarantee and was funded entirely by fees charged to the financial services industry.
In financial services, a broker-dealer is a natural person, company or other organization that engages in the business of trading securities for its own account or on behalf of its customers. Broker-dealers are at the heart of the securities and derivatives trading process.
The Investment Advisers Act of 1940, codified at 15 U.S.C. § 80b-1 through 15 U.S.C. § 80b-21, is a United States federal law that was created to monitor and regulate the activities of investment advisers as defined by the law. It is the primary source of regulation of investment advisers and is administered by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
A financial planner or personal financial planner is a qualified financial advisor. Practicing in full service personal finance, they advise clients on investments, insurance, tax, retirement and estate planning.
An insurance broker is an intermediary who sells, solicits, or negotiates insurance on behalf of a client for compensation. An insurance broker is distinct from an insurance agent in that a broker typically acts on behalf of a client by negotiating with multiple insurers, while an agent represents one or more specific insurers under a contract.
A financial adviser or financial advisor is a professional who provides financial services to clients based on their financial situation. In many countries, financial advisors must complete specific training and be registered with a regulatory body in order to provide advice.
A registered investment adviser (RIA) is a firm that is an investment adviser in the United States, registered as such with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or a state's securities agency. The numerous references to RIAs within the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 popularized the term, which is closely associated with the term investment adviser. An investment adviser is defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission as an individual or a firm that is in the business of giving advice about securities. However, an RIA is the actual firm, while the employees of the firm are called Investment Adviser Representatives (IARs).
British qualified accountants are full voting members of United Kingdom professional bodies that evaluate individual experience and test competencies for accountants.
Commissions are a form of variable-pay remuneration for services rendered or products sold. Commissions are a common way to motivate and reward salespeople. Commissions can also be designed to encourage specific sales behaviors. For example, commissions may be reduced when granting large discounts. Or commissions may be increased when selling certain products the organization wants to promote. Commissions are usually implemented within the framework on a sales incentive program, which can include one or multiple commission plans.
The Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA) is a professional accountacy body representing and providing certification for financial accountants in the United Kingdom. The IFA is a full member of the International Federation of Accountants.
The Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice (CeMAP) is a UK-specific qualification for mortgage advisers offered by The London Institute of Banking & Finance at QCF Level 3. It meets the standards required by the Financial Conduct Authority to practice as a 'licensed' adviser in the UK. As of 2020 80% of UK advisers hold this qualification.
Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) is a legal licence provided by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) enabling the operation and activities of Australian financial services businesses. It is a legal requirement for any Australian financial service business to obtain an AFSL from the day business operations begin unless provided a limited licence or exemption with special provisions under section 911A(2)(l) of the Corporations Act. The AFSL is issued by ASIC under Chapter 7 of the Corporations Act 2001, in line with its regulatory supervision of the financial services industry. Australian Financial Service Businesses must submit an application to ASIC coupled with supporting documents to be assessed. Licensees are obligated to provide efficient, honest and fair financial services under the conditions of their AFSL and the Corporations Act 2001. Failure to follow and uphold the policies under the AFSL and the Corporations Act 2001 will result in penalties against the business.
The Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI) is a Canadian organization whose responsibility is to handle the financial disputes of consumers and small businesses that could not be resolved by the customers and the financial firms on their own. The OBSI provides the service on an impartial and independent basis, and free of charge to the consumer as an alternative to the legal system.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is a financial regulatory body in the United Kingdom, but operates independently of the UK Government and is financed by charging fees to members of the financial services industry. The FCA regulates financial firms providing services to consumers and maintains the integrity of the financial markets in the United Kingdom.
Financial regulation in Australia is extensive and detailed.
The Controlled Functions of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are simplifying code names given to various functions within the financial services and relating to the carrying on of regulated activities by a firm. These are specified, under section 59 of the Financial Services and Markets Act which still stands as the reference after the FSA split into the FCA and the PRA. The FCA is solely responsible for all applications for approval for FCA Designated Controlled Functions for all FCA solo regulated firms.
Robo-advisors or robo-advisers are a class of financial adviser that provide financial advice and investment management online with moderate to minimal human intervention. They provide digital financial advice based on mathematical rules or algorithms. These algorithms are designed by financial advisors, investment managers and data scientists, and coded in software by programmers. These algorithms are executed by software and do not require a human advisor to impart financial advice to a client. The software utilizes its algorithms to automatically allocate, manage and optimize clients' assets for either short-run or long-run investment. Robo-advisors are categorized based on the extent of personalization, discretion, involvement, and human interaction.
Pension review is a component of retirement planning, where a pension is examined to determine how well it is performing. This may include what the annual fees amount to, if the pension is growing at a reasonable level, how it is invested, if it could perform better with different investments, and if the fund will be able to provide the desired retirement. Pension reviews may be conducted by the company holding the pension, or by independent companies.
Peer-to-peer asset management is the practice of sharing investment strategies between unrelated individuals, or "peers", without going through a traditional financial intermediary such as a bank or other collective investment management vehicle.
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