Business Development Updates

28 January 2020

January Oracle from Prudential - Focus on Tax Year End Opportunities

This important adviser resource gives you access to all this:

Tax Year resolutions – do people follow through? Case Study – taking profits from a limited company Capital Gains and the annual exemption Will your clients be able to claim the annual IHT exemption? Individual Protection 2016 – are you ready for the deadline? Pensions and Divorce Bond Taxation Is pension tax relief safe? ISA re – price for PruFunds held in the Prudential ISA 

Access the Oracle here

20 December 2019

Take advantage of free vulnerability training and upskill today

Have you seen the online vulnerability training that Just has developed with SOLLA?
 
The FCA's latest paper on vulnerable clients, GC 19/3, identified it as an example of good practice that could help people improve their skills and capability.
 
You can use the training to benchmark and boost your knowledge in the following areas:

Understanding how vulnerability can arise and identifying when a client may be vulnerable. Adapting communications and working practices to make them more suitable. Measuring and evidencing progress in the area of vulnerability.

The training is free to use and offers the Certificate in Older and Vulnerable Consumer Care for successful completion.
 
Benchmark your vulnerability knowledge today with free online training.

18 December 2019

You are invited to the Invesco Investment Intelligence Seminars 2020

Join Invesco for the first round of their 2020 Investment Intelligence Seminars, to help you build upon your knowledge, providing topical content for you to share with your clients.

Despite a challenging year for both the global and domestic economy, returns from financial markets in 2019 have been stronger than many investors anticipated. 

Will we see more of the same in 2020? Can the global economy recover or will it continue to be plagued by a number of disruptive headwinds? And what are the implications for financial markets? 

Come along to these ever popular events and also hear from Invesco’s key investment experts, who will be providing their outlooks for the year ahead.

Over 70 events to choose from

 

Secure your place here >>

 

12 December 2019

AXA IM on key economic themes for 2020

Fears of a 2019 global recession appear to have abated, but has the damage to 2020’s GDP already been done? Find out which economic headwinds AXA IM expect to prevail in the US, why China’s economy could be facing a new chapter and what could cause Eurozone growth to slow. Its 2020 Macroeconomic Outlook assesses what this could mean for equity and fixed income valuations – and ultimately for investors.
 
GET READY FOR 2020
 
Hear from AXA Chief Group Economist and AXA IM Head of Research Gilles Moec and AXA IM’s Chief Investment Officer, Core Investments, Chris Iggo, explore the key economic themes facing investors in 2020 – and outline why they believe interest rates could stay lower for longer.

10 December 2019

Advice Makes Sense - championing the value of your advice

Visit Aegon’s brand new Advice Makes Sense  hub to find articles, guides and videos created to support you. Sharing the latest trends, insight and support material to help further your knowledge and support your client conversations.
 
You’ll also find the new consumer guide for you to use with clients  Why seek financial advice? With only 1 in 10 of the UKs population having an ongoing relationship with an adviser – it’s clear that not enough people are realising the benefits of expert financial advice. 
 
To find out first-hand what the barriers to taking financial advice are Aegon asked over 2,000 consumers what they thought about financial advice. The results themselves are extremely encouraging showing how much of a difference advice makes to people’s lives. Three quarters (73%) of people with a financial adviser have clear financial and personal goals and know what they’re saving for, compared to just 39% of those who have never used an adviser.
 
These findings will be of use to dispel any preconceptions about advice and encourage potential clients to seek your expertise.
 

 

Visit the Advice Makes Sense hub

 

 

We hope you find the hub useful, please speak to your usual Aegon contact if you have any questions.

04 December 2019

PruFund 15 Year Anniversary - video and interactive timeline

Did you know that M&G Treasury & Investment Office - managers for PruFund - were early adopters of investing in music royalties as part of their alternative asset strategy. A relatively new asset class but one that’s resilient in the current economic environment.

Watch Michael Howard, Head of Alternative Investments as he discusses the alternatives approach they take with PruFund.

Time in market, not market timing

Diversification is at the heart of all PruFund funds. This new sandchart demonstrates just how globally diversified Prudential’s PruFund Growth fund is, how it’s better protected against market volatility and able to take advantage of market opportunities in specific assets.

Take a look at the interactive sandchart

Alternatives play an important role in PruFund, but there’s much more to it. To help you know more, Prudential have got some new interactive sales aids.

No-one can confidently predict when a stock market fall may happen. But what Prudential know is when it occurs it can cause irrational fear which can drive poor client decisions to sell at the wrong time. 

All Prudential PruFunds are designed with a long term view (10-15 years). Prudential’s new interactive timeline gives you an idea of market events over the last 15 years, how the PruFund Growth Fund has fared and how the smoothing mechanism has kicked in.

Take a look at the interactive timeline

See how PruFund could work in harmony with your clients’ portfolio on Prudential new PruFund hub

27 November 2019

Business protection made easy

Business protection doesn’t need to be complicated. With 5.9 million businesses in the UK* – each with their own specific financial needs - you could be missing out on a great opportunity to grow yours.
 
New Guide to business protection
Aegon has used its wealth of experience in the business protection market to develop a new Guide to business protection.
 
The guide is designed to help you develop business protection opportunities whether:

you’re a private client adviser or corporate adviser and want to move into the business protection market; you’re a pensions adviser; you have commercial general insurance connections for referrals, or you have links with solicitors or accountants.

Even if you don’t have any links into this market, the guide can help you develop opportunities, as well as learn more about business protection and how to advise on it.
 
Keeping business protection simple
When identifying potential clients, it’s really important to identify and understand their business type and legal status. This new guide provides information and support on specific business types including: 

guidance on setting up business protection arrangements; the tax and trust implications surrounding the different arrangements available; how to identify potential clients; how to develop professional connections; employee benefits for small and medium sized companies, and possible business protection solutions. 

The Vault
And don’t forget the Vault. Your one-stop-shop for all the support material you'll need to help you in the business protection market. This includes sample material, sales aids, technical factsheets, videos and more. All are designed to help you understand the importance of, create the need for and discuss business protection with your clients.
 
Business protection toolkit
Visit the business protection toolkit for more information on business protection including access to the new Guide to business protection and all their support material, or get in touch with your local Aegon sales representative.

 

*Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy – Business population estimates for the UK and regions 2019

24 November 2019

Listen to Aegons 10 minute Market Snapshot Podcast

 

If you have 10 minutes to spare, listen to Nick Dixon, Investment Director, and Richard Whitehall, Head of Portfolio Management at Aegon, chat about Brexit, their current asset class views, and what it all means for investors in this new quarterly podcast.  

 

Key discussion points include:
How important is Brexit against a backdrop of other significant economic factors?

What are the investment risks and opportunities presented by the various Brexit scenarios? Unorthodox monetary policies have taken their toll on fixed income, which now offer poor intrinsic value. Equity markets have pockets of significant over-valuation but there are markets, some close to home, which present better value. Cash may be a helpful asset class, when lots of other asset classes are richly valued.

 

Listen to the podcast

 

 

 

 

22 October 2019

Introducing the many flavours of tax-efficient investment scenarios

During November, Octopus Investments will be hosting a series of events that may be well worth your while going along to.

Chances are, you already have several clients who may find themselves in a situation where a tax-efficient investment could be of interest.

A good example is a client who might have exceeded their pension contribution allowance. Or a client looking to reduce their income tax liability. Or one who would like to extract money from a business more tax-efficiently. So you may be interested in Tax-efficient Investing in the 2020s - a series of live seminars hosted by the UK’s largest provider of venture capital trusts (VCTs) and investments that qualify for Business Property Relief (BPR).

Each event will explore some of the different client scenarios where a tax-efficient investment can help.

You’ll also hear more from a member of the Octopus Ventures team managing Octopus Titan VCT, the most popular venture capital trust in the market by funds raised, which has just re-opened for new investment.

And as an added benefit, attendees also get 1 hour and 45 minutes of CPD.
 

Sign up to your nearest seminar here >>

Belfast I Birmingham I BristolI CardiffI EdinburghI Epsom
ExeterI Glasgow I LeedsI LondonI NorwichI Manchester

Some risks to keep in mind

The value of an investment, and any income from it, can fall as well as rise. Investors may not get back the full amount they invest. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and could change in the future.

Tax reliefs depend on portfolio companies and VCTs maintaining their qualifying status.

Octopus products are not suitable for everyone. Any recommendation should be based on a holistic review of your client's financial situation, objectives and needs. We do not offer investment or tax advice. This advertisement is not a prospectus. Investors should only subscribe for shares based on information in the prospectus and Key Information Document (KID), which can be obtained from octopusinvestments.com.  Issued by Octopus Investments Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered office: 33 Holborn, London, EC1N 2HT. Registered in England and Wales No. 03942880. Issued: October 2019. CAM008808. 

16 October 2019

Octopus Titan VCT is open

Open for business
The UK’s most popular venture capital trust (VCT) by funds raised, Octopus Titan VCT, is open for new investment. The fundraise capacity is £120 million.
 
Titan invests clients’ money in a portfolio of more than 75 businesses across a diverse range of sectors.

It’s backed some exciting businesses such as Zoopla, Graze and Secret Escapes, helping them to become household names and has exited companies to the biggest names in tech such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Twitter.
 
You can find out more about Titan here
 
A powerful planning tool
A VCT can be a great way for a client to invest in early stage companies while benefiting from tax reliefs.
 
That’s because VCTs offer tax free dividends and capital gains, and up to 30% income tax relief on the first £200,000 invested each year. Please bear in mind that VCTs are high risk investments, for key risks see below.
 
Discounts available
Clients who get in by the next application deadline of Friday 18 October should be able to benefit from the dividend of 2p due to be paid out around 15 November. This is subject to the allotment taking place on the 21 October. Clients who invest before 1 November are eligible for the early bird discount of 1%.

As a thank you to clients who are currently holding shares in any Octopus VCT, Octopus offer a 1% loyalty discount should they choose to invest in this fundraise.
Visit the Titan webpage >>
 
Key risks to consider:

The value of an investment in Octopus Titan VCT, and any income from it, can fall as well as rise. Investors may not get back the full amount they invest.  Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may change in the future. Tax reliefs depend on the VCT maintaining its VCT-qualifying status.

VCT shares are by their nature high risk, their share price may be volatile and they may be hard to sell.

15 October 2019

Introducing bite-sized pointers to help drive profitability for your business

Many financial advisers are running small to medium sized businesses, in addition to offering financial planning services to clients. It’s therefore unsurprising that they face the same challenges, typical to business owners and managers.

Research from FundsNetwork shows that business management issues, such as training new staff and succession planning, are a key challenge for over one quarter of financial advisers.

So, to help you in these areas, they’ve pulled together some practical hints and tips. From recruiting the right people to increasing productivity, their range of bite-sized pointers and insights from your peers have been designed to help you drive greater profitability for your business.

Take a look – includes videos of adviser workshops 

09 October 2019

Update your Sustainable Investing skills - with 2 hours CPD

More and more individual investors want to know what impact their investment capital is having on society and on the environment. Around a quarter of global assets are managed on the basis of sustainable principles*. Are you ready for this shift in thinking? Are you able to discuss the principles of sustainable investing with your clients? There is no need to devote days away from the office to get up to speed.

The Essentials of Sustainable Investing 

This is a convenient online educational module for investment professionals. In just two hours you will develop an overview of this new field, and will have a framework with which to review your clients’ sustainable investment goals. Financial professionals participating in this course are invited to digest the information and then take the online test. To enhance the learning experience, the module is delivered using clear language, charts, a video and case studies.  

Access the two-hour CPD sustainability course now!

 

Important Information: This publication is intended for professional investors. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. has a license as manager of UCITS and AIFs of the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets in Amsterdam and is subject to limited regulation in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority. Details about the extent of our regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority are available from us on request.

* Source: Global Sustainable Investment Alliance Report, 2016  

08 October 2019

Take a look at the changes Aegon has made to One Retirement including a half-price annual charge on new accounts for a limited time

Take a look at some of the changes Aegon has made to One Retirement, to help make saving easier for your clients.

Lower annual charge - limited time only

The standard annual charge is reduced from 0.3% to 0.15%. Rate reduces further to 0% for any additional investment over the price cap of £250,000. Applies to new accounts opened by midnight on 30 April 2020, when this offer ends and the rate will then return to 0.3%.

Open an account with only £1 initial investment

The minimum amount for single and regular contributions is reduced to £1. Minimum transfer values are also now lower, at only £250.

Why One Retirement?
It’s simple, flexible and managed from a single account. So your clients can move seamlessly into retirement without having to move their plan.

Your clients can grow their savings then choose from a range of flexible income options when they retire. The Aegon Governed fund range offers quality funds across the asset classes, including access to our value-focused, easy-to-use Core Portfolios range. It offers you integrated tools and reporting to help save you time, identify opportunities and demonstrate the value of advice.

To help you when speaking to your clients about One Retirement, Aegon has created sample letters that you can use.

Remember that the value of an investment can fall as well as rise and investors may get back less than the amount invested.

Find out more about the changes made to One Retirement

What next?

Speak to your usual Aegon contact. Or get in touch with the team on 03456 100 083 (choose option 1, then option 1 again), or email: [email protected]

02 October 2019

Are you missing out on referrals from accountants and solicitors?

Working collaboratively with accountants and solicitors is a double win for your business: 
 
1. It can lead to better outcomes for existing clients. 
2. It’s a great way to grow your business through referrals.
 
But how do you go about finding these referral relationships?
 
You won’t be surprised to hear that it’s not always straightforward and that it can take some time. 
 
The Power of Collaboration

Octopus Investments has put together an interactive guide called ‘The Power of Collaboration’ (it’s a PDF you can click to find your way around). It will help you refine your own approach to setting up and nurturing referral relationships. 
 
Inside, you’ll read about the four ingredients needed to grow through referrals. You’ll find short, helpful webinars embedded in the guide. There are also two videos – from SIFA and ICAEW – offering expert insight into the opportunity for advisers to collaborate with other professionals.

Download the interactive guide >> 

27 September 2019

Whats the value in a DFM? Rathbones launch the third and last chapter of the Value of DFM research

While partnering with a Discretionary Fund Manager is an established option for advisers, there’s been virtually no hard data on how advisers who’ve adopted it have performed against non-adopters.

How has adoption impacted client investment performance? How has adoption impacted client trust? How has adoption of a DFM affected the adviser’s use of time? Have adopters enjoyed greater revenues over non-adopters? 

Rathbones commissioned research specialist Coredata to undertake an adviser survey to understand these (and more) key issues.
 
You can see the results for yourself in the final chapter of ‘The value of discretionary fund management’, which has just been released.

Download the report now

25 September 2019

You are invited to join Aegon for two business protection webinars with structured CPD

Session one – Business protection and professional connections, 16 or 17 October at 10am (30 minutes) 

Makes the case for business protection for the UK’s 5.7 million businesses*. Did you know that only 47% of adviser firms have business protection in place**? Offers a step-by-step guide to engaging your business clients and developing your professional connections. 

register here for 16th Oct 10am >>

register here for 17th Oct 10am >>

 

Session two – Business protection continuity planning, 16 or 17 October at 1pm (30 minutes)

Using sales tools to highlight the importance of continuity planning for your clients. Articulating the risks business owners face. Understanding the tax position for key person cover.

register here for 16th Oct 1 pm >>

register here for 17th Oct 1 pm >>

 

Catherine Trimble– Aegon Business Development Manager – will lead both webinars and answer your questions along the way.

 

Register Now on the above links - You can register for one or both sessions on the day you prefer.