Business Development Updates

09 November 2016

Trump reaction - detailed analysis and investment consequences from Pictet Asset Management

In brief: Donald Trump’s shock victory in the US election could transform the investment landscape.  While his plans to deliver fiscal stimulus and tax cuts could provide a much-needed boost to growth, his views on global trade should concern investors.

Read this excellent balanced review from the Pictet AM Strategy Unit.

Headlines from this document

Protectionist Trump – no friend of trade Silver linings – tax cuts and infrastructure investment Wider deficit, higher inflation,  higher rates Trump’s pledges and the investment consequences – a summary table US industrial, healthcare stocks  could shine Bonds to struggle Political risks hold sway

Contact Pictet
To contact one of the Pictet Business Development Team you’ll find all the details here>>

07 November 2016

Maximise your earnings potential? Tried and tested support? Flexibility to be your own boss? Interested?

If you are a self-motivated, successful wealth adviser who wants to be their own boss and build your own business then our client, Mint Wealth Management, would love to talk to you.

Mint Wealth Management are a leading Wealth Management company that prides itself on providing clients with the highest levels of customer service and advice. Advisers are self-employed but enjoy the support of a successful team and a wide range of resources that are difficult to match.

They are keen to expand their existing network of advisers around the country and are keen to talk to advisers who have an existing client bank and a desire to move their business to the next level.

To find out more about this exciting opportunity, please contact Martin Lees, business principal on 07970 721512 / [email protected] for an initial conversation.

30 October 2016

Brooks Macdonald is pleased to announce that the IFSL North Row Liquid Property Fund has been assigned a risk profile of 5 by Distribution Technology

Distribution Technology’s Dynamic Planner Fund Risk Profiles are used by thousands of advisers in the UK.  Their analysis of portfolios is robust, well presented and is updated quarterly so advisers can be confident that the risk rating is regularly reviewed to ensure it remains the most appropriate.  
 
Distribution Technology’s methodology
DT’s asset allocation methodology is based on the principles of modern portfolio theory. The risk profiles provided by DT are risk profiles of the long-term asset allocations adopted by the fund in question. A fund is assigned a risk profile between 1 and 10; with 10 being the riskiest.  
 
About the Fund
The IFSL North Row Liquid Property Fund is an alternative to core bricks and mortar funds with an innovative investment approach. The fund’s approach to property investing enables the manager to gain exposure to predominantly UK commercial property assets via capital markets, rather than physical exposure, which results in a liquid fund. The fund can remain fully invested (alleviating concerns over cash drag) and can be fully sold down in less than a day.
 
Risk management
As part of the fund’s risk management process, specific property asset class allocation limits have been determined. These limits provide protection from excessive exposure to assets with non-normal return characteristics while also allowing for diversification to offset potential undesired risks.
 
About North Row Capital
A subsidiary of Brooks Macdonald, North Row Capital is a boutique investment manager dedicated to offering funds that provide liquid exposure to assets that are physical and therefore traditionally difficult to trade quickly and easily.
 
If you would like more information about Brooks Macdonald or the IFSL North Row Capital Liquid Property Fund, contact Andrew Pope using the details below.
 
T: 020 7408 5523
E: [email protected]

19 October 2016

Smart ways to grow your tax-planning business

Join an Octopus workshop today

Find out how tax-efficient investing could benefit your clients at an Octopus tax-planning workshop including:

How investing in Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) supports some of Britain’s brightest start-up businesses and can help your clients reduce their tax liabilities. How investing in companies that qualify for Business Property Relief could help your clients’ estate planning by reducing their inheritance tax liabilities. Case studies that could help you decide which investment opportunities may be suitable to recommend to your clients. A demonstration of a new app that can generate tax-planning illustrations based on your clients’ investment objectives.  Details of tax-efficient investments, including Octopus Titan VCT and the Octopus AIM Inheritance Tax Service ISA.

The ‘roundtable’ format gives you an opportunity to ask questions and share your client stories. There’ll be refreshments and each workshop is eligible for two hours of structured Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
Places at these workshops are limited, so please book now. You’re welcome to bring colleagues or professional connections too. Use this link to find your nearest venue:

Here to help
If you have any questions, please contact your local business development manager or call 0800 316 2067. If you don’t know who your BDM contact is, the Octopus Sales Support team would be happy to help.
 
Octopus look forward to seeing you there.

12 October 2016

Enhance your client service and streamline your own business process

27 September 2016

Free guide to Investment Strategies powered by Global Mega Trends

Order your free copy of this definitive guide to Thematic Investing

This Guide to thematic investment driven by global mega trends offers a new way of developing your clients’ investment portfolios. The guide is a 60 page document available as hard copy for your retention and reference. If you complete these brief details Pictet Asset Management will send your copy within 10 working days.

13 September 2016

Is there a case for clients transferring from their DB schemes

Pensions Freedom has caused a number of clients to reconsider their Defined Benefit pensions, attracted to greater access to their pension funds. But the transfer analysis process is complex and requires specialist expertise. If you have clients for whom such a process might be worthwhile you may have in house expertise and permissions or if not you may consider working with a specialist firm like Easy Financial Planning (you can talk to Easy and find out more about how they can help you here>>)

 
DB pensions can be complex in structure, often difficult to interpret and usually contain several benefits and guarantees. If you do not have the right permissions, or simply wish for some specialist support then Easy Financial Planning can help.
 
About Easy Financial Planning
 
Easy Financial Planning are pension transfer experts helping to take the headache out of Pension transfers. Easy have spent the last 10 years helping financial advisers through the complex world of pensions by allowing them to completely outsource the data gathering and advice process – whilst letting them retain control of their client. To talk to Easy and find out more about how they can help you go here>>

13 September 2016

Octopus Titan VCT: backing Britain's brightest businesses

With over £300 million in assets under management, Octopus Titan VCT is the largest Venture Capital Trust (VCT) in the UK*. It targets high levels of capital growth, with a strong track record of converting investment performance into tax-free dividends for investors. 

Because of its size and track record, it’s able to attract some of the best entrepreneurs and management teams who are looking to build their businesses. This is reflected in the successful exits the VCT has seen in recent months. In 2016 alone, Octopus Titan VCT has had three significant realisations from portfolio company sales including SwiftKey to Microsoft, Vision Direct to Essilor and Magic Pony Technology to Twitter. More importantly for investors, these exits enabled Octopus to pay out a 7p dividend in April in addition to the recently announced interim dividend of 2p, which will be paid on 2 September 2016.

New share offer now open 

Octopus Titan VCT is seeking to raise up to £70 million, with the potential for a further £50 million, subject to demand. More details can be found in the brochure or by attending one of the upcoming webinars (further information on these below). 
 
Discounts available

•    Investors who apply for new shares before 13 December 2016 will receive a 1% ‘early bird’ discount on the initial fee.   
•    In addition, to thank clients who have already invested with Octopus, they are offering a 1% loyalty discount on the initial fee if they make a new investment in Octopus Titan VCT. These discounts can be combined for eligible clients.     

Now you can invest in a VCT via Direct Debit 

Many advisers have asked if it would be possible for their clients to invest in a VCT via a monthly subscription, in the same way as they would with a pension or ISA. Now Octopus is delighted to be able to offer you and your clients this service for the first time with a VCT. For more information please call the dedicated business development team on 0800 316 2067.

10 August 2016

Developing your Protection Business - Free Guide

26 July 2016

Brooks Macdonald Regional Investment Lunches

14 July 2016

Access to NewsBrief - our monthly round up (1 hour CPD)- with a strong Brexit flavour!

Access this convenient, independent summary of Referendum consequences for financial advisers.

NewsBrief is published each month and available exclusively through Adviser Home. To register for the July Edition and ensure you have access to NewsBrief every month just register here>>

The July NewsBrief* covers:-
•    Political and regulatory developments surrounding the referendum 
•    The current regulatory approach 
•    Impact on trade relations with the EU 
•    The potential for corporation tax cuts 
•    Credit rating agencies assessment of the UK
 …and a range of other developments.

Keeping up to date

We know you need to be kept up to date on marketplace and regulatory changes – by registering here>>  you will be able to do this - and at the same time validate your understanding and make this the core of your CPD activities.

And – Investment Markets 

We’d also add that when you register and select the Investment moduleyou will automatically have access to Barometer- the excellent global markets review from Pictet Asset Management.
 

*Note: NewsBrief is edited by John Lappin – the respected industry commentator

07 July 2016

Wanted: Ambitious professional advisers seeking a life in the sun

 

Our clients, Blevins Franks, are seeking professional financial advisers to live in a choice of attractive Mediterranean locations and work with affluent expatriate clients.

 

If the idea of working abroad has appeal for you then here’s an outline of what’s involved:- 
•    There are over 2 million wealthy British expatriates living around the Mediterranean and requiring holistic wealth management along with tax planning advice particular to their location, this is unlikely to change following the Brexit referendum outcome
•    These clients are committed to life on the continent and Blevins Franks are advising them – and others planning to move to the Mediterranean - on steps that may be necessary to ensure continued residency
•    With Blevins Franks you would have access to the best possible technical support – particularly around tax matters – along with practical marketing assistance
•    Blevins Franks have offices in France, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus and Malta
•    Professional financial advisers are sought- with at least Level 4 or equivalent qualification- to work from one of these locations
•    Blevins Franks is the leading international tax and wealth adviser to retired expatriates and has been providing cross border tax advice for over 40 years

If some of this sparks an interest then it may well be worth a conversation – so call Frank Alvino on 0207 389 5220 or, if you prefer, email on [email protected]    

 

01 July 2016

BREXIT - What to do now?

Thinking about best practice for advisers in the ever evolving aftermath of last week’s vote. Here are some thoughts – we hope you’ll find some of use in your business.

The financial services community are not a mirror for the country so some/many of your clients will have voted to leave. We must all be careful to recognize this in client communications and conversations. Find out what your clients are thinking - only then can you devise a communication plan. Communicate with clients. If you wait for the dust to settle, you may miss the boat…. And silence may foster anxiety. Communicate with regularity – in times of uncertainty regular well balanced communication can reassure – what frequency? Depends partly on your style – but perhaps every month for now and then move to a lower frequency? Communication options: E comms including social media Seminars / Webinars One to one – f2f or tele based And not forgetting the traditional letter! Communications content? Beware of easy conclusions – at time of writing the FTSE100 is slightly up on its pre Brexit position, though the FTSE 250 may be a better Brexit benchmark and it’s down. It’s tempting to simply say that long term client plans should not be derailed or materially adjusted by a single event – but there are many factors contributing to current uncertainty:- PM leadership contest with the previous favoutiute now not standing Possible early election once Tory leader in place Opposition in severe difficulties Possible/ probable Scottish exit referendum Possible moves to re-open Irish discussions Probability that EU will be highly robust in its approach to negotiations – with the end  of the single market Possible new recession in UK Possible further European referenda – general European contagion effect Interest rates further downward [pressure unless pound drifts further downwards? Unpredictable short term correlation between markets and the economy At same time towards the end of the year we may see many more positive signs of vitality with new deals throughout the world and some early clarity on life outside the EU. Be aware of the impact of uncertainty on client risk responses – important that risk appetite is not unnaturally dampened – otherwise clients risk losing upside. But this may be the time to reconsider what options are available to protect capital and / or to access lower risk investment solutions. Use provider material where its client complied – but be conscious that some provider messages will vary, may tend to be positive in all circumstances and of course you won’t agree with all of it. If you operate with a CIP then consider how, if at all the current situation should effect strategy and tactics. If you operate with adviser led portfolio creation then it would seem prudent at this time to ensure practice level knowledge and involvement in portfolio construction and management. Opportunities: Do you manage all the assets of all of your clients? If not, then change like this makes a case for at the very least, oversight of most or all of a client’s assets New clients – either those who are currently DIY, or those who have new sources of instable capital. This, we can all agree is objectively the time to be seeking professional advice

27 June 2016

A Brexit Blog from Octopus investments

The likely implications of the Brexit vote, as well as Octopus current portfolio positioning and any potential investment opportunities. This blog has been approved for use with investors, so please feel free to share it with your clients.

View the attached PDF>>

27 June 2016

Watch this Brexit reaction video now

Just 20 minutes – a morning after reaction from Pictet – just register and you will go straight to the webinar recording – whatever time suits.

Register and view here>>

16 June 2016

Helping clients make better use of trust arrangements

It’s now ten years since the 2006 Finance Act changed the landscape for discretionary trusts by introducing three distinct points where an inheritance tax charge could potentially arise (upon entry, exit and periodic charges). 

So why is this important? Because 2016 is the first year that post-2006 discretionary trusts, or ‘relevant property trusts’, will trigger the ten-year 6% periodic charge.

Octopus offer BPR-qualifying investments that can help clients maximise the value of trusts for future generations. That’s because:
•    If assets are BPR-qualifying when they are settled into trust, there’s no ‘chargeable lifetime transfer’ (CLT) upon entry.
•    If a trust comprises BPR-qualifying investments at the ten-year point, there will be no periodic inheritance tax charge due.
•    And, when the time comes for capital to be distributed by the trust, as long as the trust assets are entirely BPR-qualifying, there’s no exit charge to inheritance tax, either. 

Talk to Octopus about BPR

If you have clients whose trusts have at least two years before reaching the periodic charge, or if you have clients who are looking to settle assets into a trust in the future, you may want to talk to Octopus about using BPR-qualifying investments with the aim of reducing, or in some cases eliminating, inheritance tax charges applicable to discretionary trusts. 

For more information there’s three options:-

1. Get in touch with your localOctopus Business Development Manager 
2. Call 0800 316 2298.
3. Register herefor the Octopus webinar on 6 July at 11.00am and earn one hour of CPD.