(February 2013)
What does an IFA do? Vivian Slattery explains.
Unfortunately, the financial services industry has got quite a bad name for itself for various reasons. Because of this, some people have questioned whether they need an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA).
Benefits of having an IFA
As an IFA, the first thing I do when I see a new client is look at their existing policies. Many people have accumulated a number of policies over the years but have never reviewed them. Over the years, pension and savings products have
January 2012 at just above 5,500, and as I write this article on 9 November, it closed just above 5,750. The Dow Jones opened at 12,221.19 and currently stands at 12,811.17, while the Nikkei opened just above 8,500 and closed just above 8,700, so I think you could conclude that these have also been flat.
people and their families. There are currently over 3 million people aged over 80 and this is projected to double by 2030
It’s been reported that nearly half (46%1) of working women now describe themselves as the main breadwinner in their household. Furthermore, nearly half (44%1) of working women surveyed said 
As I work in such a male-dominated industry, you may already know that I’m very pro-women in business. However, sexual equality can also have its downside and on 21 December 2012, unisex rates will come into effect. This should be taken into consideration when planning your finances. The areas that it will affect are as follows:
settlements are one of the major considerations of a divorce and we work closely with a number of solicitor firms who give advice in this area. When arranging a financial settlement, some of the issues that need to be considered include pensions, mortgage capacity, investments and insurances. The majority of solicitors have some understanding of these areas, but it’s limited, so it’s important to seek advice from an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA).
It has been reported that property prices have increased by 240% in London since 1996, the average wedding these days costs £20,000 and it’s predicted that students could leave university with debts of up to £54,000.
One of the most common new year’s resolutions is to sort out finances, but many people say this without devising a plan that sets out exactly what they want to achieve. As Brian Tracy says: “People with clear written goals accomplish far more than people without them can ever imagine.” 
Consumer confidence seemed to be on the increase, with the hot weather and the Royal Wedding attributing to the second sharpest rise in May since the survey began in 1974.