Financial Services Unplugged with Tom McPhail

What’s going on with retail investment platforms

The lang cat’s own ace data and insights analyst Steve Nelson, and antipodean refugee turned Citywire journalist James Fitzgerald talk through what’s happening in the world of retail investment platforms. Also, why Transact is the Sergei Bubka of platform pricing.

If you want to know more about the lang cat's research into the platform market, head over here

https://langcatfinancial.co.uk/publications/state-of-the-platform-nation-2021-22/

What’s the ABI up to?

The ABI is busy, on auto enrolment, pension engagement, advice and guidance, social care, small pots, dashboards, retirement income guidance and more; here’s an update on what’s going on.

PS, I got the mic setting wrong on this one so the sound quality is a bit poor, sorry.

Some pension solutions

After last week's rant about what's wrong with pensions, an attempt this week to suggest some solutions, including a couple of slightly non-conformist ideas about the regulatory architecture and pensions tax relief

What’s wrong with pensions?

Not the definitive list of problems but a walk through some of the key pension policy issues that are on my mind, including pension freedom and taxation, Value For Money and Consumer Duty, the Statement Season that isn’t, the lack of joined-up-ness on the Stronger Nudge and the Treasury’s plans for regulatory reform. If you have any feedback on this episode, you can DM me @pensionsmonkey

The University Superannuation Scheme: learning some lessons

Independent pensions consultant John Ralfe doesn't pull his punches as he talks through the issues, myths and misunderstandings about the UK's largest funded defined benefit pension scheme. 

The British Steel Pension Scheme: A spectacular and ongoing collective failure

Few individuals or organisations involved come out of this looking good. Philippa Hann of Clarke Wilmott gives an excellent explanation of what's been happening at British Steel; we also talk about some of the persistent flaws in the regulatory regime, including  Professional Indemnity insurance and the regulation of Appointed Representatives. 

What the Spring Statement means for financial services; also, more on advice and guidance

Now the dust has settled, Rachel Vahey from AJ Bell talks about the Spring Statement and what it means from the perspective of the financial services industry. We also talk about the boundary between advice and guidance and what can be done to meet the needs of consumers.

The financial adviser perspective

The lang cat's own Steve Nelson and Lisa Johnstone from VWM Wealth Planning talk about the state of financial advice, the world of financial advisers, the FCA and fintech. A wide-ranging chat that highlights some of they key challenges facing the industry today.

What’s that coming over the hill? Is it a pension dashboard?

Pension Dashboards really are now actually happening. Hopefully in the end it will be good news for consumers and maybe even the pensions industry too but in the meantime, it means disruption and cost. Chris Curry from the Pension Dashboard Programme (and sometimes the PPI too) and AJ Bell’s Rachel Vahey talk through what entails and where we’re going.

James Coney, Money Editor at the Times and Sunday Times

The media death spiral and recovery; Martin Lewis; financial advice fee charging; greenwashing and ESG - does anyone actually care? Fund manager accountability. Also a quick chat about Ali Hussain