It has been revealed that 41% of over 45 year olds would consider funding their long term care by selling or renting their property.

The research carried out by Partnership aimed to measure the attitudes among the older generation regarding long term care.

52% of people asked believed that the state would fund their long term care, while 45% feel their pension income would be sufficient. However, only 4% of people asked would consider an insurance policy to help fund and take care of their long term care plans.

75% of families in the UK are at risk of financial hardship, as they have no protection products to guarantee their family’s financial security.

The research carried out by Scottish Widows highlighted the alarming truth that many families are playing a game of risk with their financial security.

Personal pensions are the most recommended individual pension product, followed closely by annuities and drawdown solutions, according to advisers.

Our annual individual pension service satisfaction review provides unique feedback on the specific service disciplines that advisers place greatest importance upon and also monitors their perception of the levels of service they are experiencing from their preferred individual pension business partners.

Almost half of the UK population (48%) don’t actually know what an annuity is, while a quarter of those who know what an annuity is, claim they offer poor value for money.

The Retail Distribution Review is increasing the pressure on advisers to deliver robust and suitable investment solutions that are efficient and cost effective for their clients.

One decision you are likely to face is the choice between passive and active funds, which is one choice from a whole host of other investment options.

Our research shows that relatively few advisers are currently advising on long-term care; primarily because advisers are not licensed or qualified to cover this insurance area. If the market is to flourish then more commitment from the adviser community will be required.

In our platform survey conducted January 2012, 26% of advisers currently outsource to a multi-manager, while 21% choose to outsource to a discretionary management service.

A majority of consumers have labelled the language used to describe pensions as complicated and confusing, while 93% think that information and literature provided by pension providers could be made simpler.

36% of advisers are likely to recommend investment trusts once the RDR is implemented next year, due to the broad spectrum of choice available, with 49% who already use or plan to use investment trusts post-RDR citing this feature as an attractive element.

With nine months to go until the new distribution landscape as mapped by the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) unfolds, the multi-manager industry continues to grow as advisers use these funds to partially outsource certain aspects of their investment process.

The third service aspect in the top ten is 'admin communication', which is ranked seventh in terms of importance, but only 25th in terms of satisfaction. Advisers need to be informed on progress and any other issues that may be arising either from their own administrative perspective or those that affect the client.

Preparing for the RDR will mean a massive amount of change for everybody as the industry looks to clarify consumers' experience while securing the future health of the industry.

While bonds traditionally offer the potential for higher yields than most other asset classes their value can be affected by many factors, including interest rates, currency and inflation movements.

Passive investing in retail funds in the UK is gaining traction, with figures from the Investment Management Association (IMA) suggesting it is on the increase, accounting for more than 8% of total equity fund sales in 2011.

The strategy, called 'delivering successful automatic enrolment', has outlined how the Pension Regulator will support the Government's pension reforms by aiming to ensure that employers comply.

87% of advisers have said it is their intention to hold on to their independent label after the Retail Distribution Review comes into effect, according to our research among platform users earlier this year.

According to research by the Sesame Bankhall Group, 31% of independent financial advisers believe they are expected to write more than 10% extra protection insurance business this year compared to last.

In the post Retail Distribution Review world, outsourcing to discretionary fund managers will be a benefit for advisers, as it will strengthen the relationship between the adviser and client.

A well managed, diversified strategic bond fund should deliver good relative fixed interest performance and at a considerably reduced volatility over the long-term because of its diversification.

40% of advisers haven't chosen which platform they wish to use to service their clients after the implementation of the Retail Distribution Review (RDR).

The platforms market is preparing to be challenged and put under pressure, as significant changes for the industry are expected in the run up to the Retail Distribution Review (RDR), according to Skandia.

The challenge of matching 'managed investment solutions' to a client's risk profile is currently a hot topic in the IFA market.

Despite posting only a small positive return last year, the Strategic Bond sector was the highest selling of all Investment Management Association (IMA) sectors in April, May and October 2011.

41% of investors choose to use an adviser when investing in a fund, while 20% select the investment funds they want to invest in collaboratively with their adviser, according to Legal & General.

Developments in the discretionary management industry are creating new opportunities for advisers to bring an additional level of investment services to a greater number of clients.

The reach of the discretionary manager has increased over the last three years as new solutions have been designed more to deal with the advisory market than wealthier private clients.

The latest statistics from the Investment Management Association revealed that November experienced the lowest level of net retail sales at £267 million since October 2008.

23% of consumers are anxious about buying financial products on their own as they are worried about purchasing the wrong one, according to our research.

The five main challenges facing advisers have been outlined, as the implementation of the FSA's Retail Distribution Review (RDR) draws closer.

More than one-in-five advisers (21%) now outsource some or all of their investment decision making to a discretionary manager. Historically, the benefits of using this method have been reserved for wealthier clients due to the minimum investment levels required.

Our through retirement guide offers comprehensive analysis of the long term care market to help advisers grow their knowledge in this area.

Our pension service review summarises our research on the level of service advisers receive from providers in the individual pension market.

The notions and aspirations people have for their retirement varies for every individual. The aspirations of many are to retire early and the reality for the majority is to work right up to statutory retirement and beyond.

The introduction of flexible drawdown into the self invested personal pensions (SIPPs) market has caused a wave of excitement among investors attracted to the prospect of being able to take as much income as they want from their pension fund.

Drawdown has been a major contributor to the growth of the self-invested personal pension (SIPP) market, accounting for at least 25% of SIPPs.

In deciding what service proposition advisers are going to offer their clients post-Retail Distribution Review implementation, the possibility of outsourcing has been close to the top of the agenda. This is particularly true of the management of clients' investments.

60% of businesses have admitted that they would not be able to survive the loss of a key person, according to a survey carried out by the Scottish Widows.

The complex financial decisions people face when planning for retirement have always been difficult to get right. However, increased longevity and challenging economic factors mean retirement preparations are now becoming increasingly difficult for many.

When it comes to selecting individual pension providers, it is understandably crucial to advisers that prospective partners are able to deliver competent and timely service that meets their expectations. If an adviser receives a slow, incomplete or otherwise unsatisfactory standard of service from a provider, this will have a knock-on effect on the service they provide to their client and they may incur increased costs if additional work is created.

Our review of protection provider service summarises our research on the level of service advisers receive from providers in this sector.

Finding a business protection provider capable of delivering the necessary levels of benefit is naturally important, but this is by no means the only thing advisers should consider when choosing a provider partner.

With implementation of the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) fast approaching, advisers are closely reviewing their own value propositions to ensure they will have a successful business in the post-RDR world. Thus, provider propositions that deliver real value for money are highly regarded by IFAs within the pension sector.

Whether well versed in business protection or relatively new to the sector, making the most of the support available from providers can be the key to helping advisers unlock new opportunities in this field.

Our recent survey of 500 IFAs measured the levels of satisfaction with provider service in the individual protection market and found that adviser expectations regarding service were not being met in 19 of 41 aspects of service examined (46%).

The Retail Distribution Review platform policy paper published in August was intended to remove any uncertainty around the regulation of platforms, but there is still confusion.

It is desirable for advisers, having convinced clients of the need for protection, to be able to get the business in place quickly. Applications must be processed promptly and within agreed timescales.

Business protection represents tremendous opportunities for advisers to write more business while addressing the needs of corporate clients.

While an increasing number of short term protection insurance (STIP) products have recently come on to the market in the wake of the payment protection insurance mis-selling scandal, there remain a limited number of STIP policies that are distributed via brokers or independent financial advisers.

Advisers have accepted the financial services landscape will change when the RDR comes into effect on January 1, 2013 and they are now preparing service propositions for an era when they will have to charge – and justify – fees.

The popularity and quantity of short term protection products is set to rise as creditor insurers seek to establish a stand-alone market for cover based on income not just loan payments, but what problems does this present for brokers?

The launch of the junior ISAs on some funds platforms will be an advantage for financial advisers looking to make the most of the new combinations of tax benefits available.

As the Retail Distribution Review draws closer it seems likely that the number of funds platforms in the market will decrease.

Due diligence when selecting the most suitable provider partner is crucial for advisers to maintain long-term client relationships. The competitive nature of the SIPP industry also demands recurring reviews of chosen partners, including for existing business, as advisers must be ready to respond to change in this dynamic sector.

Earlier this year, the Institute of Financial Planning (IFP) accredited Defaqto's publications to help advisers, financial planners and paraplanners with their continuing professional development.

If the wrong decision is made then switching to another platform will incur time and resource costs, as well as reflecting poorly on the adviser's decision-making skills in the eyes of the client.

Our recent survey of 232 platform users shows that discretionary fund managers (DFMs) have, for the first time, overtaken multi-managers as the investment outsourcing solution of choice.

The self invested personal pension (SIPP) market continues to grow strongly, with the assets under administration set to exceed £100bn in 2012.

Ten hurdles your SIPP provider must clear in order to achieve due diligence.

With mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI) unsuitable for those in rented accommodation or who may require benefits to cover alternative living expenses such as bills, short term income protection (STIP) products are a viable alternative.

If managing client investment portfolios takes up a considerable amount of your time and resource then outsourcing to a multi-manager fund could provide a real opportunity to delegate some of your investment responsibilities and focus on growing your business relationships.

In the wake of the payment protection insurance (PPI) mis-selling scandal, advisers are well placed to take advantage of the greater number of short term income protection (STIP) products that have recently become available to consumers.

Rental income means that property can be classed as an income generating asset. However it does not correlate closely to any other asset type, such as fixed interest and equities.

More than $108bn is currently invested in the Investment Management Association (IMA) UK All Companies sector, which equates for nearly 17% of the reported funds under management (correct as of 1 June 2011).

The majority of service areas advisers deem as important when selecting a platform are not meeting their expectations.

The protection market is currently flat and is suffering from low penetration, perceived lack of value and dented customer confidence.

Menu plans have transformed the way protection business is written and have been a welcome innovation in the life and protection market.

There are some 300 funds in the Investment Management Association (IMA) UK All Companies sector. One of the key principles for managing these sectors is to ensure that consumers understand what kinds of funds are in each.

Ethical funds specifically target companies that are socially responsible, work ethically, manufacture goods or provide services that are a benefit to humans, animals and the environment.

Investors looking to supplement their income from savings would be hard pressed to find returns of more than 3% on any deposit based accounts without a significant notice period.

Property has long been considered a potentially rewarding asset class, despite the volatility over the last three or four years. Not only have property capital values generally increased but property has also provided valuable return in terms of income.

Platform operators are offering a host of ancillary services that could support advisers in communicating more consistently with their clients and providing a better level of service.

Choosing a platform provider can be tricky. According to our recent research with advisers using platforms, ease of doing business and system reliability are the two main areas to consider.

Our recent research of adviser satisfaction of platform providers shows that the main reason why advisers are choosing to switch platforms is down to the service provided.

This has been an interesting year in the SIPP industry. While the number of providers has remained static at 74, there are now 122 products available, compared with 104 in 2010.

Platforms have revolutionised the way advisers accommodate client's needs with a range of investment vehicles available through them. In addition to this, there are other benefits for clients and advisers:

There is always a tendency for investors to favour their own domestic market, which is not surprising as the companies invested in will, for the most part, be familiar.

We have seen many advisers stop trialling platforms within their own service propositions and many have selected more than one, to ensure they cover all client segments.

After the Retail Distribution Review (RDR), we may see more advisers taking an interest in protection, however it remains to be seen whether the sector can reach out to those people outside its traditional client base.

Measuring the performance and obtaining accurate information for any discretionary fund manager (DFM) can be difficult.

Some advisers are looking to outsource the management of these investment portfolios to discretionary fund managers (DFM). However, many of the outsourcing partners may seem unfamiliar to advisers, so how easy is it to select a discretionary management company?

Our latest free publication on platforms summarises the findings of our research with advisers on the level of service they receive from platform providers.

For the past few years advisers have endured a very volatile market that has demanded considerable resource and expertise to manage client portfolios.

The current period of uncertainty leading up to RDR implementation is prompting many advisers to consider the way client portfolios are managed. Advisers intent on outsourcing their client's investment portfolios have the choice of using two methods.

Advisers have been outsourcing their clients' investments to a third party for several years, the method of choice was multi-manager funds. However our research indicates that in the last 12 months outsourcing to a discretionary fund manager (DFM) is becoming a real alternative to the traditional methods.

One of the effects of the financial crisis over the past few years has been very low interest rates around the world, with the base rate in the UK currently standing at 0.5%. Savers relying on income would be hard pressed to achieve a return of much more than 3% from any high street bank accounts with notice periods of under a year.

From 1 January 2013 the distribution of retail financial services will change significantly following the implementation of the Retail Distribution Review (RDR). Advisers, if they haven't already, will be looking at their business strategies and positioning themselves for this new era.

The trialling period for platforms now seems to be over. However, there still seem to be many concerns on how to adopt and integrate platforms into an adviser's business strategy, without any compromise on independence.

Investing in multi-manager funds has been the outsourcing solution of choice for several years now. However, our research has indicated that employment of a discretionary manager is being seen as a real alternative, with our most recent research indicating that more than a quarter of IFAs that are outsourcing use a discretionary manager in some capacity.

A respected SIPP provider commented in the media that SIPP fees would have to rise to counter low margins. It is little wonder since the Bank of England and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) have given providers a lot to be concerned about over the last couple of years.

One of the effects of the financial crisis over the past few years has been very low interest rates in the UK. With base rates remaining at an all-time low of 0.5%, cash deposits are not providing sufficient returns for investors relying on their income.

With much of the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) policy having now been published, advisers continue to support multi-manager investing as an investment outsourcing solution, reducing the burden of fund selection.

Our free review of pensions service measures adviser service satisfaction in the individual pension market. It summarises the key findings from our annual survey, which asked 500 advisers to rate/rank the level of service received from their preferred providers.

The day your client retires represents one of the most important decision-making points of their life and a time when they need the most financial guidance from you.

Rather than selecting funds to cover every sub asset class, you may like to consider a strategic bond fund, where it is left to the fund managers to decide on the proportions invested in each sub class.

Establishing the risk a customer is willing and able to take and making a suitable investment selection is paramount to assessing suitability.

When recommending cover for clients it is not just the level of cover that is important but also the type of benefit. A lump sum is eminently suitable for mortgage protection, to pay off some other form of debt, or to cover an inheritance tax liability, but for lifestyle protection, an income benefit is more suitable.

Results from our recent consumer survey, featured in our Retirement Report and Review of Pensions Service, found that 40% of people are currently saving for their retirement, either via a personal or employer-managed pension scheme.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has now made a ruling on the EU Gender Directive and as a result, insurers will no longer be allowed ot set different premiums for men and women from December 2012.

Those that are nervous of the market are looking for solutions to help them achieve their long-term goals, while at the same time removing some of the volatility of returns usually associated with stock market investment.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has finally published the long awaited Statement of Best Practice for Critical Illness Cover. The main purpose of the statement is to address the lack of clarity around Total & Permanent Disability (TPD) within critical illness plans.

The National Employment Savings Trust (NEST), due to be introduced in 2012, is the government's latest attempt to solve the ongoing problem of people not saving enough for their retirement. NEST has been created to offer a low-cost pension scheme to employers and to complement policies from providers by offering a scheme for the mass lower paid market.

The legislation prescribed by the 2011 Finance Bill will take effect on 6 April 2011. The changes to the income drawdown framework will have planning ramifications for those clients approaching, or already in, retirement.

According to figures from the Association of British Insurers (ABI), four times as many critical illness policies were sold in 2009 than income protection policies; and, whereas the number of critical illness policies sold increased by 6% on the previous year, income protection sales fell by 17%.

With 2012 now that little bit closer, many of you will have to start gearing up to recommending investments from a much wider pool of investment vehicles.

Most advisers will now have their eyes firmly fixed on the end of 2012. Those wishing to remain independent will have to be fully qualified by then and also have had to transform their businesses to run on fees rather than provider commissions.

There has been much discussion in the industry around the Mortgage Market Review with two discussion papers published during 2010.

The mortgage market for 2011 is expected to achieve a similar performance to 2010 with gross lending forecast to be in the region of £140bn.

Our recent survey of IFAs has found that personal pensions remain their most recommended individual pension product – and are recommended by 77% of the 500 IFAs questioned.

The government have announced draft legislation to remove the requirement to purchase an annuity at age 75 which has the effect of removing alternatively secured pensions (ASPs).

2010 was a difficult year for the equity release market. A number of issues caused angst to advisers.

Our recent research has shown that financial advisers are looking increasingly towards emerging markets for higher returns on client investments.

The approach of RDR implementation will mean a review of your business and service propositions.

Income protection is a difficult sell for IFAs compared to other protection products, however it remains an essential cover to consider and one that could add value to a client's portfolio as well as to an IFA's balance sheet.

Domestic equity has traditionally formed a significant part of most UK investors' portfolios. Many investors are now looking to UK equities to provide them with a competitive income stream given the paltry returns on cash at present.

Our free guide to third way products provides you with information on the range of products that exist within this sector.

Our latest free guide to multi-managers provides you with the investment information you need when selecting multi-manager funds for your clients.

Over the past few years an expansion of the investment powers of fund managers through UCITs and NURS regulations has meant a rapid expansion in the choice of funds available to the retail investor.

It is now 21 years since Self Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) were introduced and over that time more than 500,000 plans have been written.

Emerging markets appear to be recovering from the global recession more quickly than developed countries and many of you may consider them an attractive option; but there are also higher levels of risk to consider when investing in these countries.

Recent research conducted by Defaqto dispels the myth that only very wealthy clients can be considered for a discretionary managed service and suggests there is room for negotiation with an increase in service options being offered.

We have today published a free guide to Insurance Bonds, which encompasses both onshore bonds and offshore bonds.

Absolute return investment techniques are popular as they combat adverse and volatile market conditions to produce steadier returns for medium to long term investors.

On the 26 March 2010, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) issued Policy Statement (PS) 10/6, Distribution of retail investments: Delivering the RDR – feedback to CP09/18 and final rules, and although many of the principles remain consistent with themes discussed throughout the consultancy process, there are many issues that require further consideration by advisers.

Our free guide to platforms entitled 'Decisions, decisions' is now available to download.

The Retail Distribution Review (RDR) will be implemented at the end of 2012 meaning that there are two and a half years left for advisers to commensurately position themselves and their businesses in line with RDR principles.

All adviser firms providing investment advice to retail clients will be required to set their own charges for the advice given. Once these rules have come into effect adviser firms will no longer be able to receive commission payments from providers as reward for recommending their products.

Defaqto's new guide to critical illness published today reports that despite declining mortgage sales, criticalillness sales have not suffered as much as expected.

Defaqto's latest free guide to multi-manager investment has revealed that despite Investment Management Association (IMA) figures showing yet another record high for funds under management by multi-managers, there are only a handful with a demonstrable track record.

The latest edition of Multi-Manager Guide: Blending Talents, Defaqto's free guide to multi-manager investment, has been published.