IFA Talk

Podcast #99: Opportunities for closing the advice gap AND helping advice businesses to build scale - with Octopus Money’s Ruth Handcock

Our guest on this week’s IFA Talk is Ruth Handcock, Chief Executive of Octopus Money – and someone who’s always been so passionate about the future of financial advice as she makes so clear in this conversation. 

During her chat with Sue and Brandon, Ruth explains how by using a combination of coaches (aka humans!) and great tech, Ruth and her team at Octopus Money is now partnering with financial advice businesses to deliver practical and cost effective solutions to these big challenges. 

Podcast #98: What can we expect from markets in 2025? With Shanti Kelemen, M&G Wealth

In this week’s show, Sue and Brandon talk to Shanti Kelleman firstly to reflect on some of the ideas her and her team got right in 2024. They progress to talk about her thoughts on some of the possible positive events she’s seeing ( spoiler alert – look out for some surprises here!), then it rolls into where some of the key risks might lie and how she and her team use these ideas to create diversification within portfolios. 

Podcast #97: IFA Talk’s Budget Special | What do advisers need to know? With Dynamic Planner’s Steph Wilcox

In this week’s special edition of our IFA Talk, Sue and Brandon focus on the measures announced in last week’s budget that are of most relevance to advisers and their clients. 

Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ first budget was always going to involve some big decisions. And big was what she delivered - announcing the biggest budget tax rises we’ve seen in the modern era - at a whopping £40bn. Whether it’s employer NICs, IHT, CGT, pensions, the property market, gilts etc. the chancellor has given advisers plenty to think about. 

M&P Podcast #11: Why are long-term fixed rate mortgages growing in popularity? With April Mortgages’ Rachael Hunnisett

We’re used to seeing fixed rate mortgages being offered for a 2 year term or even up to 5 years but recently the market has been moving to offer even longer fixed rate products.  

Sue and Brandon’s guest on today’s Mortgage & Property special edition of the IFA Talk podcast is really on top of all this and she is Rachael Hunnisett, Director Of Mortgage Distribution at April Mortgages. April is a lender which specialises in longer term fixes – and in her role there, Rachael is very much involved in driving their intermediary business. 

I&P Podcast #8: Unlocking the power of Business Protection with Shelley Read from Royal London

In this episode of IFA Talk, Jenny and Brandon dig into the topic of Business Protection and why it’s something advisers shouldn’t overlook. In fact, it’s something that should be at the forefront of planning for businesses to have the right cover in place to protect both the company and its clients when the unexpected happens. 

Podcast #96 - Revitalising UK REITs: The factors driving change in real estate with Matt Norris from Gravis

Welcome to our latest IFA Talk podcast! In this episode, we dive into the evolving landscape of UK Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), which have faced recent challenges but currently show signs of revitalisation.

Joining us is Matt Norris, Head of Real Estate Securities at Gravis, who will walk us through seven key factors that could spark a positive shift in the sector, beginning with the impact of declining interest rates. 

Podcast #95: Why your advice business needs to take marketing seriously – and how to be better at doing it

Getting to grips with marketing is the subject for this week’s IFA Talk. Sue and Brandon’s guest is Nicola McCoosh. Nicola is founder of Yada Yada Finance, a financial marketing business based in Northern Ireland.

It was set up by Nicola – a seasoned marketing professional herself- to help financial services firms to bridge the gap between the needs of the business and needs of the clients which that business serves. 

Podcast #94: Boosting the uptake of advice in the approach to retirement with TPT’s Philip Smith

In this episode of IFA Talk, we are joined by TPT's Philip Smith to discuss the main reasons why so few people approaching retirement will use an adviser, how advisers can boost the uptake of professional advice at this key point and also set out a wish list for what some the biggest priorities might be for the new Labour government when it comes to DC schemes.

 

Podcast #93: What practical AI solutions look like, with 4admin’s Arran Kingston

In this episode of IFA Talk, Jenny and Brandon delve into the rapidly evolving world of AI within financial services—a sector ripe with opportunities for innovation. Despite the buzz around AI, many advice firms are still navigating how to translate talk into tangible, practical solutions. Thankfully, we had Arran Kingston, Founder and CEO of 4admin, join us to share how his company is doing just that. P

Podcast #92: AIM IHT Solutions - Combining Growth Potential and Tax Planning, with Charles Stanley’s James Rae

Joining us is James Rae, Head of the AIM Inheritance Tax Service at Charles Stanley—one of the UK’s leading wealth management firms. Charles Stanley’s award-winning AIM service has helped countless advisers, and their clients navigate the complexities of IHT planning. 

In this episode James will share his insights on how this service works, what makes it stand out, and how advisers can confidently offer it to their clients. He also very kindly looks into the future to give us his opinion on what the Labour government may say about AIM in the Autumn Budget 2024!