IFA Talk

In this month’s special New Insurance & Protection episode of IFA Talk, we explore the changing professional risk landscape and how developments in regulation, technology and professional services are influencing the professional indemnity market.

To discuss this, Meg and Jenny are joined by Kate Albert, CEO of Kova Professions, an insurer specialising in professional indemnity cover across a range of professions, including accountants and financial advisers. With more than 20 years’ experience in PI underwriting, alongside several years working within the FCA, Kate shares her perspective on how professional risk has evolved and the key developments firms and advisers need to be aware of.

The episode explores the relationship between regulation, professional standards and PI, including where greater clarity and consistency could make a difference for insurers and the professionals they cover. Kate also discusses the emerging risks associated with the increasing use of AI across professional services, and what these developments could mean for firms and the types of claims they may face.

With Income Protection Action Week taking place this week, the conversation also considers the wider focus on quality of advice and better outcomes across the protection sector.

In this week’s episode, Ben Kumar, Head of strategy, wealth investment and public policy at 7IM, joins us to share his insights on bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.

While prices of these digital currencies can mean a very bumpy ride for investors, they remain a popular topic on social media. Prices began to rise again over the summer, so we thought now would be a good time to give advisers some fresh insight. Ben reveals where he is seeing Bitcoin pop up in conversations between advisers and their clients, after a strong run.

He also unpacks the changing rules to Crypto ETNs, following the lifting of the retail ban. And with a consultation now open on potentially capping crypto exposure within retail funds, Ben shares how much harder this makes an adviser’s job.

After that, Ben explains how advisers can keep up with when the tax rules keep shifting, before outlining what a genuinely balanced, and suitability-led answer might look like when clients ask whether they should have Bitcoin in their portfolio.

In this month’s special Tax-Efficient Investment edition of IFA Talk, the podcast from IFA Magazine, we’re diving into the topic of EIS, which continues to show value more than 30 years after it was launched.

Joining us to share her insights is Christiana Stewart-Lockhart, Director General at the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) Association. Christiana explains why EIS remains such a vital piece of the UK’s investment landscape.

She also unpacks the increase in EIS limits, which doubled in April 2026, answering wat this has changed for founders and investors, along with the limit changes to SEIS in 2023.

While tax reliefs are a key part of the EIS, they're often not well understood. Christiana reveals how people can find out more about them, along with sharing some of the work that the EIS Association are doing to raise awareness.

And finally, Christiana shares how advisers should approach EIS risks, and where it fits in a genuinely diversified portfolio.

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk, the weekly podcast from IFA Magazine, we discuss the launch of PruFund on Scottish Widows Platform.

Joining us on this special podcast, in partnership with Scottish Widows, are Jamie Drewett and Karen Fitzpatrick. Jamie is Head of Intermediary Sales at Scottish Widows, while Karen is a Pension Specialist at M&G.

Together, we discuss how Scottish Widows Platform has expanded its investment proposition with the addition of PruFund. Jamie and Karen share their respective companies' perspectives and reveal why this collaboration is such a significant development for advisers.

We also run through the role of smoothed funds, explaining why they play such a key role in adviser propositions, especially as market volatility continues.

With advisers dealing with an increasingly complex market, we discuss how investment choice and platform capability can help advisers deliver better client outcomes and create value in their business.

Finally, we take a look ahead to what might come next for adviser propositions as they continue to evolve, with Jamie and Karen sharing how they expect the roles of platforms and investment solutions to develop.

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk, the weekly podcast from IFA Magazine, Mark Keogh, Head of Asset Management at Blackfinch joins us to discuss both Model Portfolio Services (MPS) and Tailored Portfolio Services (TPS).

Mark outlines the differences between the two services, explaining what advisers should look at beyond investment performance to judge whether the relationship will work in practice.

We also discuss the importance of access to the investment team during times of volatile markets and the questions which advisers should be asking.

Finally, for firms deciding between MPS and TPS, Mark answers how they can assess whether the provider will strengthen their relationship with clients rather than simply taking investment decisions off their hands.

In the latest special Mortgage & Property edition of IFA Talk, we explore the growing role of artificial intelligence across the mortgage sector and how technology is changing compliance, Consumer Duty and day-to-day workflows across financial services.

As AI continues to move further into the financial services landscape, Meg and Sue are joined by Dawid Kotur, CEO and co-founder of Curvestone AI, who shares his experience of applying AI within regulated industries. Together, they explore where the technology is already making a difference, and where the biggest opportunities could lie for the mortgage sector.

The conversation looks at the limitations of traditional spot-checking approaches to compliance, how technology can support greater oversight while keeping human judgement and accountability at the centre, and what brokers and lenders should consider when assessing AI solutions.

The episode also looks ahead to the opportunities for AI across the wider mortgage journey, including pre-underwriting and other areas where technology could improve efficiency and support better outcomes.

Mag7, gold, Bitcoin, SpaceX… when the latest investment story dominates the headlines, how can advisers help clients avoid the FOMO? In the latest episode of IFA Talk, Sue and Meg are joined by Ben Peele, Managing Director of Partner Group at PortfolioMetrix, to explore the dangers of chasing the latest investment fashions.

From the Magnificent Seven and gold to Bitcoin and SpaceX, headline-grabbing investment options can be incredibly compelling – and it’s only human not to want to miss out.

But for clients, jumping on the latest investment bandwagon can also mean taking on unintended risks and losing sight of the bigger picture.

So, what role can advisers and investment managers play in helping clients keep their heads when the latest “must-have” investment is tempting them into a speculative approach rather than sensible financial planning?

Ben discusses not only why these stories attract so much attention, but also the role MPS can play in keeping portfolios on track, and how advisers can help clients visualise the benefits of a diversified, strategic approach to long term investing. After all, it’s the latter which can really help deliver their financial planning objectives as well as the peace of mind to sleep at night.

 

In this month’s special Tax-Efficient Investment edition of IFA Talk, the podcast from IFA Magazine, we dive into sustainable, climate-friendly investing. Joining us is Dr Nicky Dee, the Co-Founder of Carbon13, a venture builder and investor designed to accelerate high-impact climate tech solutions at scale.

Nicky discusses SEIS and shares how a venture builder such as Carbon13 offers a structurally different approach. She also walks us through what she’s learnt in her time surrounded by emerging climate tech, looking back to Cleantech 1.0 and revealing where the industry is now.

After that, Nicky shares some of Carbon13’s experiences with early-stage climate tech companies, detailing some of the key lessons she’s learnt while watching hundreds of companies succeed and fail. Nicky also voices her approval for the SEIS scheme, which has become a source of envy across Europe.

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk, the weekly podcast from IFA Magazine, Charlie Marchant, CEO of Exposure Ninja, joins us to share her insights on AI.

Here on IFA Talk, it’s very rare that we do a podcast without at least mentioning AI, but this week, we focus specifically on AI and how it is impacting the world of financial advising.

Charlie explains how the journey of a financial adviser is changing today, answering why more and more people are relying on AI tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews instead of just searching.

After that, Charlie reveals how these AI tools decide which firms to recommend and where it pulls its information from. Then, Charlie shares her expert insights to firms with just one marketing person, or even none, outlining what they should be doing over the next 90 days to improve their AI visibility while staying financially compliant.

In this month's special New Insurance & Protection episode of IFA Talk, we explore the value of protection advice and why it should sit at the heart of holistic financial planning.

To discuss this, Matt and Jenny are joined by Vikki Jefferies, Market Development Director at Legal & General. Vikki shares her insights into the importance of protection advice, the challenges around the protection customer knowledge gap, and how advisers can help clients better understand the value of protection.

The episode also explores the wider value protection can provide beyond simply paying claims, with Vikki sharing some of the stories recognised through the British Quality Awards and the impact advisers can have on their clients’ lives.

Lastly, we turn our attention to discuss why protection should be viewed as a core part of holistic financial planning, while offering key takeaways for advisers looking to have more meaningful protection conversations with their clients.