IFA Talk

Podcast #143: How advisers can help clients avoid a retirement income shortfall with Gill Millen, Managing Director at Bowmore Financial Planning

This week on IFA Talk, Matt Williams and Jenny Hunter are joined by Gill Millen, Managing Director at Bowmore Financial Planning, to dig into one of the most pressing issues facing advisers and their clients today: people simply aren’t saving enough for retirement. 

Bowmore’s latest analysis reveals that many clients, even those in their 40s and 50s and beyond, are contributing far below recommended levels, putting them at risk of a serious retirement income shortfall. In this episode, Gill shares practical ideas for how advisers can use this data to encourage clients to boost contributions and engage with their pensions earlier. 

The conversation covers why under-saving is such a growing concern, how advisers can engage younger clients without adding to their financial stress, the best ways to nudge clients to increase contributions gradually, and where advisers can add the most value through smart pension planning. 

If you’re looking for actionable tips to help clients secure a more sustainable retirement income, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. 

 

NI&P Podcast #17: Are advisers missing the trick when it comes to Insurance & Protection? With The Exeter’s Jamie Page

The latest New Insurance & Protection special edition of IFA Talk shines a light on an issue that impacts millions of households across the UK – protection.  

In this episode, hosts Sue Whitbread and Meg Bratley are joined by The Exeter’s Head of Protection Distribution, Jamie Page. Jamie explains why certain groups continue to be left behind when it comes to protection, and what the industry can do as a whole to ensure we see real change moving forward.  

Highlights from this week’s episode  

• Unpacking underserved markets and their importance  

• Who are the underserved groups in protection? and the unique challenges that they face 

• Advisers’ role in reaching underserved markets 

• Advice on how to ensure underserved groups aren’t left behind 

This episode makes for a fascinating and timely discussion, highlighting the responsibility – and the opportunity – advisers have to make protection advice more relevant and accessible to all at a pivotal time.

 

Podcast #142: Are pension transfer woes really over? A conversation with Anthony Rafferty, CEO of Origo

This week on IFA Talk, we’re getting into one of the biggest talking points in pensions – transfers. For years, they’ve been a bit of a nightmare. Slow processes, endless paperwork, frustrated clients… we’ve all heard the stories. But are those days finally behind us, or is there still work to be done? 

Sue Whitbread, Editor here at IFA Magazine, and Senior Financial Journalist Jenny Hunter are joined by Anthony Rafferty, CEO of Origo, to find out. Anthony shares his take on what’s changed, why some providers are getting it right while others are still dragging their heels, and what it’s going to take to bring everyone up to speed. 

Of course, the pensions world never stands still, so the chat also covers how wider uncertainty could affect things over the months ahead. And then there’s the pensions dashboard, after all the delays, is it finally back on track? What will it mean for advisers, providers and consumers once it’s up and running? 

It’s a lively, insightful conversation with plenty of straight talk about where we are now and what’s coming next. 

Podcast #141: What do advisers and paraplanners want and need from retirement planning? With Morningstar Wealth's Steve Coleman and Steve Owen

Retirement income planning has always been front and centre for advisers and paraplanners – and it’s evolving fast. 

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk, Matt and Sue are joined by not one but two expert guests from Morningstar Wealth:  Steve Coleman, Head of Product, and Steve Owen, Head of Proposition. Together, they explore what advisers and paraplanners really want and need from providers when it comes to helping clients achieve secure, sustainable retirement income. 

 In this conversation, we cover: 

• What advisers and paraplanners are telling providers about their biggest retirement income priorities 

• How retirement planning might change over the next decade 

• The role of regulation, technology, and consumer behaviour in shaping better client outcomes 
• Ways to engage younger people with financial planning – both as investors and as a profession 

Whether you’re focused on immediate client conversations or planning for the long-term evolution of your advice business, this episode is full of insights to support your thinking in today’s ever-changing retirement landscape. 

M&PI Podcast #19: Supporting clients with complex mortgage needs, with Hinckley & Rugby for Intermediaries’ Laura Sneddon

Now live: The latest Mortgage & Property Investment special edition of IFA Talk explores how advisers can best support clients in complex or evolving circumstances. 

In this episode, Jenny Hunter and Meg Bratley are joined by Laura Sneddon, Head of Mortgage Sales and Distribution at Hinckley & Rugby for Intermediaries. With over 20 years’ experience in financial services, Laura shares her insights on how advisers can unlock opportunities for borrowers through flexible, manual underwriting and a more tailored approach to complex cases. 

Highlights from this week’s episode 

• Income flexibility – how lenders can support clients with irregular earnings such as bonuses, dividends, freelance work, side hustles or overseas income 

• Wealth transfer – the role of parents and families in helping younger buyers onto the property ladder, and how HRFI structures lending to reflect intergenerational support 

• Case studies – real-life examples of clients who are asset-rich but cash-poor, and how flexible lending can make a difference 

• Vulnerability – how HRFI’s Vulnerability Academy equips advisers with tools to navigate sensitive situations with confidence 

• Additional insights into specialist areas such as support for self-employed borrowers, opportunities in the visa buy-to-let market, and the unique needs of Scotland’s mortgage sector 

This episode makes for a fascinating and timely discussion, shining a spotlight on the opportunities for advisers to deliver meaningful solutions in a rapidly changing borrower landscape and why collaboration with lenders such as HRFI can help ensure every client receives the right support. 

 

 

Podcast #140: Cutting through the chaos to streamline advice tech, with Pilot Financial Systems' Nicholas Ryan and David Mills

If you’ve ever felt like the tech in your advice business is more of a hindrance than a help, you’re not alone. Multiple systems that don’t talk to each other, endless rekeying, and the same tasks repeated in five different places, it’s a frustration most advisers know all too well. 

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk, Jenny Hunter and Sue Whitbread are joined by Nick Ryan, CEO, and David Mills, Chairman, at Pilot Financial Systems. Both have deep roots in the advice profession and have lived the challenges first-hand – and they’ve set out to do something about it. 

They share why they believe now is the time for advisers to take back control of their tech, why ownership and independence matter so much in practice management tools, and how better integration could help bridge the advice gap. 

We also hear their vision for how advice firms could be running in five years, and it’s a future you’ll want to hear about. 

So, if you’re ready to swap admin overload for smarter, joined-up systems, tune in now and hear how Pilot is helping firms cut through the chaos. 

 

Podcast #139: Helping advisers build successful partnerships with MPS providers, with L&G’s Francis Chua

In this week’s IFA Talk podcast, we’re exploring model portfolio services (MPS), asking what really makes for a successful partnership between an MPS provider and an advice business.

It’s a subject that remains front of mind for many advisers and wealth managers, especially as the MPS market evolves and client expectations continue to grow.

To learn more about L&G’s MPS, visit here. You can also visit L&G blogs for more thought leadership pieces.

Meet L&G’s Francis Chua

To help us dive into this topic, Sue and Matt are joined by Francis Chua, Fund Manager at L&G. Francis plays a key role in shaping L&G’s MPS proposition and shares his insights on what advisers are asking for, how L&G is set up to deliver, and where he sees the market heading.

What we cover in the conversation

• What advisers are cautious of when selecting an MPS partner
• What advice firms look for in a successful partnership
• How L&G supports advisers with services and tools
• How the MPS market is evolving – and what the future may hold

Listen to the full conversation

Tune in to hear Francis’s practical take on how to make long term MPS partnerships truly successful, and what that could mean for advisers and clients alike.

Be sure to check out this episode and all other episodes of IFA Talk on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon!

 

TEI Podcast #6: Navigating tax-efficient planning in an era of rising taxes with Diana French from Triple Point

In this month’s special TEI (Tax-Efficient Investment) special edition of IFA Talk, Matt and Jenny dive into the topic of tax-efficient planning during a time of rising taxes. 

With taxes on the rise, new rules bringing pensions into the inheritance tax net, and clients increasingly looking to advisers for clarity, the landscape has never been more challenging. But it’s also a time of real opportunity for advisers to demonstrate value. 

To help unpack this, Diana French, Chief Commercial Officer at Triple Point joins us to share her expert insights. She reveals how advisers are adapting their tax and estate planning conversations, where Business Relief fits into today’s toolkit, and why VCTs are still playing a crucial role – especially as we head into the next offer season. 

Be sure to check out this episode and all other episodes of IFA Talk on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon! 

Podcast #138: Rethinking PII with Lee Robertson on BareRock’s mission to reward quality advice

Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) might not be the most glamorous of topics but it’s a crucial one for every financial advice firm. In this episode of  IFA Talk, we’re taking a fresh look at it with someone who knows the advice profession inside out. 

Our guest is Lee Robertson, now Non-Executive Director and Head of Strategic Partnerships at BareRock, the digital-first PII provider that’s shaking things up. 

Many in the profession will know Lee as a long-time champion of quality financial planning advice. Now, in his new role at BareRock, he’s working to forge strategic partnerships, lead community-building efforts, and help create a PII proposition that puts adviser needs first. 

In this episode, Matt and Sue chat to Lee about how BareRock is making waves in the PII space, what they’re doing differently, and how they aim to create a better deal for well-run advice firms. From digital onboarding to building a community of like-minded professionals, BareRock’s approach is certainly different, all about transparency, tech, and rewarding quality. 

Be sure to check out this episode and all other episodes of IFA Talk on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon! 

NI&P Podcast #16: Providing understandable and valued protection advice, with LifeSearch’s Debbie Kennedy & Homeowners Alliance’s Paula Higgins

In this month’s special New Insurance & Protection episode of IFA Talk, we shine a light on client protection, something which concerns all of us in the industry.

Joining us to discuss this are LifeSearch’s CEO Debbie Kennedy, and Homeowners Alliance’s CEO and Founder Paula Higgins. The two have worked together recently on some fascinating research, which we’ll dive into in this special episode.

Debbie and Paula unpack how advisers can address client protection advice issues to ensure the advice is understood, valued, and acted upon. They reveal why protecting people is so important and the role that advisers play in ensuring that clients really understand the value of protection.

They also focus on younger clients, referring to their research which shows that young people don’t take out income protection because they feel it isn’t for them. Another area in their research is the role of women, who are often under-protected. They outline how advisers can help women see protection as a priority.

Listen to this episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon!