Final Salary pensions schemes, also known as Defined Benefit (DB) schemes, have long been held out as the gold standard of retirement provision. It’s true that, if the pensioner lives a long time, they will provide a high total return. If, however, the pensioner lives a short time then only a small part of the […]
BTS have just ran a series of R05 workshops for one of our wealth management clients. This involved two 2 day workshops for four separate groups, Edinburgh, London, Solihull and Manchester. The attendees were mainly second careerists with little or no financial services experience. R05 is always talked about as an easier exam in the R0 […]
As I write this, Lord Sugar is about to select another apprentice as his business partner in that most festive of modern Christmas traditions, The Apprentice final. T’is the season to… conclude all of those reality TV shows by crowning a winner whilst supermarkets entertain us in the ad breaks with their latest 7 minute […]
Since the introduction of pension freedoms on 6th April 2015, Defined Benefit (DB) pension transfers advice is topical. One ‘fly in the ointment’ is that members in defined benefit schemes can’t access much of what is good in relation to such reforms. So, if you are a single man or woman with no dependants you […]
If you look through the average internet search history, it may not be apparent amongst the YouTube, Social Media and News searches that we actually have access to almost all human knowledge. Virtually everything that mankind knows is searchable and clickable and that includes investment theory and financial planning. Coupled with this, we are regularly […]
The CII have just released the pass-rates for the 2016 R0 exam sitting. As expected, they make disappointing reading, particularly considering the wide range of exam support on offer out there in the market. The CII have just released the pass-rates for the 2016 R0 exam sitting. As expected, they make disappointing reading, particularly considering the […]
Well, a group of BTS students have finally done it! In a CII R0 exam that has countrywide pass-rates of 57.92%, by hard work and using BTS support, a group of students have achieved the unheard of – a 100% pass-rate!!! Our group of R02 students were 16 second careerists with little or no financial services background. […]
The CII recently announced a new qualification aimed at advisers wishing to become qualified in the pensions transfers market. This new level 4 qualification will be called the Certificate in Pension Transfers and aims to develop the in-depth knowledge and practical skills of anyone wishing to advise on the transfer of ‘safeguarded benefits’. So, what […]
During a recent busy day in London I had the chance to leave the office, get some fresh air (well, as fresh and nitrogen dioxide-free as it can be around Threadneedle Street) and pick up some lunch. So, resolution-affirming healthy salad and calorie-laden desert in hand, I found myself queuing in a well-known food chain, […]
The CII have just released the pass-rates for the R0 exam sittings in 2016: R01: 57.01% R02: 57.92% R03: 50.46% R04: 54.07% R05: 72.11% R06: 73.23% The R03 personal taxation exam now has the lowest pass-rates of the level 4 Regulated Diploma in Financial Planning qualifications. This is […]
