TransactOnline messaging for advisers
Over the past year, the main investments in the development of Transact’s service have been the introduction of nearly 4,000 clean share classes and an online messaging process to enable advisers to instruct unit/share conversions via the Transact website.
Ian Taylor, the firm’s CEO, said Transact had continued to maintain and provide access to the widest range of investments in the platform market. He also added that Transact had an advantage over competing providers because its charging system was already set up in line with RDR regulations.
He said: “Given that Transact has been operating on an exclusively adviser-charging basis since it began business in 2000, we have already had 13 years’ experience of working with advisers in what is now termed the RDR world.”
NucleusIntegrated life assurance a first in northern hemisphere
The Nucleus wrap is a fully open architecture, completely transparent, independent and unbundled wrap platform, according to Nucleus’ business development director Barry Nielson.
Mr Neilson said Nucleus was obsessed with simplicity and this was reflected in the platform’s charging structure, its usability and wider communications.
He said: “We are driven by helping create great client outcomes, rather than by pushing products. We think service excellence, great functionality, competitive price and cultural alignment should be key characteristics and we believe we score highly in all four.”
One of the main ingredients for Nucleus’ success, according to Mr Neilson, is down to the fact that its wrap has been built by the people who use it – the advisers.
Nucleus’s main group board has three adviser representatives, who make sure it builds what is really required, while ensuring there is a cost base for the future.
A number of core platform enhancements have also been made in the past 12 months, including increased adviser fee options and integrated new business illustrations. Mr Neilson said Nucleus was the first company in the northern hemisphere to make integrated life assurance available on a platform.
Axa Wealth International
Growing demand for offshore funds
Adviser knowledge of offshore investment opportunities is increasing as offshore investing becomes more mainstream, Axa Wealth International has found.
Mike Foy, managing director at Axa Wealth International, said combined with the decline of with-profits and capital-protected products, the offshore market had reverted to its core appeal of asset diversity, with a strong equity link in a tax-mitigation wrapper.
My Foy said: “Axa Wealth International’s proposition offers advisers and their clients flexibility in investment choice.
“Offshore investment opportunities are arguably more important to UK advisers than they were two or three years ago. This is because tax rates have generally increased, so there is more motivation to manage tax efficiently via HMRC-approved vehicles such as offshore bonds.”
