IFA Talk

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk, Sue and Matt explore fresh insights from HSBC Life’s report, The Three Is of Investable Capital 2025, produced in partnership with Technical Connection.

With capital gains tax and dividend allowances changing, the role of onshore bonds is coming right back into focus for advisers. This report delves into why and how advisers can better utilise onshore bonds in clients’ financial planning strategies.

Our guest is Mark Lambert, Head of Onshore Bond Distribution at HSBC Life, who joins us on the podcast once again. Mark tells us not only why HSBC Life created the report, but he also shares the key insights across its nine chapters and highlights the specific benefits of onshore bonds within a client’s investable capital strategy.

Whether you’ve been recommending onshore bonds for years or are just starting to wonder if it’s time to revisit them, this conversation offers valuable perspectives for your advice practice.

Listen to the podcast here.

In this month's special Insurance & Protection edition of IFA Talk, Sue and Meg are diving into the topic of electronic wills and the future of legacy planning. Joining them to share his expert knowledge on the area is Adeus Life's Nick Adams.

Together, they explore what’s changing in the legal landscape around wills, and how digital innovation could soon be shaking things up.

Nick reveals what happens if you don’t have a valid will in place, the issues with the current will legislation, and the plans and potential issues with electronic wills.

In the latest episode of IFA Talk, we’re diving into the findings of The Lang Cat’s State of The Advice Nation report with Steve Nelson, Insights Director at The Lang Cat. Co-hosting with our Editor, Sue Whitbread is our very own Senior Financial Journalist, Jenny Hunter, who brings a unique perspective as a part-time Chartered Paraplanner herself.

The report reveals that more paraplanners than ever are choosing to remain in their roles rather than transitioning into advisory positions. But it’s not all smooth sailing – ongoing frustrations around remuneration and the lack of a dedicated Chartered pathway are still hot topics.

Steve shares his insights on what’s driving these trends, the evolving perception of paraplanners in the industry, and what the future might hold – especially as AI continues to shake up the financial advice sector. Steve gets Jenny involved in the conversation as well and puts her on the spot, throwing a few questions her way, making her a part guest, part host for this episode.

So, whether you’re a paraplanner looking for career inspiration or an adviser curious about the shifting dynamics within your team, this episode is packed with valuable insights.

You can find the full State of The Advice Nation report, which is well worth a read, by following this link.

In this month’s special Mortgage & Property edition of IFA Talk, Jenny and Meg explore the fast-evolving world of later life lending — a sector which is gaining momentum and rapidly beginning to capture growing interest among advisers and clients alike.

As demand grows for more flexible borrowing options in later life, we’ll be unpacking how advisers can effectively meet the needs of this expanding client base. From practical advice on supporting borrowing into retirement to a forward-looking discussion on what’s next for the market, both Will and Adrian talk us through the key opportunities and potential driving the sector’s growth, as well as the emerging challenges that advisers need to navigate moving forward into the future.

Joining us to discuss this is Will Hale, CEO of Air Later Life Lending. Will brings a wealth of expertise in supporting advisers as they navigate the complexities of later life lending — from understanding what’s driving the sector’s growing momentum to helping shape its ongoing evolution.

Adrian Brewer, Head of Later Life at Access Financial Services, leads the firm’s strategy for delivering tailored, holistic financial advice to clients aged 55 and over. With more than 28 years of experience in consumer finance, he also oversees internal referrals across the business, ensuring clients benefit from the full breadth of expertise that Access Financial Services provides.

For this week’s episode, we’re diving into the world of AI in financial advice. With tech adoption on the rise, there’s plenty to unpack – from the potential of AI to streamline processes to the risk of losing that all-important human touch.

Joining IFA Magazine’s Senior Financial Journalist Jenny Hunter and Editor Sue Whitbread are two industry experts who are right at the forefront of these changes – Amal Jolly, Chief Executive and Co-Founder of Saturn, and Rohit Vaish, Saturn’s Co-Founder and President. They’ll be sharing their insights on why AI is gaining traction among advice firms, whether we’re really on the brink of a ‘golden age’ for financial planning, and how advisers can bring their teams along for the ride.

So, whether you’re already embracing AI or just starting to dip your toes in, this episode is packed with practical insights and expert advice you won’t want to miss.

Saturn are always looking to be interactive and regularly host in person events to demo their suite of tools.

In this week’s episode, Matt and Jenny dive into the world of MPS with expert James Giblin, a Multi-Asset Fund Manager at L&G. James discusses how advisers view MPS—whether it’s more of a product, a service, or something in between—and what really matters when it comes to picking the right solution.

James explores what makes an MPS relationship work—and why it’s about more than just performance charts and factsheets, whether we have reached peak MPS take-up and the questions advisers are asking as part of their MPS selection process.

You can listen to this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon!

Let’s face it—Letters of Authority (LoAs) are one of the biggest pain points in financial services. They should be straightforward, but more often than not, they’re anything but. In this week’s episode of IFA Talk, we’re digging into why that is, and more importantly, what’s being done to make the process better.

Joining us for a proper deep-dive into the world of LoAs are two people who know this stuff inside out: Justine Pattullo, chair of the Fix LoA Action Group (FLAG) and fractional CMO for a bunch of Fintechs, and Nick Green, Strategy & Proposition Director at Criterion.

Together, they give us the lowdown on why the LoA is so important for client servicing, where the worst friction points are, and who’s actually responsible for the mess. They also lift the lid on some much-needed solutions—including the new LoA Data Checklist Standard, which could be a game-changer.

If you’ve ever battled the dreaded wet signature or been stuck in LoA limbo waiting for a response, then you will want to listen in.

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk, we dive into one of the most exciting developments in personalised advice: behavioural finance. We explore why the days of one-size-fits-all advice are numbered — and how understanding how clients feel and behave around money can make all the difference.

Joining Matt and Sue to unpack all of this is Dr Greg B. Davies, Head of Behavioural Finance at Oxford Risk, a global leader in turning deep behavioural insights into practical tools for advisers. Oxford Risk have recently launched a new investor personas solution, so we’re thrilled to be speaking with Greg about how it works and what it means for your client conversations.

Greg reveals how Oxford Risk's Investor Personas are used in the day-to-day work of financial professionals and how they go beyond just categorising clients.

With the FCA pushing for more tailored support, many firms are still relying on demographics and portfolio size. Greg explains why that approach is falling short, and outlines how behavioural personas offer a more meaningful way to deliver properly targeted solutions. Greg also dives into retirement, summarising how understanding a client's behavioural persona help advisers tailor their support in those key moments.

You can listen to this conversation on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon!

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk, Jenny Hunter and Sue Whitbread dig into one of the most important regulatory developments facing financial advisers and firms today – the FCA’s newly launched strategy for 2025 to 2030.

What does the strategy actually say? What does it mean for firms in the short and long term? And how can advisers prepare for what’s coming?

To help break it all down, we’re joined by Bernadine Reese, Managing Director in the Risk and Compliance team at Protiviti. With years of experience supporting regulated firms through change, Bernadine shares her insights on the regulator’s new direction – and what it means for competitiveness, innovation, and the global regulatory landscape.

We also explore how the FCA is using technology to transform its own approach, what firms need to do to stay compliant across borders, and the real opportunities for those that embrace change effectively.

It’s a conversation full of practical insight, thoughtful analysis, and forward-looking advice – ideal for anyone looking to understand the FCA’s evolving priorities and how to future-proof their firm.

This week on IFA Talk, hosts Matt and Sue tackle one of the most significant developments shaking global markets—Trump’s reintroduction of tariffs.

With markets on edge and economic forecasts shifting rapidly, we’re joined by Nicolò Bragazza, Associate Portfolio Manager on Morningstar Wealth’s multi-asset team, to break down what financial advisers really need to know.

We explore key questions, including:

Don't miss this insightful and very topical episode that cuts through the noise to give advisers some much needed clarity to try and help you guide clients more confidently in the weeks and months ahead.

Be sure to tune in to this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.