Well, I didn't expect that to happen!

On Tuesday I wrote a letter to the Association of Independent Financial Advisers, on Tuesday afternoon Professional Adviser, an industry magazine, decided to do a story on it http://www.ifaonline.co.uk/ifaonline/news/1592154/aifa-shame-pandering-gcse-level-advisers. 

By Wednesday night 30+ people have strongly disagreed with eveything i have said and have me lined up as the new bogeyman! I have never been more proud. My letter was intended to move the IFA industry forward with higher standards, higher qualifications and an open an honest charging policy. Apparently many in the industry do not want this. They do not want to commit themselves to study to improve the advice they give, they do not want to tell their clients what they are doing for them and how much they are charging, they do not want to give advice which doesn't result in the sale of a product.

The commentators on the article thought that they would silence me by disagreeing so forcefully and in such a personally insulting manner with my views, far from it. Smart Financial Planning will champion the rights of the client / consumer to be charged openly and honestly by someone who is capable of giving them the advice that they need. Where that is not the case we will expose these 'advisers' for what they are and help their poor clients to find an adviser who can look after them properly.

Steve Martin CFP, is the Managing Director and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) / Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) at Smart Financial Planning