Can you review my existing investments?
Certainly. We are able to review your existing investments and see if they are still suitable for you. Whether they offer value for money. Typical investments we review include ISA, Unit Trusts, Pensions and Investment Bonds. Once we understand your personal circumstances and objectives, we’ll assess your risk profile and design a portfolio that can meet your objectives. Once we’ve done all the analysis, we will present this to you in a report, showing you exactly what you have and any recommendations to get your investments working harder for you.
How often do you review my investments?
We review all of our portfolios every six months, providing you with a thorough investment review. At these reviews we will often recommend rebalancing your portfolio so that the asset allocation does not become misaligned with your objectives. We may also recommend new investment funds if our analysis suggests there are now better alternatives available. This will keep your portfolio in the best shape to deliver the returns you need. In addition to these annual reviews, we provide regular investment performance updates to all clients and you can check on the performance of your portfolio day-to-day by using our client portal which you can access on almost any device 24/7.
Can I check on the progress of my existing investments?
Yes. We believe you should be able to check how your investments are doing whenever you like. You can monitor your investments any time by using our client portal. This is available via the web or through an app available for iPhone, iPad, Android or Blackberry. This will give you an up-to-date valuation of all your investments as well as providing a breakdown of what you are investing in. If you need any more detailed information on your investments, we can provide this to you via email or chat through your investment and their performance via email, live web cat or over the phone or via a virtual online meeting.
Why is it better for you to manage my investments rather than doing it myself?
You are of course free to manage your own investment if you wish. Some of our clients have a great knowledge of investing and are confident to manage their own money. We may help them with financial planning but they choose to invest their money themselves. However, for the vast majority of our clients, they see the value in our investment management services. For a low fee of 0.8% per annum, they know that they will be getting an investment portfolio that has been selected for their risk profile, and is tailored to their specific needs. The investment managers we use at FinsBridge (Financial Express/Vanguard etc) have global research capabilities and many decades of successful investment experience. They dedicate their time to research funds and wider investment strategies all over the world to make sure our investment recommendations deliver the results you need. Clients investing with FinsBridge also benefit from regular rebalancing and investment reviews to ensure their investments continue to deliver for them. Ultimately, you have the choice about whether to manage your own investments or have them managed by the experts.
What are the total charges to manage my investments?
We believe in being totally clear and transparent about all our charges. When it comes to investment charges, there are three main costs. Fund charges, platform charges and advice charges. We always use the most accurate measure of fund costs (the ‘ongoing charges figures or OCF’) to ensure our clients know exactly what they are paying for their investments. We aim to keep the charges between 1.5-1.8% p.a. all in, but the exact cost will depend on the investment portfolios chosen. There are no hidden charges, no fund switch fees and no exit penalties.
Are my investments protected?
Yes, most investments are protected by the Financial Service Protection Scheme (FSCS). The FSCS acts as a safety net for clients of financial services providers. For investments, such as pensions, the maximum compensation is 90% of the claim with no upper limit. For more information see the FSCS website.
What has the performance of your portfolios been?
Because we are an independent advice firm, performance depends on the chosen portfolios, we select only those funds that have been very strong over recent years and we are pleased with the returns they have provided for our investors. We will showcase the performance of every investment portfolio we advise on before signing up your account.