Platforms

Strong platform sales helped boost Skandia UK's pre-tax profits for 2010 by 56% to £140m compared to £90m in 2009.

Most industry participants would agree a worthy objective of RDR would be to help create and maintain a system whereby retail clients receive the best possible advice and are able to access the best possible investment opportunities.

PLATFORMS

There are many ways a discretionary fund manager (DFM) can integrate a platform into their service proposition. Maria Merricks looks at the options

Hargreaves Lansdown has questioned whether cuts to fund charges post RDR will be as widespread as the FSA forecast in its recent Platform Consultation paper, as providers struggle to cope with IFA exits from the market.

After months of procrastination and frantic lobbying behind the scenes, the FSA has finally unveiled its latest thinking on platforms.

The FSA will allow platforms to facilitate the collection of adviser charges, but says this must be done to the same standard as product providers.

The FSA plans to publish a separate consultation paper on how platforms should disclose their charging structures, including fund manager rebates, on top of its second consultation document in February.

Advisers who wish to be independent post RDR can use a single platform for the 'majority' of their clients if it is in their best interests, the FSA proposes today.

The FSA today said in its long-awaited consultation paper platforms can continue to receive rebates from fund managers.