Revision Flashcards
(173 cards)
The role of financial services in the uk
Provide a means for people to save and invest their wealth for the future
Allows for saving to be transferred to the broader economy through lending and investment
Allows people to transfer risk
Firms
Banks and building societies - core services: loans, mortgages - indirect services: stockbroker services, portfolio management.
Life insurance companies
Friendly societies- small mutual organisations that offer tax free savings
Financial intermediaries - financial advisory firms, restricted and whole of market
Multi distribution organisations - e.g. Tesco who offer banking services to exploit large client base
Markets
2 primary forms of markets
Over the counter i.e buyer and seller directly deal with each other
Via an exchange i.e London stock exchange
Regulators
The financial policy committee (FPC) of the bank of England
The financial conduct authority (fca) broadly concerned with the sales and marketing of financial products and services - looks after consumer
The Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) a division of the bank of England which covers the prudential regulation (capital and solvency) of the industry’s largest players including banks and insurers - big firms
The pension regulator (TPR) which regulates workplace pensions
Competition and markets authority - whose core responsibility are…
Investigate mergers between organisations, to make sure they don’t reduce competition
Take action against businesses and individuals that take part in anti-competitive behaviours
Protect consumers from unfair trading
Infrastructure - how does the financial system work?
Millions of transactions every day, the bank of England overseas the payment systems in the uk, companies paid by boe to handle these transactions e.g. chaps and Bacs these are clients of the payment systems regulator
UK financial services in its broader context
European banking authority
European securities and markets authority
European insurance and occupational pensions authority
European systematic risk board
European system of financial supervision
UK in global context
Financial action task force relates to money laundering
The role of the UK government in terms of policies
Fiscal policy - spending/borrowing and taxation - SPEND 100m on infrastructure to stimulate economy, creating jobs and demand. 100m tax cut increase spending. BORROWING through ns&I and gilts. Also note quantities easing - injecting cash into system
Effects of taxation….
Monetary policy - control on interest rates and money supply: out of government hands. Interest rates are set by the monetary picy committee of the bank of England and exchange rates are supply and demand
Monetary stability is a core responsibility which means the stability of the value of sterling and prices
Also consider
The ‘welfare’ provided by state ie NHS
And regulation and law making
Obtaining wants- gots = needs
Hard facts - how things are i.e how much money is in your pension
Soft facts - how do you feel about investment risk,
A suitability letter
Generated for the consumer setting out exactly why the product is appropriate for their needs
Life stages of a consumer
Vulnerable years - early years of adulthood, any loss of income serious, savings tend to be lower, high mortgage young children, protection primary need
Relaxed years 40+ - higher levels of income, children leave home, more disposable income, income protection start to overcome lice insurance, more attention on savings and retirement
Anxious years 50 plus: retirement draws near, long term care, assets to next generation, IHT planning
Pimpsi
Protection - life insurance in the main income
Income protection
Mortgages
Pensions
Savings and investments
Definition of a mortgage
Mortgage is the use of the property as collateral or security for the loan
Interest rate options for mortgages
Fixed
Variable
Capped: won’t fall below a certain level
Cap and collar: lower and upper limit
Tracker - usually variable which track boe rate
Discount - variable rate offering a discount for fixed amount of years
Deferred interest - pay less interest in early years
Equity release
Home reversion - all it part of property is sold live rent free but have to maintain house
Lifetime mortgage - loan that is only repayable after customer does it leaves to move into LTC.
Structured Vs unstructured debt
Structured same every month e.g. car repayments
Unstructured is where repayment can vary and overpayments maybe made this is more usual with mortgages
Types of pensions
State pension
Clas 1,2 and 4 needs 35 years NIC contribution post 2016 to receive 185 per week
State pension age 65, 67, 68…
Employerpension - defined benefit or final salary
Auto enrol workplace pension - under government legislation employers have to offer a workplace pension - earning more then 10k employers put in 3% and HMRC 1% employee 5 %
Personal pension & group pensions
Defined contribution benefit which receive tax relief on
Direct Investments
Equities - share in a company
Fixed interest - bonds
Property
Pensions
Isa
Derivatives
Socially responsible investing
Sustainable finance - the process of taking into account environmental, social and governance factors ‘esg’
Range of funds to help adv and clients make decisions
Positive screening
Negative screening
ESG integration
Thematic investing
IHT and tax planning
325k.nill rate band
175k property band
40% or 36% if 10k to charity
Making gift exemptions for iht
3k
Small gift of 250
Marriage 5k, 2.5k or 1k
Charities unlimited
Pet - potentially exempt transfers
CLT - 20% paid
Pet- 20% noted but not paid unles due before 7 years