Members Login

Quick Links

UnCANNed – Nick’s Pick of the News

UnCANNed is a regular but light-hearted feature brought to you from Nick Cann, CEO, at the IFP. Well known for his forthright views and straight talking, UnCANNed is Nick’s new weekly update bringing you his thoughts on a topical Financial Planning issue in true Nick Cann style.

Want to be notified when the next UnCANNed has been published? Simply fill in the subscription box below.

Blog #77 - Keeping things nice and tidy - 20/08/2010

Holidays well and truly over now and back this week with a vengeance. Full day of meetings in Bristol with the team followed by a day setting out some development strategies for the rest of the year. Conference is obviously getting closer and we have set up a twitter hash tag to set out 50 reasons for attending. If you are on twitter @IFP_UK is what you need to follow to get the updates all the way through to and at the event. If you are bothered you could also follow me @Nickcanncfp. Better still given the nature of conversations going on have a look at the IFP group on Linkedin. Some really helpful constructive stuff going on which shows social media in its best light.

We had our regular meeting with the FSA this week on the day when we were told how unskilled their employees were and how much money had so far been wasted on the RDR. We have also been advised that a number of FSA staff are leaving and so it was with some trepidation that we turned up. More concerned to note that there was a spare seat in the room and worried that with all the money spent on the RDR they had forgotten to pay the electricity bill as the lights kept going out. Nothing however to worry about and as usual it was a very constructive helpful meeting sharing information on the current issues.

There were a couple of important messages coming out of our meeting with the FSA. A number of IFP members have been looking at the option of providing a Financial Planning service without the regulatory piece. This is perfectly achievable as long as there is a clear gap between the Financial Planning and the execution of any regulatory activity. There is not such good news however for those who think that they can get round doing the examinations by using a Paraplanner or another member of the team to sign off the business. Once again the message has to be to crack on with the exams to ensure a minimum of level 4 and ultimately the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^CM certification.

The IFP is holding a half day conference on the 8 September in London which will be free to IFP members (Please contact Jenna for details). We will be looking at the future through the lens of the IFP and sharing our strategy for dealing with the RDR and issues around gap filling. It is important for the market to understand that there is a world outside of the CII and some exciting and valuable solutions to support progressive Financial Planning firms.

Feedback on the Financial Planner magazine has been excellent and as usual IFP members were able to provide some really constructive feedback on the content and ideas for improvements. I had an excellent review meeting with Publisher Kevin O’Donnell to set out some changes which should once again take the magazine to a new level.

I was interested this week to read in the Daily Mail (only taken for research purposes) that despite the feminist moans, men do more than their fair share around the house. The illustrious London School of Economics has concluded that men make far more of a contribution than they are given credit for around the house. Cleaning the lavatory, taking out the rubbish and changing the bed linen were the jobs most commonly done by men.  That would be a minimum in our household!

I was also amused by a definition of celibacy. Celibacy can be a choice in life, or a condition imposed by circumstances. While attending a Marriage Weekend, Ken and his wife, Janet, listened to the instructor declare, 'It is essential that husbands and wives know the things that are important to each other. He then addressed the men,  'Can you name and describe your wife's favourite flower? Ken leaned over, touched Janet’s arm gently and whispered, "Homepride, isn't it ?" And thus began Ken’s life of celibacy.

Just whilst dealing with funny things you might be amused by this video clip with apologies for the rude word.

Well I’m off for a jolly boy’s outing to the Cricket at the Oval tomorrow and it looks like it should be an exciting day’s play. Have a good weekend whatever you are doing. I am off to the Triathlon in Bristol but even though I have been to the gym three times this week, I shall as usual be supporting my wife Jo, after of course I have dealt with the washing and other household chores.

IFP Supporters

Contact us | FAQs | Useful links | Site map