Ascentric

Financial Express Analytics

FE Analytics is the award winning online fund research and monitoring tool for the professional adviser providing online access to the most comprehensive range of fund and market data. Analytics is a powerful tool that covers an extensive range of onshore, offshore and international funds, life, pensions, ETFs, investment trusts, equities and more.

Analytics offers a range of unparalleled benefits for investment advisers:

• a central source of information including adviser branded fund and fund manager factsheets, provider factsheets, fund prospectuses, reports and associated third party documents
• high quality graphics tools including a range of line, scatter and bar charts which can be tailored to the user’s requirements
• access to quantitative and qualitative ratings including S&P, Morningstar OBSR Analyst ratings, FE Crown Fund, FE Risk Scores, and FE Alpha Manager ratings
• integration with many platforms and back office systems
• comprehensive portfolio tool which is perfect for building portfolios of clients’ existing holdings, new recommendations, model portfolios and composite benchmarks. The Dynamic Portfolio Tool offers the flexibility to reflect the impact of changes over time. A range of options to produce portfolio factsheets ensures that output can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the adviser and their clients
• assess a client’s attitude to risk with our questionnaire in line with FSA standards and forecast the expected returns of a portfolio against a variety of measures including target asset allocation

The Ascentric website hosts information from third parties regarding their tools and services provided. This information, and any links from these pages, are provided by them and carry no endorsement by Ascentric. You use such tools and services entirely at your own risk. Such information is provided by pages maintained by independent third parties and Ascentric accepts no responsibility for the availability, content or use of the information contained on them.

Morningstar Adviser Workstation

Morningstar was founded on the concept of empowering investors to make better investment decisions. Today that ethos still holds true, and is why Morningstar offers a range of services to the financial planning community starting with Morningstar Adviser Workstation Office Edition - our leading edge investment advice process software solution for UK Financial Advisers. To take a look at the capabilities of the product, please review the following video link. Morningstar Adviser Workstation Capabilities Video, and the Adviser Workstation website.

Unparalleled Data Coverage
Morningstar Adviser Workstation (AWS) offers advisers whole of market data including UK Unit Trusts and OEICs, International funds available for sale in the UK, Unit Linked Life and Pension funds, UK ETFs, UK Investment Trusts, Global Equities, Hedge Funds and Global Index database.

Morningstar data is distinguished by our attention to accuracy and unique insistence upon comprehensive portfolio holdings collection, which ensures that asset allocation, comparisons, portfolio reporting and the advice you provide to your clients, can be based upon a complete and accurate understanding of the exposures implicit within them.

The software gives you access to 100s of quantitative performance and risk measures, operational and asset allocation data enabling both simple and in-depth search filters.

Qualitative Analysis
Adviser Workstation also includes the uniquely valuable Qualitative Fund Research, getting behind and beyond the performance numbers to truly understand and explain the process and quality of fund management in each fund/company. A five point scale rates funds from Elite to Impaired. Our analysts are independent and free from commercial influence allowing them to provide advisers and investors with a fully rounded view on all the funds we cover.

Financial Planning and Proposal Generation
Adviser Workstation’s investment planning module enables advisers to provide the right asset allocation mix based on their clients investment horizons and tolerance to risk. The portfolio optimiser will then find the best fit of funds from your previously created investment lists and create professional, easy to understand proposals for your clients.

Outsourced Portfolio Management
Market leading independent investment portfolios from OBSR and Morningstar can be delivered through Adviser Workstation as an additional service.

Ascentric Integrated
Import your client’s holdings information from Ascentric into Adviser Workstation to guarantee data integrity and avoid unnecessary data entry. Client’s current positions can be analysed quickly using the Morningstar X-Ray tool, an essential first step in your client review.

All of this is seamlessly packaged within Morningstar Adviser Workstation, providing you with all the tools and support you need to create a value proposition around a robust and proven independent investment advice process.  
 

The Ascentric website hosts information from third parties regarding their tools and services provided. This information, and any links from these pages, are provided by them and carry no endorsement by Ascentric. You use such tools and services entirely at your own risk. Such information is provided by pages maintained by independent third parties and Ascentric accepts no responsibility for the availability, content or use of the information contained on them.

PlanLab

PlanLab offer a suite of up to 5 financial planning tools providing IFAs with internet-based, multi-level business and report-generating facilities available from their online financial planning platform.

Retirement Road Map - focuses specifically on retirement planning by helping you answer two key questions: "Will I have enough put aside for a successful retirement? If not, how much more do I need to find?"

Life Goals - allows you to create a customised presentation for each client that illustrates their multiple needs and how you can solve them with insurance and investments.

Financial Needs Analysis - is a carefully designed, intuitive fact find-based tool that captures clients' details and presents clear and effective proposals for the client including a lifetime cash flow analysis.

Retirement Test Drive - allows you to visually demonstrate to clients the "What ifs?" of retirement by generating a personalised, scenario driven presentation that shows their situation and problems and the impact of any proposed solutions.

Financial Strategies - is PlanLab's flagship tool, providing a comprehensive, product neutral review and analysis of 10 different areas of need ranging from retirement planning and investment portfolio construction to sophisticated education funding and lifetime cash flow analysis.

You can access all five report-styles, see sample outputs (including cashflow ledgers), look and listen to sample tutorials and subscribe (if you wish) by clicking here.

The tools can be purchased individually or as a package at a significant discount for Ascentric users. PlanLab Store revolutionizes how advisers buy and maintain financial planning software by:

• charging monthly subscriptions that do not attract VAT

• having no charge for training or support which is carried out online

• allowing users to cancel anytime they wish giving just a few days notice

• allowing additions to be made to the PlanLab toolset at any time by purchasing additional product subscriptions when they are needed

Cost Details:

• Retirement Road Map - £45/ month

• Life Goals - £60/ month

• Financial Needs Analysis - £60/ month

• Retirement Test Drive - £75/ month

• Financial Strategies - £85/ month

• "Suite Deal" – All five of the above - £160/ month

The Ascentric website hosts information from third party product providers regarding their products and services. This information, and any links from these pages, are provided by the product provider themselves and carry no endorsement by Ascentric. You use such information, and links to other websites, entirely at your own risk. Such information is provided by pages maintained by independent third parties and Ascentric accepts no responsibility for the availability, content or use of the information contained on them.

FinaMetrica

FinaMetrica risk profiling system

FinaMetrica is the risk tolerance assessment tool of choice for more than 3,000 leading advisers and banks around the world. Launched in the UK in 2004, many leading IFAs are already FinaMetrica subscribers.

The system is made up of a psychometric test of personal financial risk tolerance and an accompanying methodology for incorporating the test results into the financial planning process. Unique educational resources explain risk and return in the context of the client’s risk tolerance. You can view a sample questionnaire and client report or undertake a test yourself to determine your own risk profile by clicking the links.

The FinaMetrica risk profiling system delivers a range of benefits to both adviser and client:

• It's low cost, in plain English and is user friendly
• Differentiates you from other IFAs
• Improved quality of advice
• Enhanced regulatory and common law compliance
• Improved clients' understanding of financial risk and themselves
• Confidence from using an independent, expert third-party psychometric tool

If you would like to see more of the FinaMetrica tool then take the free 30-day trial. Helped by FinaMetrica’s highly regarded supporting educational materials you will be fully prepared to introduce the risk tolerance assessment and portfolio recommendation methodology into your practice.

Ascentric have negotiated a 10% reduction on FinaMetrica’s annual licence fee (per adviser) to £536, a saving of almost £60.

The Ascentric website hosts information from third parties regarding their tools and services provided. This information, and any links from these pages, are provided by them and carry no endorsement by Ascentric. You use such tools and services entirely at your own risk. Such information is provided by pages maintained by independent third parties and Ascentric accepts no responsibility for the availability, content or use of the information contained on them.

Lex Futura

Lex Futura’s legal products help safeguard families’ future finances. 

Our Lasting Powers of Attorney and Wills, for example, help protect clients against the financial consequences of incapacity and intestacy by ensuring that their affairs continue to be managed if they fall ill, or their hard-earned wealth is passed on to their loved ones when the worst happens.  Our products help intermediaries complete the financial planning circle because, without them, a client’s financial planning and wealth management could all be for nothing.  

Our products are available online and each comes with the reassurance that a fully-qualified solicitor reviews each case to ensure client needs are properly met.  We only use large, regional law firms on our panel, all of whom are contractually obliged to adhere to our strict client service standards.  We don’t use Will-writing companies, paralegals or offshore companies.

Once an intermediary initialises a case, the client completes their purchase in the comfort of their own home, in their own time.  Most products come with three service levels from which to choose, Standard, Premier and Bespoke, ensuring that those with simple needs don’t pay for a level of service they don’t need while more complex arrangements are also properly managed.  Our menu-pricing means clients know exactly what each product and service level will cost before they buy.

As well as offering you a competitive referral fee, marketing literature, online help and much more, we offer your clients quality service and value.  We warmly invite you to become a Lex distributor.

The Ascentric website hosts information from third parties regarding their tools and services provided. This information, and any links from these pages, are provided by them and carry no endorsement by Ascentric. You use such tools and services entirely at your own risk. Such information is provided by pages maintained by independent third parties and Ascentric accepts no responsibility for the availability, content or use of the information contained on them.

TCF Centre

The TCF Centre

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) strategy to move towards principles based regulation with a focus on outcomes has brought the concept of Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) to the forefront of the sales and product life-cycle. TCF should be an integral part of a company’s culture from the sales process right through to the ongoing relationship with customers.

The TCF Centre provides the tools to implement a slick, simple process to gather customer feedback as well as the ability to set benchmarks across different business areas, teams or processes.

Key Features

• Use of a standard questionnaire which has been designed against the six Treating Customers Fairly outcomes

• Ability to send a questionnaire on an individual or group basis

• Centrally collated responses enabling you to review feedback and produce management information (MI)

• Hierarchy and Group views of MI

• Alerting for Directors or Supervisors at Group and/or Adviser level

• Drill down to view trends graphically

• Customisable questionnaire including the ability to brand with your logo or add your own questions

• Access to a forum where you can discuss TCF and other issues with site members

• Access to a library of TCF related documentation

If you would like to use the services of the TCF Centre combined with the Ascentric Wrap Platform, please email sales@ascentric.co.uk and a member of the Business Development Team will contact you to discuss in more detail.
 

The Ascentric website hosts information from third parties regarding their tools and services provided. This information, and any links from these pages, are provided by them and carry no endorsement by Ascentric. You use such tools and services entirely at your own risk. Such information is provided by pages maintained by independent third parties and Ascentric accepts no responsibility for the availability, content or use of the information contained on them.

Techlink

Techlink is a high value added service provided by Technical Connection that provides an unparalleled online source of information, interpretation, business generation ideas, education and technical support for Ascentric Advisers.

Advisers also have access to a Product Wrapper Selector Tool and, for an additional cost, the ASK service, delivering specific case and issue related technical support through Technical Connection's consulting service.

Key Features of Techlink

Techlink provides:

• A complete, highly relevant, sharply focused comprehensive Library of all the information on tax, the law and financial product applications in the advice process (including pensions, protection, investments - UK and offshore) that you need to support your business. Techlink's insights, interpretations and ideas will become a vital part of your business
• A complete analysis of, and commentary on, all relevant developments in tax, the law and advice based markets as they happen in the form of daily bulletins and, where necessary, revision of the Library
• Links to the main stories in the quality press – keeping you up to date with the developments that will be relevant to your clients
• Access to relevant source legislation, Press Releases and documents through HTML links to the main text of both the Library and Bulletins
• Ideas and opportunities for developing business
• Techlearn - on-line audio/visual lectures on business critical issues such as the new trust alignment rules and their impact on IHT planning
• Technews - regular videocasts from the TC Boardroom bringing you the latest news and views
• Techcasts - Podcasts on market and tax planning developments relevant to the provision of financial advice
• Need to Know - executive summaries of the more technically demanding and potentially remunerative subjects
• Quarterly copy for client/professional connection communications both of which will encourage your targeted clients/professional connections to contact you
• E-mail alerts – sending updates on the subjects most relevant to you – direct to your in box

The Techlink subscription also gives you access to the Product Wrapper Selector tool to corroborate (on tax grounds) all your wrapper selection decisions. Onshore and offshore bonds and onshore and offshore funds are compared.

As a Techlink subscriber there is an optional "ASK" service – delivering case and issue related support through Technical Connection′s consulting service. This can be accessed at an additional cost to the main service.

FREE TRIAL:

To access your 4 week free trial either

• Call Derek Lovell or Sara Ellard on 0207 405 1600
• Go to www.techlink.co.uk and click the Contact Us link at the top of the screen
• Choose Request Free Trial from the Hot Links below.

In each case please specify that you are an "Ascentric" adviser

The Ascentric website hosts information from third parties regarding their tools and services provided. This information, and any links from these pages, are provided by them and carry no endorsement by Ascentric. You use such tools and services entirely at your own risk. Such information is provided by pages maintained by independent third parties and Ascentric accepts no responsibility for the availability, content or use of the information contained on them.

The Share Specialist

The Share Specialist is a privately owned independent investment management business providing bespoke investment services to Independent Financial Advisers and their clients. Their service is based on their unique status as a fee based advisory stockbroker.

This enables them to provide truly bespoke portfolios as well as ancillary services such as managing out client assets.

The principal is Ian Head, who has been in the Investment Industry for 20 years, with experience working in Private Banking, Discretionary Management and Advisory Stockbroking.

The Share Specialist provides active advisory investment management services to an ever increasing number of Independent Financial Advisers, Solicitors and Accountants as well as their clients. Depending on the client, portfolios can either be tailored or modelled. By using the Ascentric platform The Share Specialist is able to dovetail their investment work with that of the IFA. Unlike the discretionary model they are able to work in partnership with the adviser.

Ian is an established public speaker on investment matters including appearances on the BBC, has spoken at the London School of Economics, and was a guest speaker at the World Money Show in London in 2008.

Access to The Share Specialist is not limited to the Ascentric platform, although it is their platform of choice.
 

The Ascentric website hosts information from third parties regarding their tools and services provided. This information, and any links from these pages, are provided by them and carry no endorsement by Ascentric. You use such tools and services entirely at your own risk. Such information is provided by pages maintained by independent third parties and Ascentric accepts no responsibility for the availability, content or use of the information contained on them.

The WAY Group - Inheritance Tax Planning

The WAY Group is at the forefront of IHT planning, providing a range of specialist products that offer effective solutions to contemporary inheritance tax issues. The WAY Inheritor Plans support the requirements of IFAs and provide a suite of flexible trusts that can meet the needs of clients and deliver the desired IHT mitigation objectives effectively.

A key feature of the WAY Inheritor Plans are their ability to provide sophisticated trusts offering IHT mitigation for both capital sums and surplus income whilst providing clients with a unique degree of access and control. These plans are also designed to be easily marketed by IFAs and provide flexible customer agreed remuneration.

The availability of the Inheritor Plans on Ascentric delivers to IFAs an open architecture IHT solution on a market leading Wrap platform. This enables IFAs to offer a portfolio of investments from a wide choice of funds within the plans and to manage these investments efficiently via the platform

The Ascentric website hosts information from third party product providers regarding their products and services. This information, and any links from these pages, are provided by the product provider themselves and carry no endorsement by Ascentric. You use such information, and links to other websites, entirely at your own risk. Such information is provided by pages maintained by independent third parties and Ascentric accepts no responsibility for the availability, content or use of the information contained on them.