IFA Talk – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of IFA Talk, Jenny and Sue are diving into the evolving financial landscape and what it means for advisers and their clients. With tax and pension changes following the 2024 Autumn Budget, it’s more important than ever for advisers to stay informed on the latest trends and opportunities in financial planning.

To discuss these developments, we’re joined by Mark Devlin, Senior Technical Manager at M&G. Mark shares his expert insights on the key tax and pension implications of the budget and how advisers can navigate these changes effectively.

A key focus of this discussion is the rising popularity of insurance bonds, both onshore and offshore. Why are they becoming an increasingly attractive investment solution? What tax benefits do they offer? And how can advisers build a deeper understanding of these products to better serve their clients? Mark answers these questions and more, providing practical strategies for incorporating insurance bonds into financial planning.

Finally, we take a look at the fast-approaching tax year-end deadline and his useful tips, resources and tools that will help advisers support their clients even more at the time of year.

Retirement income planning is evolving fast — and staying ahead of the curve is crucial for advisers.

With the FCA’s retirement income advice review sparking big conversations last year, 2025 brings even more focus from the regulator on ensuring firms deliver the best outcomes for clients. The regulator is watching closely, so it’s essential to stay informed and ready for change.

In this week’s episode, we welcome back Richard Parkin, Head of Retirement at BNY Investments. Richard is a trusted expert in the field, known for his deep insights and practical knowledge on the subject of retirement income planning.

Join Richard, Sue, and Matt as they break down the findings of new research from BNY Investments and NextWealth: “Retirement Advice in the UK: Time for Change?” They explore the evolving role of advisers, the latest industry challenges, and what it all means for you and your practice in 2025. 

If you want to navigate the shifting landscape of retirement advice with confidence, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and get the insights you need to thrive in 2025.

Sue and Brandon’s guest on this week’s IFA Talk Podcast is Mark Sherlock, Head of US equities at Federated Hermes. In this episode, Mark tells us why he’s generally feeling positive about US investment prospects – particularly in the small and mid-cap arena where valuations remain compelling.

They discuss some of the uncertainties as well as risks that lie ahead as well as some of the reasons to be optimistic that 2025 will provide plenty of opportunity for active managers to deliver alpha. 

In this episode of IFA Talk, Glamis IFA's Charles Chami, an IFA based in Bristol, discusses some of the many challenges he faces in his role as an IFA and as a director of a directly authorised business. 

Charles reveals what it was like moving from working an investment bank into the world of financial advice and what some of the biggest challenges are whilst being an IFA and a director in a directly authorised firm.

Also in the discussion, Sue and Brandon ask Charlie about the trials and tribulations of working in a family business as well as the benefits.

When it comes to insurance, your clients almost always think about protecting their homes, cars, businesses and even lives but often neglect to shield the thing that makes that all possible, their income. 

On the show today, Sue and Brandon welcome back Rose St Louis, Protection Director at Lloyds Banking Group – someone who is particularly passionate about the need for protection and always has plenty to say! 

This week they’re talking income protection, why it’s important and how advisers can take a holistic view of protection. They also touch on an interesting new product that Scottish Widows have recently launched, their flexible income protection policy – it’s well worth checking out!

Don’t miss this insightful and thought-provoking discussion. Tune in now!

Welcome to a special episode of IFA Talk, brought to you in partnership with GBI Magazine. In this week’s podcast, we’re diving headfirst into one of the most pressing and exciting topics of our time—how we’re powering the future and navigating the energy transition. 

Hosted by Matt Williams, Content Editor at GBI and IFA Magazine, alongside IFA Magazine’s Senior Financial Journalist Jenny Hunter, this episode brings together two exceptional guests from Blackfinch. Joining the conversation are Dr Reuben Wilcock, Head of Ventures, and Tim Wynn-Jones, Head of Energy Transition. 

In this episode of IFA Talk, we're getting into a topic that’s been stirring up some serious conversation in the financial world—how well are advisers really connecting with their women clients? Jenny Hunter, our Senior Financial Journalist, and Editor Sue Whitbread dig into some eye-opening research called "Women and Financial Advice." 

Welcome to this week’s Mortgage & Property edition of IFA Talk! In this episode, we dive into the exciting world of later-life lending—a sector experiencing rapid growth and opening up incredible opportunities for advisers and their clients.

Joining us is Dave Harris, CEO of specialist later life lender, more2life. With his wealth of experience and optimism about the future, Dave shares insights on the evolution of later-life lending products and how these changes are creating new possibilities for mainstream mortgage advisers and IFAs with older clients.

We also explore some of the barriers that may be holding advisers back from engaging with this market and discuss the compelling reasons to get involved. Finally, Dave sheds light on the unique challenges of the later-life lending sector, especially in the context of Consumer Duty requirements, and how advisers can confidently navigate this space without needing to cover every available product.

Whether you’re already advising in this area or just curious about the opportunities, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways to help you grow your expertise and serve your clients better. Don’t miss it—tune in now!

Our guest on this week’s IFA Talk is Ruth Handcock, Chief Executive of Octopus Money – and someone who’s always been so passionate about the future of financial advice as she makes so clear in this conversation. 

During her chat with Sue and Brandon, Ruth explains how by using a combination of coaches (aka humans!) and great tech, Ruth and her team at Octopus Money is now partnering with financial advice businesses to deliver practical and cost effective solutions to these big challenges. 

In this week’s show, Sue and Brandon talk to Shanti Kelleman firstly to reflect on some of the ideas her and her team got right in 2024. They progress to talk about her thoughts on some of the possible positive events she’s seeing ( spoiler alert – look out for some surprises here!), then it rolls into where some of the key risks might lie and how she and her team use these ideas to create diversification within portfolios.