For a long time I have suggested a legal requirement for a simple, one-page document to be issued to every client
The minimum competency code issued by the Central bank a few years ago was a 1st step in the right direction but it seems that nothing "real" has changed so far, apart from some cosmetics.
What really brings your "industry" down is the vast armies of unqualified, unprofessional and dishonest people that are dispatched each weak by the large financial services houses, selling "products" that they neither understand or know about or have any real education or training in. This has been going on for years. The financial institutions hire "low cost" people to sell products to their own families or friends and are typically out of the job again within a couple of months. You may not like it but this is the face that the industry is putting out. People can only judge it by what they see and what they experience.
I came across a guy a few years ago who had previously worked all his life as a labourer on building sites. He had a cheap suit on and was selling financial products on behalf of a big name company. He didnt have one iota of a clue what he was doing. You cannot call this a professional approach and you cannot call it a Profession. These guys are motivated by money alone. Commission is what keeps food on the table for them. The whole thing smelled and smelled badly.
Sure, there are bad Solicitors and Accountants out there but at least they have all undergone a professional training, have all earned a recognised degree and are all heavily regulated by their own professional bodies.
Eddie Hobbs took on the industry a number of years ago on the same issues that I'm speaking about above. He also was uncomfortable about what was going on beneath the surface.From top to bottom in that industry, they closed ranks on him and forced him out.
I agree fully. For a long time I have suggested a legal requirement for a simple, one-page document to be issued to every client before they commit to any financial product that says: "If you invest €1.2 million in this product...
There should be nothing else permitted to be on this page to keep it clear. All the charges must be listed in Euro. The client and the sales agent should be required to sign it.
- the sales agent will receive €105,000 in commission in year one
- (if applicable) the sales agent will receive €A in ongoing commission in future years - table of renewal / trailer commission based on an assumed growth rate
- the product provider will receive €B in product charges in year one
- the product provider will receive €C in product charges in future years - table again
- the fund manager will receive €D for fund management in year one
- the fund manager will receive €E for fund management in future years - table again
- the Government will receive €F in levies, taxes etc.
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