ClubMan, the 4.5% figure is just a (low) growth figure that I used when calculating the fund value in the future. Using that low figure the fund value, with a 0.75% funds managament charge and a 98% allocation rate and a 3% p.a. increase in payments made, was better than a 100% allocation rate with a 0.9% p.a. funds managament charge and a 3% increase in p.a. payments. The absolute amount of the payments in are irrelevant so long as you are comparing like with like. If the growth rate achieved is greater than 4.5% p.a. then the case for the lower funds managament charge is even greater. The time period I used in all cases was 28 years and I also assumed (for simplicity) that payments were made yearly rather than monthly.
I worked this out by taking the future value of a gradient series over 28 years, discounted by the commission taken on each years payment (100% - allocation rate%) and the yearly funds management charge.
So who offers the lowest fund management charge without taking a huge hit on the allocation rates on payments made into the scheme and do they offer any bonuses?
Tx
QQQ