Holly Black: Welcome to the Morningstar, Investment ABC. We're going to go through some of the most common acronyms in the investment world, which sound really confusing and off-putting, but aren't as bad as you think. And the aim is to prove that investing is as easy as ABC.
Alex Gard: Hello, my name is Alex Gard and today's word is IFA. I is for Independent; F is for Financial; A is for Adviser.
Black: Thanks very much, Alex. So, yes, today's word is IFA, so why might you see an independent financial adviser? Well, quite often if you come into some money, perhaps some inheritance. Or if you're in different life stage, perhaps approaching retirement or starting a family, then you might want some guidance on what exactly to do with your finances.
So why IFA? I for independent because some financial advisers are tide to certain fund houses or can only advise on certain products. If you see an independent adviser, they should be able to advise you on the whole of the market, so you know that you're getting the best things recommended to you. F for financial, that's quite an obvious one. This is all to do with your finances. And A for adviser, because crucially this is only advise, a financial adviser should not be pressuring you or telling you what to do. This should be a collaborative relationship where they help explain things to you in simple terms so you understand and are comfortable with the decisions and you get the better outcomes.
IFA, yay.