Four things your clients will call you about this week

Nationals round-up: Expect calls from clients as the ugly subject of adviser commission reappears, IFAs report annuities panic and tips on where to invest in uncertain times.

The Telegraph struck another blow to advisers this weekend with a piece warning investors are "blissfully unaware they are being ripped off by unscrupulous financial advisers"who continue to charge exorbitant commissions and fees of up to 37.5%.

Personal finance editor Paul Farrow examines new research, commissioned by Alan Steel Asset Management, which reveals banks are still the worst culprits when it comes to hidden charges. However, advisers are not far behind with 19% of IFA clients "unaware" of the cost of advice.

Alan Steel tells the Telegraph he is particularly concerned about advisers still selling investment bonds because they pay higher commission than other products.

He recently met a client who had been sold an in-house investment bond by an adviser at a high street bank, even though she had not used her ISA allowance.

"A new client who was previously advised by their bank had a £7,000 investment in an in-house insurance investment bond. The first error was that this taxed product was chosen and yet the client had no tax-efficient ISAs.

"I would hate to think this situation arose simply because the initial commission paid to the bank on an ISA was only 5% when a bond paid them 7%. In this case the bond was invested in a fund run by a part of the same group, which grew by only 3% a year over the 10-year period," he said.

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Stories about pensions rarely seem to hit the radars of the majority of clients. However, it would have been difficult to miss the furore about this week's EU ruling on gender-based annuities and it is likely to generate a few calls from your clients who are close to retirement.

The Sunday Times says financial advisers reported a rush to buy annuities ahead of a ruling expected from the European Court of Justice this week.

It could force insurers to bring the cost of premiums into line for men and women resulting in men losing annuity income of up to £350 a year for every £100,000 they have in their pension pot.

Better Retirement Group said it had received double the normal number of requests for annuity contracts in the past two weeks. Meanwhile, Annuity Direct said inquiries had risen significantly but its advice to customers was to buy quickly only if they were due to retire in the next few weeks. It is holding over some female clients until the situation is clearer.

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With tensions in the Middle East dominating news bulletins, many investors are asking how to play the current situation. According to The Sunday Times' main story, fortune will favour the brave and there are some fantastic buying opportunities.

Gold has been a big beneficiary of jitters about the stock market, having risen from a low of $1,318 towards the end of January to close at $1,408 last week. The Swiss franc was the strongest-rising key currency last week, climbing 2% against the dollar.

However, the Sunday Times reports a growing chorus of investment advisers who say the rush to safe havens and the stock market sell-off has been overdone, particularly if oil falls back.

For more recommendations from advisers and multi-managers on how to play the situation click here  

With the ISA season in full swing, the Financial Mail's Jeff Prestridge takes a closer look at the plethora of cash ISA offers available as the competition hots up between the biggest providers. However, he urges savers to look behind the headline rates and read the small print before moving their money.

For Prestridge's take on cash ISAs click here