AIFA 'concerned' by FSA's Money Advice Service

GOD HELP US ALL

AIFA are 'concerned'? About time too. Where HAVE you been??? ALARMINGLY INEFFECTIVE (F) ARISTOCRATS Get your hands dirty for a change.

Posted by: Keith Jayne

Elitist

We have the elite in power, from the government through the regulators and even the representative bodies. We see KcKinsey men at every turn, we also see people of privilege and status who are os far divorced from reality that they have no experience of life at the coalface. And it gets worse each day.

Posted by: Evan Owen

AIFa 'concerned'

'this is not something we needd to do' YES IT IS! we have left AIFA due to the feeling that we have received no support in recent years. We have been members since AIFA's inception and believe strongly in the need for a trade organisation who understand the needs of their members and represent these at the highest level. This has patently not been the case and it is only now that they appear to be waking up to this fact. Perhaps we are not the only members to be voting with our feet?

Posted by: Aarjay

For heaven's sake!

Evan We are all guilty of spouting nonsense from time to time. Evidently today is your turn. I and most of the members on the council have probably been advising clients, customers or whatever you want to call them, for a lot longer and I would hazard with greater success than many others in the industry. We do this on a voluntary basis, while still running an active IFA practice or firm. Unlike some who have decided it is too difficult being an IFA and that being a representative of the disaffected or a self appointed trade body was the easier occupational option. I might actually take it as a compliment if you think I and my colleagues on the council are people of privilege and status. Although I must confess to having been (and on occasion still am) a business consultant the closest I have been to McKinsey was being in the same room as Adair Turner. I’m also glad that at long last you have recognised that IFAs are the elite – that’s why AIFA is elitist – that is their constituency.

Posted by: Harry Katz

Wrong Name!

Why is it called the "Money Advice Service" when they cannot provide Advice - surely only an idiot (or a Quangocrat) would be so stupid to have chosen such a wrong name. This will cause lots of confusion - it should be the "Money Information Service". Another example of the public getting information and thinking it is advice? Misbuying is the new Misselling.

Posted by: George Williamson

Too Little Too Late

Harry you need to take a chill pill. You are always angry whenever anyone says anything negative about aifa. aifa deserve most of the flack they have been getting. It is tooooo late to start moaning over the MAS. It is a done deal. Anyway aifa will never be forgiven or trusted again due to not giving best representation for older advisers, with the exeption of one, YOU

Posted by: Afia

Harry

During our telephone conversation I was struck by your own elitist opinions and could not believe that you were the representative of small IFAs. It is people like you who have let IFAs down, it is indeed AIFA who has let them down. But ultimately of course it is IFAs who have let themselves down through the apathetic divisive inability to work as one to prove they are worthy of the IFA badge. Personally I can see why the regulators must do what they do, can you? If I was a regulator there would be some skin and hair flying.

Posted by: Evan Owen

A square peg?

According to the Oxford dictionary Elite: The pick. The Best I am coming to the conclusion that perhaps it’s me. I must be the one out of step. Perhaps I live in the past; perhaps I’m even past it. It would seem that I now live in an age when to be elitist or strive for elitism is a sin, not a virtue. Perhaps I should take a leaf out of Cameron’s book and aplogise for passing the 11 Plus and my O and A levels. Perhaps at school I should have played football instead of elitist rugby. I apologise to one and all that I made the effort when I entered financial services to get educated and qualified. I apologise for trying to ensure that other advisers did likewise in order to safeguard the future of truly independent and impartial advice. I’m sorry that Independent advice is the pinnacle and the best – what a shame we can’t all dispense bank type ‘advice’. I aplogise for not courting popularity and for telling it as I see it. Perhaps I would have been counted a good ol’ boy if I had remained ignorant and unwilling to cope with change. If it wouldn’t be elitist I would have said that I must try and do better!

Posted by: Harry Katz