Four things your clients will call you about this week

Nationals round-up: House prices could be a worry over the next few years, while income protection is back on the agenda...

House prices

Clients depending on the value of their home for a comfortable retirement may be getting a little nervous with the suggestion prices are set to plunge by between 20% and 25% by the end of next year.

The Mail on Sunday says a report by CheckRisk will list rising interest rates and inflation, worsening job prospects, the high levels of public and private debt and reduced mortgage lending as factors which could contribute to the tumbling prices.

Lowering expectations

Over the next decade, both investors and investment professionals are going to have to become less greedy, according to Roger Bootle.

In an opinion piece for the Telegraph, the managing director of Capital Economics and economic adviser to Deloitte explains investors will have to learn getting 10-20% will be "distinctly abnormal", unless huge risks are taken, while investment professionals will have to deliver above average performance to really earn their huge fees.

Income protection

IFAs may spend plenty of time trying to drill home the message anyway, but a piece in the Guardian over the weekend may have more clients and businesses asking about income protection.

It looks at the lack of cover being offered by businesses at the moment and explains how much it can cost for individuals to get protection themselves. Of course, it also details how employer schemes can work out much cheaper.

ISAs

It may not necessarily be breaking news, but the Mail on Sunday once again reported on the often poor returns from cash ISAs.

According to the paper, no cash ISAs pay above the RPI inflation rate (5.3%) at the moment, while the ones paying above 4%, the CPI rate, often require savers to meet ‘onerous terms'.