Five things your clients will call you about this week

Looking back at the weekend's national newspapers, your clients may have picked up on reports into unregulated investments, wills and pension fund fees...

Pension fund fees

It seems to be the flavour of the month at the moment to bash fund managers for their fees. The latest to have a go was the Sunday Telegraph, which explained how "high charges, hidden fees and complex charging structures are eating away at people's retirement savings". It also detailed how charges have "reduced considerably" over the last decade, meaning people on some older-style personal pensions could be seriously losing out.

Unregulated investments

A cautionary tale in the Guardian with financial journalist Edmund Tirbutt explaining how he may have lost up to £21,000 having invested it in Bulgarian property fund. It was regulated by the Jersey Authorities, not the FSA, and the whole thing started to go sour when the property managers and fund managers fell out. The fund has now been almost totally decimated and the author's lesson appears to be that investors should stick to FSA-regulated funds.

Pensions v inflation

There was a gloomy piece in the Sunday Express explaining to readers how "soaring inflation" was going to hit those approaching retirement, slashing the value of their pensions. The latest round of quantitative easing will also be a blow, according to the paper, because gilt yields, which determine annuity rates, have dropped.

Japan

The past few decades have been rough on the Japanese economy and investors have understandably stayed clear. However, a piece in the Independent analysed its current situation and found a few experts willing to stick their neck out and back its potential.

Wills

Clients who have still not written up a proper will might finally be convinced if they read the Mail on Sunday over the weekend. To launch 'Write a Will' week, an initiative driven by Unbiased.co.uk, the paper gave a comprehensive run down of why one is so important and some tips on getting one written. Of course, the most important benefit was having control of how one's assets will be shared, and it was stressed how crucial they can be for unmarried couples.