1st Choice Financial Planning Servs

Advantages: Value for money, convenience, variety
Disadvantages: Value added, status

.... CAN I TRANSFER MY PLAN? - At any time before you start taking your pension, you can transfer your plan to another pension arrangement free of charge. MY EXPERIENCE I have had 2 stakeholder pensions. My 1st with Virgin Money I took out in haste in 2002, I had 2 other pensions I wanted to tidy up (an occupational pension I wanted incubated, the other a private pension) I also wanted to make use of the tax advantages. The Virgin stakeholder pension offers simplicity with a choice of only 2 funds (and free movement between) and ease of use. I moved to my second stakeholder pension a few years later. I'd had some problems with Virgin and was looking for something more sophisticated. The TUC teacher's stakeholder's pension offered this. The scheme is organised by the Prudential. Giving more fund choice and a lower operating cost. One... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: The human factor...going the extra mile
Disadvantages: None so far

...I have been banking with Midland / HSBC for 20 years. In all that time I have never had a problem with them. They seem to have kept that human element in their dealings. In 1995 I got into financial difficulties and my manager called me in. The cold sweats and knocking knees started a mile from the bank but once I had the courage to enter the manager's office I was quickly put at ease and left an hour later with a plan sorted out. I stuck to that plan and by 1996 I was back on the road to recovery. They gave me a mortgage when nobody else would and went that extra mile to help me away from the red and back in the black. I am now financially secure and I owe it mainly to the help given by HSBC. In conclusion (at last I hear you say).... H Happy & S Secure B Best C Choice... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Excellent Financial Data, Well written articles
Disadvantages: It costs £6.50, quite a few adverts appear in the publication

...is then followed by the article relating to the main cover story. Money Management has an interesting section which is a product review, this section gives details of the latest products released by financial companies. Every month Money Management contains a survey. The survey is usually made up of tables showing sales figures and new business trends on financial products such as life insurance and pensions. I think the survey is only any use to financial advisers or financial salesmen who want to see which products is selling the most, I don't think it is of much use to the consumer. Money Management has articles which have been given the title of "spotlight", these articles usually give a good account of a financial product such as Mortgages or Protection plans. I definitely think the "spotlight" articles are of use to the consumer and would... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful