Variable annuities have endured a volatile couple of decades, with providers exiting the market and new third-way products fighting to compete with traditional annuities.

IFA business Informed Choice is launching an online educational tool to help clients make investment choices without paying for advice.

Due to roll out at the end of July, the Brilliant With Investment service already has its first user signed up; an as-of-yet unnamed employee benefits adviser, who will offer the service to three “major” employers to assist scheme members in making their own investment decisions.

A financial recruitment consultancy has launched a platform for existing IFAs to sell their book of business ahead of the retail distribution review (RDR).

Paul Clutton, group managing director of Professional Recruitment and managing director of IFA brokerage Tomorrow, said the business would also provide a platform for acquisitive IFAs or those seeking a merger to meet likeminded businesses.

Close Asset Management has selected FNZ to deliver a new multi-channel platform.

The platform will cater for users from Close’s wealth and asset management service, which provides integrated advice and investment products to both private and institutional clients in the UK.

Gerry O'Neil has left Standard Life, following the conclusion of an investigation at the insurer.

Montpelier self invested personal pension (Sipp) members could find themselves paying £175 a year more than members in Curtis Banks, despite the administration being run by the same firm.

Around a third of pensioners only decided to retire after their employer suggested they should leave, according to research from Aviva’s Real Retirement report.

HSBC is preparing a corporate ISA among a range of products to add to its pension provision, according to its UK retirement head.

Standard Life is in talks with a technology house about a new system to manage the changes introduced by the retail distribution review (RDR) in 2012.

Mastek has developed Elixir for Retail Distribution (ERD), which claims to assist life offices in coping with orphan clients, responding to changes in adviser charging and setting up a consumer sales channel.

SG Hambro Private Bank (SGHPB) is seeking to corner the third-party platform market for high net worth advisers, with the launch of its Wealth Partnership Service.

Tesco Clubcard pioneer Clive Humby has called for the financial services industry to learn from the retail sector in anticipation of the retail distribution review (RDR).

The winners of the Technology Administration and Service Awards 2010 and the New Breed Adviser Awards 2010 were announced at a gala dinner in London last night.

Pensions adviser Retirement Angels has agreed, subject to regulatory approval, to acquire broker Annuity Direct from Partnership Group.

Resolution has completed the acquisition of Axa UK, which will result in the life office being merged with Friends Provident.

Standard Life will allow self invested personal pension (Sipp) customers to appoint their own solicitor for commercial property investments, but will charge at least £640 for the privilege.

Major pension providers and financial advisers have distanced themselves from taking responsibility for the mass-market provision of advice.

Pensions Management has discovered that the Freedom Sipp faces imminent deregistration and windup.

Friends Provident has declared that it will launch a corporate wrap platform in 2010.

Standard Life has removed the annual product charge from two of its wrap platform products.

An overwhelming majority of IFAs believe it is important to achieve 100% open market option (OMO) coverage, though only 46% think it is attainable, according to Pensions Management research.

People approaching retirement are more aware of their pension value and subsequent options than is commonly thought, according to Legal & General (L&G).

Financial service provider Zurich has launched a campaign to support financial advisers during the economic downturn.

Terminology used to describe advisers after the retail distribution review (RDR) comes into force needs clarification, according to industry experts.

Gathering assets is a surefire way to building a sustainable advisory business, but the world of fund creation is expensive and therefore difficult for the average adviser or wealth manage – until now, that is.

Advisers are set to gain from the credit crunch, according to research from Axa.