The NextWealth Adviser Tech Stack series delivers in-depth analysis of the technology that underpins the delivery of financial advice. This latest edition is our annual state of the nation report, covering market share and adviser reviews of key tech providers as well as the ways that advisers are using their tech and how that is changing.
NextWealth’s Risky Business report forms part of our Adviser Tech Stack series. Financial advisers and planners employ varied methods to help clients comprehend investment risk, capacity for loss, sequencing risk, and the risk of not achieving financial goals. Some firms merely reference risk discussions in meeting notes, while others dedicate entire meetings to the topic. Tools such as attitude to risk questionnaires (ATRQs) and cash flow modelling are integral, especially for clients entering or in retirement, supported by tailored conversations.
In this paper, we explore the problems, solutions, obstacles and opportunities for the industry to improve the robustness and consistency of the management of MPS on platforms. The purpose is to galvanise the change-makers at advice firms, discretionary managers, platforms, and solutions providers to act now to improve how fair value and consistent outcomes are delivered to clients through MPS.
Assets in discretionary model or managed portfolio services (MPS) experienced strong growth in the six months to the end of Q1 2024. Asset growth was aided by favourable market conditions and a continued shift in assets toward discretionary MPS driven by the Consumer Duty and continued price pressure. M&A activity has also continued in the financial advice sector presenting both opportunities and difficulties alike for providers of discretionary MPS.
Multi-asset funds are the investment solution most used by financial advisers. They are used alongside model portfolios, as components within model portfolios and as a standalone product. In our survey for this report, we found that three quarters of financial advice professionals use multi-manager or multi-asset funds with 28% expecting to increase their allocation of client assets to these products in the next three years. In May 2023, the Investment Association reported that 17% of UK retail funds were invested in mixed asset funds.
This report marks version one of the AI Index. NextWealth will update this report at least annually, tracking adoption and readiness to adopt AI in wealth management and financial advice businesses. The report will also include case studies and insights from tech providers (investment platforms, back office systems and other advice tech providers) who will enable adoption of AI in our sector.
