10 of the best – your most-read articles in 2020
2020 has been a challenging year for us all. Many of you will have worked remotely for the first time, adapted to new ways of working with your clients, and may have even seen the devastating effects of Covid-19 up close.
Over the last few months, we’ve tried to keep as close to ‘business as usual’ as we can. We’ve supported advisers, planners and clients and tried to add value through our regular updates.
Earlier this year we were thrilled when this commitment to superb service was recognised by Moneyfacts and the feedback we receive from our regular articles is very positive.
So, as we close the book on a tough year, here are your ten most popular IPM articles from 2020.
1. 10 weird and wonderful SIPP investments we’ve turned down
Since April 2006 it’s been up to each individual SIPP provider to decide whether they will permit a particular investment within their offering.
Of course, this has meant that clients and advisers have approached us with a wide range of potential investments over the years. So, from car park schemes to burial plots, read our guide to ten of the most unusual investments we’ve been asked to consider.
2. 2 Budget pension changes you should know about
It seems strange to consider that Rishi Sunak stood up to give his very first Budget address before the pandemic had begun to significantly affect the UK.
While it seems almost a lifetime ago that the Chancellor changed pension allowances, increased the Junior ISA limit, and reformed the National Insurance threshold, it was only a few months ago.
Back in April, we shared two Budget pension changes you should know about.
3. 9 types of land clients can hold in a SIPP
Commercial and land purchases remain popular investment choices among clients holding an IPM SIPP. Land purchases can come in all different forms, from small plots of land to large acreage covering a wide variety of uses.
To help you and your clients establish whether a land query is feasible, we shared the three criteria that must be met for a land purchase to be considered, and nine types of land that your clients can hold in an IPM SIPP.
4. 4 common types of property your clients can hold in their SIPP
Following on from the previous article, commercial property is hugely popular with clients, we completed on our 1,000th commercial property purchase in 2019.
While we have previously looked at weird and wonderful types of property which clients can hold in an IPM SIPP, one of our most-read articles this year focused on the more common types of commercial property that clients tend to hold, from offices to industrial units.
5. Have clients who have moved abroad? Here’s how we can help
With the BBC reporting that 5.5 million Brits permanently live overseas, many of you will look after clients who have moved abroad. And as SIPPs combine flexibility in terms of investments and how benefits are paid, they can provide an innovative solution for those clients no longer residing in the UK.
We have clients living all over the world, in locations as far afield as the USA, Hong Kong, and the UAE. So, we’re well-placed to help with any clients you have who live overseas, and we looked at how we can help your overseas clients in our June blog.
6. 5 challenges clients (and us) have faced during lockdown
We’ve all had to adapt to new ways of working in 2020. Whether that’s installing a home office or ‘meeting’ clients through video conferencing, this year has forced us all to evolve.
Over the last few months, we’ve faced several challenges so, as we exited the first lockdown in July (remember that?!) we wrote about how clients were taking reduced income, how the time taken to conclude transactions had risen, and other consequences of lockdown.
7. Here’s everything clients can put in a SIPP
Most of you will be aware that IPM only has one SIPP: the IPM SIPP. This is a full, bespoke SIPP offering and it’s all we offer as simplicity remains one of our key USPs.
When we speak to advisers, they are sometimes still surprised by the amount of flexibility the IPM SIPP can offer and the range of investment houses we can work with. We therefore thought it would be helpful to share some of the SIPP scenarios we work on.
Back in September, we outlined everything your clients can put in the IPM SIPP, with some handy infographics to demonstrate the flexibility we offer.
8. IPM highly commended for service at Moneyfacts awards
Earlier this year, we were thrilled to be shortlisted in four categories at the Investment Life and Pensions Moneyfacts Awards.
Moneyfacts announced the award winners in multiple categories in a special online event in September – and IPM were ‘highly commended’ in the Service Beyond the Call of Duty category.
What makes this so pleasing is that this category didn’t just feature SIPP and pension providers – it included the entire sector. So, across all the protection, investment, and pension providers in the UK, Moneyfacts recognised our service as among the best in the whole sector.
9. 8 things we can put in a SIPP (and one thing we can’t)
Our most-read article this year was our blog concerning weird and wonderful investments we’ve turned down over the years.
The IPM SIPP does offer investment flexibility, so in this article we looked at lots of the investments we can consider, from hedge funds and hotels, to National Savings and Investments.
10. Pension transfers and Inheritance Tax – what you and your clients need to know
There are several legal challenges on pension-related matters going on at the moment. One that has caught the headlines over recent weeks is a ruling on the Staveley case.
This case focuses on the application of Inheritance Tax (IHT) in respect of a transfer from one pension scheme to another, with death occurring within two years of the transfer. In our October article we looked at this case and outlined everything you and your clients need to know about pension transfers and IHT.
Get in touch
If you want to have a chat about the potential of SIPPs for your clients, or any other aspects of pension planning, please contact us. Email info@ipm-pensions.co.uk or call 01438 747 151.