INVESTMENT PROPOSITION & DESIGN
Building Your Investment Proposition the Logical Way
“A centralised investment proposition can be explained simply as a compliant framework outlining how you have built your investment proposition. Ultimately it becomes the selection criteria for the underlying investments, funds or portfolio of funds that sit behind a firms advice & product recommendations following completion of an advisers factfinding, risk profiling and research process.”
A very important factor around this and where a lot of companies large and small suffer is that they can be limited (even as an Independent firm) in being able to offer innovative investment models due to legacy issues i.e. a reliance on one or a limited number of outdated investment platform/product providers, which in turn may mean a client paying higher charges or overall costs than necessary for advice.
"We have done the leg work in this area for you and help firms evolve through building their own proposition - platform/products and fund portfolios with a total cost starting from 0.65% for non white labelled portfolios, from 0.70% for white labelled portfolios (exc advisor remuneration), whilst ensuring the correct processes flow from back office to business submission, saving time and resources. Please visit our back office and platform proposition service module pages for more information. Think of the positive impact on your business, advisers and how these savings could be used - business growth, increased revenue, investment in other areas, pass on savings to clients, value added enhanced service solution !"
This is why having vision, continually evolving around product & service innovation, understanding the trajectory of the investment industry, utilising market leading software and technology ensures Acutus™ can help you build a unique investment proposition for your firm > clients. Additionally,ensure you are able to move with the times, whilst still being able to offer a value added and cost effective solution.
Making clients a return of inflation + doesn’t have to be made difficult whether your clients are looking for income, growth or specialist fund solutions. At Acutus™ we believe in doing the simple things well and this extends to how we help firms build their investment propositions.
"Any investment proposition should ideally be built to directly work with and align with your chosen client risk profiling tool, research software, back office systems (for end to end processing of new business/regular reviews) and investment engine/platform. However, from our experience this is where a significant amount of time is lost, creating 'business risks' due to serious in efficiencies internally, not helped by providers lack of innovation or being able to offer advanced cost effective investment funds and portfolios that can create additional advisory firm revenue and cost savings to the end consumer." Our expertise cuts through the noise to help you deliver !"
A firms retail clients concerns around costs can often be focused around initial costs with little concern given to the effects of poor performance and high overall charges (product wrapper, fund, adviser servicing charges)… As we know, high ongoing annual charges and poor performance over the longer term has a significant detrimental effect on client investment returns and an advisory firms revenue so there needs to be strong focus on all factors affecting or contributing to a strong/weak proposition.
It is due to the above that we have mapped processes, tools and software to help firms create market leading and unique investment portfolios that for some, a firm can white label. All solutions are competitive charged without limitations due to cost or investment amount.
Please visit our Info & Brochures page for further information.
Call today, email us or complete our enquiry form and take advantage of our no cost, no obligation initial review service !
Our Investment Fund Solutions
The process starts by understanding your objectives and once your centralised investment proposition is built. We then need to consider what providers and platforms may be suitable to use, which may be dictated by whether the fund solutions are to be non white labelled or white labelled for positive branding. In addition we would also help you consider the knock on effects around your chosen - back office systems, risk profiling and investment research software, which can positively impact on your chosen investment solutions and wider resource, time and cost savings.
"Dependent on your requirements, additional time savings can be generated by considering having portfolios constantly risk mapped to your companies chosen risk profiling software. For example, our Managed Discretionary range can directly map constantly to a given risk level, thus ensuring little/no time is required at an advisers regular client review to make portfolio changes - saving time and money"
Managed Portfolios
Suitable for firms looking for a simple cost effective range of funds with a track record of performing well against their peers.
Our managed portfolios cannot be 'white labelled' and can consist of active and/or passive managed portfolios.
The portfolios typically consist of a basket of circa 10-20 different funds from different fund houses diversifying broadly across investment sectors such as - Cash, Fixed Interest, Property/Infrastructure, Equities - UK, US, Europe, Asia, Japan, Emerging Markets, Specialist.
Can be used for growth or income.
Any portfolio changes required are typically provided by the firm as part of their regular review process.
Passive Portfolios
Suitable for firms looking for a simple cost effective range of funds with a track record of performing well against their peers.
These portfolios cannot be 'white labelled' and provide cost savings as they are not actively managed and follow a given index or range of indexes. Please see our guide to Active & Passive Investing.
The portfolios typically consist of a basket of circa 10-20 different funds from different fund houses diversifying broadly across investment sectors such as - Cash, Fixed Interest, Property, Equities - UK, US, Europe, Asia, Japan, Emerging Markets, Specialist.
Can be used for growth or income.
Any portfolio changes required are provided by the firm as part of their regular review process.
Ethical Portfolios
Unlike all other portfolios our ethical range are designed to ensure screening and emphasis around social, environmental, or other ethical criteria a client may hold. The portfolios can be actively or passively managed. Please see our guide to Active & Passive Investing.
Our ethical portfolios cannot be 'white labelled' and are suitable for firms looking for access to funds that have a track record of performing well against their peers.
The portfolios typically consist of a limited basket of circa 10 different funds from different fund houses diversifying broadly across investment sectors such as - Cash, Fixed Interest, Property, Equities - UK, US, Europe, Asia, Japan, Emerging Markets, Specialist.
Can be used for growth or income.
Any portfolio changes required are provided by the firm as part of their regular review process.
Specialist Portfolios
Suitable for firms with high net worth clients with invest-able funds over £500,000 and/or with clients looking for a solution to mitigate various forms of taxation or tax exemptions who are comfortable taking a higher degree of investment risk on a smaller proportion of their overall investment portfolio.
We typically find this service is suitable for firms looking to offer their clients specialist and enhanced regular ongoing support due to the complexities of the portfolios and changing legislation.
Some portfolios can hold functionality to be integrated into our Tailored Discretionary service.
The portfolios can typically consist of quoted and unquoted single company shares, collective funds, ETF's (Exchange Traded Funds), Investment Trusts, Hedge Funds, income / inheritance tax planning portfolios, business property relief (BPR) portfolios.
Limitations around portfolio changes, portfolios meeting a clients chosen risk profile may apply due to the nature of the solutions.
Any portfolio changes required are provided by the firm as part of their regular review process.
Discretionary Managed Portfolios
Our Discretionary Managed portfolios differ from our Managed and Passive portfolios in that they provide enhanced active strategic fund management where portfolio changes may be made by our mandated discretionary fund manager at their discretion to take advantage of changing market conditions, typically at short notice i.e. with an aim of enhancing performance / minimising risk.
Suitable for firms looking to achieve time/resource efficiencies, offer enhanced service & investment solutions and potential additional revenue/client savings.
These portfolios can be 'white labelled.'
The competitive charging of these portfolios means you would not have the option to meet with the discretionary fund manager on a regular basis.
The portfolios typically consist of a basket of circa 10-20 different funds from different fund houses diversifying broadly across investment sectors such as - Cash, Fixed Interest, Property, Infrastructure, Equities - UK, US, Europe, Asia, Japan, Emerging Markets, Specialist.
Can be used for growth or income.
In the majority/all cases, the portfolios are designed with the fund managers to constantly align to a firms risk profiling software provider, therefore minimising/eliminating portfolio changes at firm level, saving time and money.
Tailored Discretionary Fund Management
Suitable for firms with clients holding over £250,000 looking for specialist and enhanced regular ongoing support through appointment of a specific fund manager who will manage your account daily.
These portfolios differ from our Discretionary Managed Portfolios in that they are bespoke and tailored to a firms clients specific requirements around the type of assets held, setting/meeting a target income, setting/meeting a specific target cost or charging basis, targeting tax exemptions and reliefs etc.
The portfolios also provide enhanced active strategic fund management where portfolio changes may be made by our mandated discretionary fund manager at their discretion to take advantage of changing market conditions, typically at short notice i.e. with an aim of enhancing performance/ minimising risk.
This service would provide the option for our selected discretionary fund manager to attend a firms advisers regular ongoing client review meetings (subject to cost/service level agreement).
The portfolios consist of a unique basket of infinite funds from different fund houses . Holdings can include and not limited to - collectives, ETF's, Investment Trusts, single company shares, Infrastructure, Hedge Funds, ethical funds, income/inheritance tax planning portfolios, business property relief (BPR) portfolios.
Portfolios are diversified broadly across investment sectors such as - Cash, Fixed Interest, Property, Equities - UK, US, Europe, Asia, Japan, Emerging Markets, Specialist.
Can be used for growth or income.
Any portfolio changes are carried out at fund managers discretion on as frequent basis as required.
Multi Asset Portfolios
Our Multi Asset portfolios can be active or passively managed portfolios, typically designed for firms looking for simple investment solutions that have a track record of performing well against their peers.
These portfolios cannot be 'white labelled' and typically consist of a single fund, invested broadly across investment sectors such as - Cash, Fixed Interest, Property, Equities - UK, US, Europe, Asia, Japan, Emerging Markets, Specialist.
Reliance may therefore be on the expertise of a single fund manager opposed to a larger number of fund managers through our other investment solutions.
Can be used for growth or income.
Any portfolio changes required are provided by the firm as part of their regular review process.
Investment Risk and Management
The range of Acutus™ Portfolios provide greater efficiencies within a business so you can feel confident both business and compliance risk is well controlled and minimised.
The Portfolios aim to produce top class risk controlled multi - asset investment strategies at low cost and work in harmony with other Acutus modular services :-
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Client risk profiling.
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Centralised investment proposition.
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Business development.
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Research.
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Access to highly competitive platform fees
We are guided by the core principles of our investment philosophy that drive our investment propositions. We know that 91% of total investment returns are driven by effective asset allocation (Source: CFA Institute), as such we focus on deriving quality asset allocation at sensible prices for clients.
Our portfolios are typically set in line with your firms chosen risk profiling software, with the aim of not drifting outside of their allocated risk levels/parameters. This means advisers will save time with less of a need to re balance at review and and investors avoid being exposed to undue risk that has not been “signed up to."
Acutus™ Portfolios provide the following benefits :-
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Competitive fees offering true value.
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An investment approach using sophisticated institutional techniques.
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A blend of judgement and automation.
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Regulated & conventional portfolio composition.
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Portfolios are available on a wide range of retail platforms.
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Partnership approach with access to our investment/research team.
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Reduced costs of operations.
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Better customer outcomes and revenue generation.
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Enhanced business development opportunities.
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Defaqto Ratings (may not be available on all portfolio ranges).
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No threat to you or your clients.
We can supply a host of product provider and fund management group due diligence and documentation to support our suite of investment portfolios as well as your own client facing white labelled documents to support a suite of wider client marketing material.
Need more information? Contact us
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