The investment market is becoming increasingly complex, with a myriad of products and providers to choose from, and a lot of hard work required to stay on top. This is why we’re launching a new wrap investment scheme designed to match your needs and maximise your return.

How much time should you invest?

Choosing the right product to take advantage of the tax allowances and benefits available can be tricky, especially when you consider the need to factor in the desired level of risk, the thousands of funds available, and the task of identifying what will hopefully prove to be top performing funds.

And if that wasn’t enough, the investment portfolio needs to be managed. This includes obtaining up to date valuations, checking the investment performance, analysing the market. Also, buying, selling or switching investments can also prove to be a time consuming and costly process.

You may currently be receiving several statements, for different investments, from different providers. This is the case for several of our clients in the Wealth Management department, which is why we’ve launched our own investment wrap platform in association with Elevate (part of AXA). It’s simpler and more efficient, which means the focus is on performance rather than maintenance.

What exactly is a wrap investment platform?

A wrap platform is an online portfolio and business management tool which brings your investments together in one place. It allows us to view your investments securely online and is called a wrap as all your pensions and investments which are managed by us can be wrapped up in one account.  You can get online valuations 24/7 including fund fact sheets and daily priced portfolio valuations.

By setting up and managing your investments on Elevate, as well as buying and selling online, we can provide statements, reports and analysis that will help us make more informed decisions about your portfolio as your financial needs change. With reduced paperwork and time spent on administration, we can focus purely on your needs and objectives.

What’s your risk profile?

As well as offering access to more than 2,500 individual funds, there are six risk-profiled portfolios, ranging from cautious to aggressive, that provide a spread of risk among a number of different asset classes and a number of funds.

Independent risk managers, Towers Watson, provide the asset allocations and Old Broad Street Research (OBSR), an independently-minded investment research company, advises upon the fund selection. OBSR continuously monitors the funds and regular formal reviews determine any changes to the fund selection and their weighting within each portfolio. Completion of a risk profile questionnaire will determine your most suitable risk profiled portfolio.

Why a wrap platform?

·         Simplicity – We can arrange, manage and track your investments more easily.

·         Control – Consolidating your investments will save you time, hassle and stress when handling your portfolio.

·         Efficiency – instant and up to date information at the push of a button.

·         Professional independent fund management – via a range of OBSR Model Portfolios.

Why Elevate?

There are a number of wrap platforms in the market offering access to a range of tax wrappers and investments.  We believe that platforms should go beyond this, and deliver more, including:

  • Scale, expertise and financial strength.
  • Commitment to remain at the forefront of technological and market developments.
  • Training and support to help integrate the platform into our business ensuring greater benefits for you.
  • High-quality service that aims to exceed expectations.
  • People and culture that fit with our business in a way which delivers for you.

Elevate delivers on all of these requirements, and continues to receive awards based on its service from independent companies.  For example Elevate has been awarded:

  • A 5 star rating from independent comparison company Defaqto.
  • A four-star ‘Excellence in Customer Experience’ accreditation in the UK Customer Experience Awards.
  • The highest rating awarded of ‘eee’ from the Finance & Technology Research Centre (F&TRC), in association with Money Marketing.

To find out more about Elevate and organise an independent review of your investments, please call Neil Manning on 01708 333310 or email him at neil.manning@cbhc.uk.com