Hansford Bell Financial Planners

This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of an ability to analyse financial protection planning issues.

This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of the various pension products, the pension tax regime and retirement needs.

This qualification helps advisers develop and demonstrate their financial planning capabilities. 

To achieve the Associateship grade, individuals would be required to have 6 AFPC (Diploma) units or equivalent. This shows a commitment to continuous professional development.

This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the UK regulation environment in the financial services industry, mortgage products, repayment options and the giving of mortgage advice.

This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the financial services industry, including regulation, legislation and the Code of Ethics.

This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of the different types of equity release products, risks to the consumer associated with equity release and application of suitable equity release solutions according to the circumstances of different customers.

This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the UK regulation environment in the financial services industry, mortgage products, repayment options and the giving of mortgage advice.

The Diploma enhances knowledge in core areas such as regulation, investment principles, risk, taxation and personal financial planning using real-life scenarios to develop the essential skills to apply this technical knowledge in practice

This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of investment products and the risks involved.

To achieve DipPFS individuals must achieve 140 credits. At least 80 credits must be at Diploma or AFPC level.

This examination assesses the candidate to develop in depth financial planning skills related to personal and corporate pensions.

To achieve DipPFS individuals must achieve 140 credits. At least 80 credits must be at Diploma or AFPC level.

This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the mortgage process and the principles of equity release.

An internationally recognised financial planning credential. The holder must demonstrate a combination of experience, financial qualifications (usually AFPC/DipPFS) or equivalent, an IFP assessment, ongoing educational activity (continuous professional development) and ethical behaviour.

This qualification assessed the knowledge and understanding of the UK regulation environment in the financial services industry together with types of mortgage products and repayment options and the giving of mortgage advice.

This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of the Government’s simplified pension taxation regime which came into full effect on 6 April 2006 (A-Day). Eight tax regimes for pensions were reduced to one, radically affecting planning and transactions.

In order to have completed this qualification, individuals were required to obtain three units. These could have been selected from any combination of the available units at that time but must have included the compulsory G10 unit - Taxation and Trusts.

To achieve the Associateship grade, individuals would be required to have 6 AFPC (Diploma) units or equivalent. This shows a commitment to continuous professional development.

Having achieved the APFS designation, advisers can go onto to achieve this recognisable benchmark of quality and ethical practice for financial services professionals, elevating financial planning and advice in the public eye to the same standing as other Chartered professions. The holder must demonstrate a combination of experience, financial qualifications, ongoing educational activity (continuous professional development) and ethical behaviour.

This examination assessed a knowledge and understanding of the UK tax system, the law and practice of trusts, but also an ability to advise individual clients on the tax treatment of their investments and the use of trusts to meet their current and foreseeable future needs.

This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the UK regulation environment in the financial services industry, lifetime mortgage products, repayment options and the giving of mortgage advice.

This examination assessed a knowledge and understanding of investments and an ability to advise individual clients on the construction of investment portfolios to meet both their current and foreseeable future needs.

At the end of this unit, candidates should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the: process of decumulating pension funds and the main issues for clients and advisers; main choices facing members of pensions schemes during decumulation; features, risks and tax treatment of the secured pension option; features, risks and tax treatment of the unsecured pension option; features, risks and tax treatment of phased retirement; features, risks and tax treatment of the alternatively secured pension option.

At the end of this unit, candidates should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the: main tax and legal frameworks that govern the accumulation phase of building up retirement benefits under registered pension schemes; features of defined contribution and defined benefit pensions; choices faced by early leavers and use of transfer value analysis; State retirement benefits available, including the risks and suitability of contracting out of the State Second Pension.

This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of investment products and the risks involved.

This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the UK regulation environment in the financial services industry, long term care insurance products and the giving of long term care insurance advice.