Gold Standard Pension Advice

Pension Transfer Gold Standard

The Gold Standard is a voluntary code of good practice for safeguarded and defined benefit pension transfer advice, based around a set of principles.

Firms can adopt and promote this standard and principles, so consumers can better understand and find good advice, and be confident they are dealing with a firm that is going beyond minimum requirements when giving financial advice.

The nine principles

• Helping clients understand when advice is appropriate
• Ensuring advice given supports the clients overall wellbeing in the context of their stated objectives
• Ensuring client understanding and acceptance of all charges
• Ensuring the most appropriate and updated technical skills are applied
• Transparent management of Conflicts of Interest
• Helping clients understanding the cost of transferring benefits
• Avoiding unregulated investments and introducers*
• Transparency in advice processes and outcomes
• Promoting the Consumer Guide to the Pension Transfer Gold Standard

Transferring out of a Final Salary scheme is unlikely to be in the best interests of most people

The value of pensions and the income they produce can fall as well as rise. You may get back less than you invested.