Independent Financial Advice - Consumer Guide

What advice?

Until recently, there were two main ways of seeking financial advice for products such as life assurance, personal pensions and collective investments like unit trusts and Individual Savings Accounts: either through an independent financial adviser or a tied agent.

Following a radical shake-up by the consumer watchdog the Financial Services Authority (FSA) of the way financial products are sold, there is now a third way: through a multi-tied agent.