Full disclosure on fees and commissions is an area that we at Ethical Offshore Investments feel very strongly about….

And it something that we always adhere to.

Investors, before you sign up for an investment product or wealth management services, you need to ask the questions….. “What are the charges I will be subject to & how are they calculated..??”  “Why am I paying these charges..??”   “What benefits am I getting for paying these charges..??”

I think that they are fair questions that should be easily answered (unless the adviser has a hidden agenda…. or doesn’t even know themselves….. but that would never happen in the offshore investment sector now would it). I shouldn’t joke about this, but this was one of the main issues that frustrated me so much with what I witnessed at a previous location, and convinced me things could (& should) be done better…. and more ethically. Welcome to the concept of Ethical Offshore Investments.

There is no such thing as a ‘Free Lunch’ and when it comes to investments and Wealth Management Services, there will be charges that are applicable for the professional services that are being provided. The issue for consumers is making sure that you are getting value for the fees that you are paying. Lower fees are not automatically better, as like most things in life, the better-quality items will generally cost more. It is making sure that you get value for the fees and charges that are being applied.

The following article appeared on Financial Times and we at Ethical Offshore Investments, fully endorse Vanguard’s call for fund fee transparency.  

Vanguard calls for fund fee transparency

Asset manager says product costs should be as clear to the public as calorie counts on food labels

Chris Flood AUGUST 15 2021

Investment funds should publish easy-to-compare fee figures in the same way food labels carry nutritional values to make clear to the public when costs are “hazardous”, according to Vanguard.

Sean Hagerty, European head of the world’s second-biggest asset manager, said ordinary UK investors were still unaware of the extent to which fund fees could limit their returns.

“Investors need to be better informed about the costs they pay,” he said. “High fund fees can be hazardous to your wealth in the same way that high calories can be hazardous for your health.”

Due to copywrite issues, to read this full article, please click HERE to continue on the Financial Times site.

At Ethical Offshore Investments, we fully agree that all fees and charges, plus any commissions or any financial incentives being paid, should be fully disclosed in writing to investors, and agreed to by the client, prior to the application process.

Fees and charges will always be a part of the Financial Services and Wealth Management industry. As with any industry, there are costs involved in running a business, which includes investment & product research, product technology and security, compliance and general administration. What we want to ensure that our clients receive is value for the fees and charges that they are paying. 

If you would like to learn more about how you can hold the same investments but with lower costs (so more of the investment return stays in your pocket), please click HERE for the article explaining how we can do this on the website. Or press the More Information button below and we will contact you personally.