Fidelity International has announced the launch of flexible investment and retirement solutions, which allows financial advisers to blend multiple investment strategies.
In regards to pensions, this means advisers can combine smoothed funds, model portfolios and guaranteed lifetime income in one place.
The new facility is held on the Fidelity Adviser Solutions platform.
Fidelity said: “The service supports a range of client needs, from immediate income and long-term growth to legacy or healthcare planning.”
The flexible investment and retirement solutions is also available for Isas and investment accounts and also builds on Fidelity’s strategic partnership with Standard Life.
The Fidelity and Standard Life partnership has introduced the Standard Life Smoothed Return Pension Fund and the Guaranteed Lifetime Income plan, which are both available exclusively through the Fidelity Adviser Solutions platform.
Research from Fidelity Adviser Solutions IFA DNA study, conducted with NextWealth found that 75% of advisers said their clients’ foremost concern is running out of money in retirement.
Other significant worries include inflation (56%), market volatility (47%), long-term care costs (47%) and leaving an inheritance (47%).
Additionally, 80% of advisers recommend drawdown strategies to all or most retirement clients.
Only 9% now recommend annuities to all or most clients, compared with 32% in 2024. However, almost 23% of advisers expect to recommend more annuities in the year ahead.
Fidelity added: “The findings also underscore how retirement is no longer a single “day one” event.”
Half of advisers (50%) said they make significant changes to clients’ financial plans once or twice over the course of retirement, while 23% said changes typically occur three to five times, underlining the ongoing role of advice in managing evolving needs.
Fidelity Adviser Solutions head of adviser distribution Paul Richards said: “With the retirement landscape continuing to evolve, advisers are increasingly focused on solutions that make pension planning simpler and more centralised.
“Our award-winning1 retirement proposition supports this by allowing advisers to manage multiple strategies in a single place, in line with the direction of travel outlined in the Retirement Income Advice Review.
“Looking ahead to the changes to the Inheritance Tax treatment of pensions due to take effect in April 2027 – and the greater responsibility this will place on personal representatives – consolidating clients’ pensions with one provider makes more sense than ever.
“Our solution is therefore a compelling choice for advisers seeking a centralised retirement proposition that reflects both regulatory priorities and client needs.
“Our latest IFA DNA study shines a spotlight on the fundamental concerns clients have about retirement – most notably the risk of running out of money.
“Advisers are responding to these challenges by placing drawdown strategies at the centre of retirement planning, but our findings also suggest that guaranteed income products are regaining momentum as clients and advisers seek greater certainty.
“We recognise that retirement is no longer a single point in time but a journey that requires ongoing flexibility. With tools such as Flexible Investment and Retirement Solutions, advisers now have an enhanced toolkit to respond to these challenges and deliver secure, sustainable outcomes.”
