• A Personal Message from Catriona
• Featured Article : Why NOW Is A Great Time To Sit Exams
• Out Now : Online Training Programs, Masterclasses and Welcome To Insurance!
• What's Around the Corner? : CF5 Help and Diploma Exams
• Exam Update : CF1, CF2, CF3, CF4, CF5 & CF6
• Quote of the Month

What a crazy month we have seen.  Banks are struggling, insurance companies are going under, builders are leaving houses half-built, small businesses are disappearing, and redundancies are a consistent threat.

We could get depressed with all this doom and gloom. But what people fail to remember is that ‘downs’ always follow ‘ups’, just as ‘ups’ always follow ‘downs’.  The past ten years have been crazy.  House prices rocketed, banks and other lenders couldn’t pass out cash fast enough, and individuals convinced themselves that getting into huge amounts of debt

was never going to be a problem.  Of course, it was always going to be a problem.  And that problem was always going to appear one day.  And here it is.

Now we just need to make sure our seatbelts are securely fastened because the next year or so is going to be a very bumpy ride. 

In this month’s newsletter we discuss why now is a great time to get studying and get those exams under your belt.  If you don’t, you could be putting your entire career on hold – or even jeopardise it… And “Joe Bloggs” might be the one who survives ahead of you.  Don’t allow yourself to become the next statistic in the unemployment figures.

We’ve got loads of new ways to help you study for and pass your exams.  So there’s no excuse!

Happy studying!

Catriona.

If you have any questions or comments, or any suggestions as to what can be included in this newsletter to help you maximise your potential and pass first time, please contact me directly at Catriona@BrandFT.co.uk  I would love to hear from you.

Why NOW Is A Great Time To Sit Exams

This article is relevant to anybody who wants to further their career in the financial services or insurance industries, whether you are at Certificate Level or Diploma Level.

I have had a great many phonecalls and emails over the past few months from people who haven’t sat any exams for many years but who are now looking to do so.  I have

found there are two major reasons for this.

Firstly, there is a huge push to get the industry to professional level in terms of qualifications.  The benchmark for people working in an advisory capacity looks like it’s going to be set at CII Diploma level.  Until now, the Certificate in Financial Planning would suffice.  But that is no longer true.  Any serious players need to get qualified to at least Diploma level.  This is also true in the insurance industry where qualifications are becoming more and more important and can mean the difference between promotion or getting ‘stuck’. 

Secondly, there are more people with “time on their hands”.  I’ve spoken to advisers whose business has gone quiet.  I’ve spoken to administrators and support staff who

have found that they’re not having to process as much business as they were six months or a year ago.  The result is that they have a lot of spare time.

And if too many staff have too little to do, which members of staff are likely to be made redundant first?  Those that continue to sit around?  Or those who are pro-active and

use the time to increase their knowledge, skills and qualification level?  I know which members of staff I’d prefer to have.

There will always be people who use the quiet times to panic but not do anything about it, or who adapt well to not doing much in particular.  But the really successful people are those who see quiet times as an opportunity to increase their qualifications without having to sacrifice too much of their own spare time.

When the market calms down and the world economy gets back on its feet, the industry will pick up again.  At the same time, the demand for qualifications will have increased.  Do you want to be one of those people who suddenly finds themselves snowed under with work, but who are also being pushed by their employer to get more qualified?  I’m hearing from people already who are being told they need to get a certain qualification in order to

keep their job.

Why wait until work picks up again to get qualified.  You won’t have the time!  Now is the perfect opportunity to use any quiet times to study and get more qualifications under your belt.  Time is a scarce commodity.  Use it wisely.

“Maximise Your Potential” is a fre-e monthly newsletter from Brand Financial Training.  It is for individuals studying for the CII's Certificate and Diploma level exams, in financial services and general insurance, who want to be kept up-to-date and discover how to get motivated and pass first time.

Sign up now for your FRE-E copy at www.BrandFT.co.uk

September and October have been busy months for us.  Here’s what we’ve been up to:

“PASS CF1 FIRST TIME” ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAM

This allows you to study at your own pace, at whatever venue suits you (laptop on the sofa, in bed, PC at work).   This fantastic program incorporates many learning methods and styles from audio and video through to quizzes, handouts and step-by-step worksheets.

Find out more at http://www.brandft.co.uk/cf/cf1otp.asp

MASTERCLASSES FOR CF1, CF2 and CF6

Our monthly audio-based Masterclasses feature ‘Power Topics’ (voted for by members) and Q&A sessions where we answer all your exam questions (it’s like having your own personal tutor!).  These classes are available every month as an MP3 download which you can listen to on your computer, iPOD, MP3 Player..... You can listen and learn at a time that suits you and as many times as you need.

Find out more at:

For CF1 :  http://www.brandft.co.uk/cf/cf1mclass.asp

For CF2 :  http://www.brandft.co.uk/cf/cf2mclass.asp

For CF6 :  http://www.brandft.co.uk/cf/cf6mclass.asp

CERTIFICATE IN INSURANCE

We have launched our first mock paper for general insurance exams.  We’ve discovered that people sitting general insurance exams have been just as ignored as those of you sitting financial planning exams.  You can now purchase mock exam papers for IF1, and other Certificate of Insurance exams will be available soon.

http://www.brandft.co.uk/if/if1mockq.asp

HELP WITH CF5

We received an amazing amount of positive feedback when we launched our CF5 mock exam papers.  However, we have also discovered that you are really struggling with the product selection question (question 2).  This is a tough question with no single correct answer.  There are so many things to think about when selecting products. Well, we’ve almost completed our step-by-step guide to answering this question (by the time you read this – it may well be available to purchase).  Not only does it provide a step-by-step process to answering this question, it also goes through all three product selection questions in the mock exam papers using this step-by-step process so you can really see how it works.  AND we will be providing a brand new product selection question too.  The

secret to getting top marks in this part of the paper is to get the process perfected.  This new CF5 Product Selection Workbook will ensure that’s exactly what you achieve.

Look out in your inbox for more details and visit

http://www.brandft.co.uk/cf/cf5wkbk.asp

DIPLOMA IN FINANCIAL PLANNING

We have seen many of you pass your Certificate in Financial Planning in record time by accepting our help. We want to keep on helping you by moving you forward and achieving what is going to be the new benchmark qualification in the industry – the CII’s Diploma in

Financial Planning.  We are working hard to produce mock exam papers for all ‘J0’ Diploma exams.  J01 will be out very shortly.  Keep an eye on your inbox for details.

CF1, CF2 & CF6 : Stamp Duty Land Tax

You should be aware that on 2 September 2008 the government raised the threshold for stamp duty land tax. Previously you had to pay stamp duty land tax on all house purchases of over £125,000.  This threshold has been increased with immediate effect to £175,000 until 2 September 2009.  The CII are examining the OLD rates until 1 December 2008.  From 2 December 2008 they will be examining the NEW rates.   Don’t get caught out!

All Financial Services Exams : Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)

As you should be aware, from 7 October 2008 the FSCS compensation limit for deposits increased to £50,000.  At the time of writing (7 October 2008), it looks likely that this will be increased further.  See http://www.fscs.org.uk/consumer/  for further details.

Please be aware that the CII are still examining based on the previous limit of £35,000.  The CII will be updating the change at some point in the future.  Keep an eye on this

newsletter and the CII website for details. 

All CF Exams : MiFID

Where there are different rules for certain types of business, you should assume the non-MiFID position unless otherwise stated.  Non-MiFID means a firm is authorised and transacting business in the UK.

CF1 & CF3 : Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)

From 27 October 2008 the new employment and support allowance (ESA) replaces incapacity benefits for NEW claimants.  This has been examinable since September 2008.