The best smartphone apps for IFAs

The wealth of apps available to advisers gives smartphone-savvy IFAs an advantage over their Luddite peers.

New technology means that being out of the office doesn't necessarily prevent advisers from tackling their workload and lets them get plenty done between client meetings.


Bloomberg

This helpful app is equally suitable for private investors and their IFAs. It provides up-to-the-minute financial news, videos and podcasts as well as historic market data across stocks, indices, commodities, ETFs, bonds and currencies.

Perhaps the most useful feature though is one that allows investors to enter details of their own portfolio and track performance.

Price: Free


Fidelity UK

The latest version of the Fidelity app allows investors to securely access their account and provides live information about profits and losses.

Users can also set up alerts to let them know when investment valuations change. For convenience the app facilitates buying and selling directly from an account while on the move, allowing investors to take advantage of any sudden drop in markets.

Price: Free


Twitter

Social networks are becoming an important method for financial advisers to communicate with clients and grow their business.

IFAs that haven’t got a strategy for getting the most out of Twitter may end up being left behind by competitors that do.

The social network allows advisers to get ideas from other IFAs, discuss industry topics informally, keep up to date with all the latest news and keep clients updated with any important information.

Anyone that doesn't have a Twitter account can set one up in five minutes and follow @Trustnet to get all the latest news and research.

Price: Free


Find an IFA

This app from unbiased.co.uk does exactly what it says on the tin. An individual enters their home or work postcode and selects the area of financial advice they need. The search then matches them to the eight closest IFAs.

Users can view basic information on services the IFA provides as well as qualifications they hold and a profile of the company.

While this app is designed for investors rather than advisers, making sure your firm is on the database could be crucial.

Price: Free


Time to Act

Aviva’s pension tool is aimed at raising awareness about the need to put money away for the future. Its features enable users to calculate employer contributions as well as any tax relief they will receive.

The app also offers an estimated projection of what investors can expect to have in their pension pot when it comes to retiring.

This is a great tool for teaching new clients about the need to plan for their future early.

Price: Free


Appetite for Risk

Getting clients to understand their appetite for risk is one of the key stages in the investment process. Completing the questionnaire can be time-consuming but this helpful app from Skandia is here to help save all that hassle.

Clients can download the app, follow the instructions and at the end their attitude to risk will be scored from 1 to 10, simplifying the whole process.

Price: Free


IFA Life

The IFA Life app delivers the latest content from the financial planners’ social network. Stay up to date with latest discussions and post and search for jobs within the industry.

Price: Free


Angry Birds

Long trips to meet clients needn’t be all work. This simple game where players are asked to catapult explosive birds at egg-stealing pigs makes little sense but the addictive and increasingly difficult challenges will keep you occupied when you don’t want to think about the markets.

Price: £0.69