Oct 2011: How good a deal are structured products?

BBC Radio 4 Money Box "How good a deal are structured products? More than ten billion pounds a year is still being invested in what are called 'structured products'. There are a number of versions of these investments but all share one aim - to give you some of the gains of market rises while protecting your money from the falls. That is done by giving a guarantee that your investment will not fall below the sum you originally invested - or in some cases will not fall below except in exceptional circumstances. But any guarantee is only worth as much as the firm making it. And if that firm goes bust you still stand to lose the lot. So are people sensible to put so much money into structured products? Paul Kelly from Parker Kelly Financial Services and Justin Modray of Candid Money speak to the programme. "
Visit www.missoldinvestments.co.uk for information about failed Lehman-backed structured products

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Structured
• Products
• Lehman

[MrQixon]

@simonclews

All IFAs claim to be "good". Do you mean good at selling, which is what the product providers pay them commission for, or good for the client? 95% of IFAs are former salesmen. What were you selling before you got into selling financial products?

[simonclews]

This is a balanced view on structured products. Basically, get advice from a good IFA - ideally a chartered IFA, like me!