Welcome to our final edition of IFA Magazine for 2023. It’s certainly been a busy year for us all, with plenty of shocks and surprises as well as more orthodox challenges keeping advisers – and journalists like us – on our toes.
Whether it’s Consumer Duty, the ravages of inflation, the relentless hikes in interest rates we experienced in consequence, ongoing geopolitical threats, war in Ukraine or the shock of Hamas’ attacks on Israel in October and then the subsequent invasion of Gaza, for IFA Magazine readers, helping clients to remain on track to meet their ongoing goals continues to be quite a task amidst such turmoil. And, with so much uncertainty going into 2024, the year ahead looks set to challenge us all yet again.
Some words of thanks
Now, regular readers will know that we’re not ones for blowing our own trumpet. However, at this time of year I feel I should share that our fabulous team and I have had a rather excellent year. It’s all thanks to you, our dear readers, of course. And for that we thank you whole heartedly.
You’ve not only viewed significantly more of our articles online than ever before, but you’ve also listened in growing numbers to our weekly IFA Talk podcasts, tuned in to our live webinars, kept reading our regular magazines (like this one!) and checked out our Wealth DFM and GBI coverage too.
Housing has been ‘the’ personal finance story of 2023, with extreme pressure put on mortgage holders as well as renters. Our ongoing Mortgage and Property coverage within IFA Magazine has been particularly popular this year, so hopefully you’ve found it useful. We’ve certainly got lots more planned for 2024 as the property market looks set to continue to cause more headaches well into the New Year.
Our goal is simple. We’re here to support you by being an information intermediary that you can rely on. We’re not here to twist things, to try and be too clever or even to scare you with what we deliver. For us, it’s just about keeping you informed with relevant and thought-provoking content about what’s going on more broadly as well as from across the world of advice. As always, we love bringing you expert insight from leading lights across a range of sectors and professions. Variety is the spice of life after all!
So, as well as our readers, to everyone who’s shared their insight and ideas with us this year, talked to us in interviews or on podcasts, we thank you too.
And my final big shout out goes to our fabulous team here, without whom it would not be possible. They’re the unsung heroes and heroines. So thanks everyone! We’ve got big plans for 2024 to do lots more and I know we’re all looking forward to it.
A festive wish
It remains for me to wish you and your families a relaxing and enjoyable festive season as well as a very happy New Year. Whatever your festive plans, we hope that you can enjoy some much needed down-time so that you’re ready to return to work reinvigorated in the New Year. The IFA Magazine team and I are planning on doing just that! BUT, there’ll still be lots of great coverage on www.IFAMagazine.com right through the festive season to keep you informed and entertained!
Sue Whitbread
Editor, IFA Magazine
