There’s good and not-so-good in the recently announced rules from the Financial Conduct Authority on how the peer-to-peer (P2P) sector will do business. The rules come into effect in December. We’ll be commenting at greater length in our blog section shortly. Meanwhile, here’s a reprise of the major points from commentary site, Lend Academy.
The biggest change here is around investor protections and it is also the most controversial piece. Investors will no longer be able to put more than 10% of their investable assets into peer to peer lending. Some people considered that number too low and somewhat arbitrary as many investors today have far more of their net worth in the peer to peer lending industry.
Another controversial part of the new rules is the introduction of an “appropriateness test” for investors. From December 9, 2019, P2P lending platforms will need to carry out an appropriateness assessment that considers a client’s knowledge and experience of P2P lending before the platform can accept a new investment. Not only that but platforms will be restricted to those people who are certified or self-certify as sophisticated investors, making it much more difficult for the industry to attract new investors.
Here are more highlights of the new regulations:
Loans – Latest News
The latest loan from property-backed Seascape is now available. This A-rated tranche yields 8 per cent gross and has a five-year duration.
A Process Guide To Innovative Finance ISA Investment
Money&Co. lenders have achieved an average return of more than 8 per cent gross (before we deduct our one per cent fee). That figure is the result of £17 million of loans facilitated on the site, as we bring individuals looking for a good return on capital together with carefully vetted small companies seeking funds for growth. Bear in mind that lenders’ capital is at risk. Read warnings on site before committing capital. The annualised bad rate on Money&Co. loans in five years of trading is under 0.04 per cent.
All loans on site are eligible to be held in a Money&Co. Innovative Finance Individual Savings Account (IFISA), up to the annual ISA limit of £20,000. Such loans offer lenders tax-free income. Our offering is an Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA) that can hold the peer-to-peer (P2P) business loans that Money&Co. facilitates. For the purposes of this article, the terms ISA and IFISA are interchangeable.
So here’s our guide to the process:
The ISA allowance for 2018/19 is unchanged from last tax year at £20,000, allowing a married couple to put £40,000 into a tax-free environment. Over three years, an investment of this scale in two Money&Co. Innovative Finance ISAs would generate £8,400 of income completely free of tax. We’re assuming a 7 per cent return, net of charges and free of tax here.
Once you have made your initial commitment, you might then consider diversifying – buying a spread of loans. To do this, you can go into the “loans for sale” market. All loans bought in this market also qualify for IFISA tax benefits.
Risk: Security, Access, Yield
Do consider not just the return, but the security and the ease of access to your investment. We write regularly about these three key factors. Here’s one of several earlier articles on security, access and yield.