Monday, 19, Apr 2010 10:06

Planning for retirement has become the top issue driving consumers towards seeking the guidance of an independent financial adviser (IFA), a new survey has found.

According to figures from Unbiased.co.uk’s Find an IFA service, 36 per cent of searches conducted during March were related to saving for life after work.

The company’s chief executive Karen Barrett said that proposals in the Conservative manifesto to scrap the default retirement age had put investors’ focus on planning for their pension.

Investments and saving was the second most common “advice driver” during March, accounting for 29 per cent of consumers’ searches.

Other issues in the top ten included ISAs (11 per cent), tax planning (six per cent) and saving for children (three per cent).

“Consumers continue to see the value of specialist product advice when they are embarking on complex and long-term financial decisions such as pensions and investments and are searching for an IFA to guide them through their choices,” Ms Barrett commented.

Last week, research by Legal & General revealed that 32 per cent of Britons are thinking about saving in a pension, up 12 per cent on last year.

Election makes retirement planning key issue, survey finds