 Welcome to Financial Services
Over the past few years the financial services sector has been facing its greatest challenge since the 1930s. Market confidence has deteriorated in response to the sovereign debt crisis and a slowdown in the global economic recovery. There is also increasing concern that liquidity in inter-bank lending is reducing, posing threats to the worldwide financial system of a similar proportion to the banking crisis in 2008. In this context, the fast pace of regulatory change we have recently seen is likely to continue.
Investment funds and their managers have particular issues to contend with given the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive and the Remuneration Code regulations emanating from Europe, as well as the recent changes to client asset rules imposed by the FSA. These regulatory burdens impose increased costs at a time when low interest rates are putting pressure on dividend returns to shareholders.
Working with PKF
PKF has a strong track record in providing advice and support to UK and offshore funds, their managers and service providers. We can help from the initial start up stage, through to listing, support with on-going tax, audit and accounting compliance, as well as advising on accounting and regulatory issues on company restructuring and liquidations.
Our multidisciplinary team has a range of experience across the sector and is dedicated to working closely with its clients to understand the issues they are facing, the impact they are having and the most appropriate means for resolving them. To do so may require the need to address international requirements and through our membership of PKF International we are able to provide support in major financial services jurisdictions including the Channel Islands, New York, Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands.
We also have a specialist Indirect Tax Insurance & Fund Management team which focuses on providing creative and practical solutions for insurers, intermediaries and outsourcers. VAT incurred in this sector is almost always an additional cost to a partly exempt business, and the team has a strong track record of using the VAT exemptions to first minimise the VAT incurred, and then agree with HMRC an effective partial exemption special method in order to reclaim as much as possible of any remaining VAT.
Our team
Our clients
We are the market leader in acting for VCTs, covering nine investment managers, together with advising a range of closed ended listed investment trusts, unit trusts and their managers.
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