The Personal Finance Society’s Paraplanning panel has published a guide to support members in writing suitability reports.

The guide is the latest edition to the organisation’s learning content hub.

The guide offers best practice guidance around what to include in a suitability report to ensure clients are equipped to make well informed decisions.

It covers all aspects of suitability report writing including language and tone, structure, risk profile, potential disadvantages, investment strategy, and performance comparison.

The free guide includes examples of good and bad practice, SMART objectives (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timebound), and top tips, as well as accessibility resources to accommodate clients with different needs.

The PFS said the new guide will help Paraplanners to write more engaging and informative suitability reports, which would help clients trust their adviser and their ability to “do the right thing” for them.

The guide has been developed by Alan Gow, Laura Royle, and Philip Greenwood of the PFS Paraplanning panel, alongside Melissa Kidd, director of Motem.

Ms Royle said: “The guide goes back to basics to provide practical guidance for writing suitability reports. The aim is to help Paraplanners write clear and concise reports that are compliant, inclusive, and engaging – reports that clients will want to read.”            

The PFS held its annual Paraplanning conference this month. The event is one of the largest in the paraplanning calendar and included sessions on impactful report writing.

The guide is available on the PFS learning content hub.

The learning content hub includes a range of good practice guides, research and technical articles.