Self-select Isas
Self-select Isas are tax-free wrappers into which you can put any equity investments that can be put into Isas, such as shares, some kinds of bonds, eligible unit trusts and so on. You can use your annual Isa allowance to build up a broad-based, mixed portfolio, balancing holdings in individual shares with unit trusts, for instance.
You can get a self-select Isa through a stockbroker but remember you need to do your own research first to decide what investments to choose. Some brokers may offer advice about selection, for a fee. Brokers offering self-select Isas include the following:
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Killik & Co: advisory service; annual account charge £10; commission 1.65% (min £40); no on-line dealing in ISA investments.
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Charles Schwab: execution only; no annual/set up charges; minimum dealing charges on phone £20, web £15, touchtone phone £12; can deal ISA investments online.
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Barclays Stockbrokers: execution only; annual fee 0.5% (max £200 for maxi ISA, £125 mini); commissions on phone dealing: 1.5% on first £2,500 (min £15) then 0.65% on next £5,000 then 0.35%; cannot deal in ISA investments online but coming early 2000.
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Durlacher: execution only and advisory service; no annual fee; commission; execution only 1% (min £30), advisory 1.75% (£30, no online dealing in ISA investments.
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Charles Stanley: execution-only, advisory and discretionary services; one-off set up fee £29.37; commission: ex-only 1% (min £20, max £45), advisory 1.85%, discretionary, no set-up fee, commission 0.5%; no online ISA dealing.
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Pilling & Co: execution only; no set up charges, commission 1.65% on first £10,000; no online dealing for ISA investments yet.
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Redmayne Bentley: execution only and managed services; initial set up fee £20+VAT; annual charge £40+VAT; commission 1.65% for £1,060-£7,000 (min £17.50); no online ISA investment dealing yet.
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Hargreaves Lansdown: execution only; annual fee 0.5%+VAT (min £30) commission 1% (min £10); no online ISA investment dealing yet.
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Torrie & Co: Fastrade execution only service available on internet only (also execution only, advisory and discretionary services avail on phone, Fastrade charges: no set-up fee, annual charge 0.5% (max £200); commission 0.5% (min £15, max £30);can deal ISA investments online.
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NatWest Stockbrokers: execution only; no set-up charge; annual charge 0.5% for first £20,000 (min £25), 0.4% on next £20,000, reduces in tiers. Commissions: 1.25% flat rate (min £15); no online dealing in ISA investments yet.
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Skipton Sharedealing Services: execution only; half-yearly charge 0.25% + VAT (min £7.50, max £75 + VAT per half year); commission: 0.75% on first £4,000 then 0.1% (min £15); no online service yet.
