Product information
Aviva Investors offers a wide range of collective investment products from Unit Trusts and ICVCs (Investment Company with Variable Capital) to tax efficient investments such as ISAs. Whatever your clients' needs, we are confident that you will find a fund that meets their specific requirements.
ICVCs (OEICs)
An ICVC, also referred to as an OEIC (Open Ended Investment Company), is a pooled investment structured as a company in which investors can buy and sell shares.
When investing in an ICVC fund, money is added to that of other investors in that fund. This means it can be spread across a far wider range of, for example, equities and/or fixed income securities, helping spread the risk to your client's money. ICVCs offer the potential for growth or income depending on the funds you choose to invest in.
Investment in an ICVC is one of the easiest ways for the investor to get into the stock market. It is also a great way to invest further if your clients have already subscribed to an ISA in the current tax year but would like to invest more than the maximum allowance.
For the 2011/12 tax year the maximum ISA allowance is £10,680
Aviva Investors has a wide range of ICVC funds to choose from. To find out more please go to fund information
Unit Trusts
Unit Trusts like ICVCs are pooled funds of investors' money, which are used to buy a range of shares, gilts, bonds or cash deposits, property and other assets. Unit Trusts and ICVCs are open ended funds meaning that the size of each fund can vary according to supply and demand. Unit Trusts are similar to ICVCs but have different structures. Unit Trusts provide a mechanism of investing in a broad selection of shares, thus reducing the risks of investing in individual shares.
When your customers invest in a Unit Trust they buy a unit, which means a portion of the total fund, ICVCs on the other hand issue shares. The fund manager will invest the money on behalf of the unit holders (or shareholders).
ISAs
The ISA allows your clients to combine the advantages of Aviva Investors ICVCs and Unit Trusts with the tax benefits from the ISA wrapper. Aviva Investors offers a Stocks & Shares ISA and a Cash ISA. It is possible to invest a lump sum, a series of lump sums or regular savings. The types and minimum amount of acceptable investment are detailed below.
These tax benefits to your client must also be considered with the risk to capital of the investment. Because of the tax benefits there are limits on how much can be invested:
For the 2011/2012 tax year:
- up to £10,680 in a Stocks & Shares ISA
- or up to £5,340 of that allowance can be saved in a cash ISA, the remainder of the £10,680 can be invested in a Stocks & Shares ISA
Please note these are current tax rules which can change and the favourable tax advantages of ISAs may not be maintained.
Who can Invest? Anyone over 18 who is UK resident and ordinarily resident or a Crown employee working overseas and treated as performing duties in the UK. You cannot hold an ISA jointly with anyone else or on behalf of someone else. Nearly all of our ICVC and Unit Trusts qualify for ISAs, the minimum monthly investment is £50 or £500 for lump sum investments.
To find out more about the investments that qualify for ISAs and to download ISA application forms and Simplified Prospectus documents, go to the essential documents section or to the general fund information section.
The value of an investment in a fund and any income from it can rise and fall and your clients are not guaranteed to get back the value of their original investment.