125K in ISAs

ed44

Hi, I’ve decided I need to tidy up my existing ISAs, and I’d value some opinions. I have:

A cash ISA with 55k
A S&S ISA with Selftrade, containing 6 ETFs, worth about 35k
A S&S ISA with Fidelity, also worth about 35k
The Fidelity ISA contains Moneybuilder UK index, IP High income, and M&G European Index

For the 2012/13 tax year, I want to add more UK equity income, and international ex-UK equity


I plan to move the Selftrade ISA to iii, as iii have no account management fee. iii are offering £100 for transfers in, so this will cover Selftrade’s exit fees.
iii doesn’t look great for equity income funds though, and I’m struggling to find a decent international fund on fidelity – possibly HSBC US Index, to add to the UK and EU ones?

I see Bestinvest pay an annual loyalty bonus for portfolios over 50k, and offer £300 for 50k plus transfers. I could transfer about 15k of the cash ISA, and the whole Fidelity ISA, to get over 50k.
If I added the 15k to equity income, I would get about £50 bonus. Alternatively I could also invest in some of the vanguard funds, and use any bonus from the equity income funds against the £60 annual fee.

I have discounted Hargreaves Lansdown, as I have a SIPP with them, and I don’t want to invest more. Alliance Trust is another possibility, but the smaller annual fee is balanced by higher dealing charges.

So, do you think transferring to iii and Bestinvest is a good move?

Thanks

gadgetmind

It all depends on what underlying assets you want to hold, and how you want to hold them. For funds, find whoever gives back the most trail. HL give back some in an ISA but none in a SIPP, Bestinvest some in both if you hold >£50k, and some refund all but have trading fees, as you've seen.

BestInvest have an annual fess *but* this covers holdings of low-fess trackers, ETFs and much more, *however* you can't hold individual bonds and gilts. I'm using BestInvest for a SIPP, and my only issues are the bond/gilt one and that their limit orders are currently broken.

You seem to have done your research, and there is no one right answer, but for a fine collection of Vanguard trackers, ETFs, ITs, REITs and individual equities, I'm fairly happy with BestInvest.

I also use HL for some "pre-enlightenment" fund ISAs, and am currently hunting for the perfect platform for our 2012/13 ISAs and maybe to also get ourselves from our high-fee fund ISAs.

bigfreddiel

tdwaterhouse may be the ideal isa platform- now called tddirectinvesting

fj

psychic_teabag

gadgetmind wrote: »

For funds, find whoever gives back the most trail

Note that with the RDR coming soon, everything could change. Now might not be the best time to move. See also https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3153942

I am currently moving away from HL (to avoid fee on trackers). I decided not to go with Best for ISA because of their ISA exit fee - don't want to have to pay to move again if I have to. I've gone with Fidelity with Cavendish Online as agent (may not hold many managed funds, but since they're currently waiving their one-time fee there didn't seem to be any downside). Rather unimpressed by Fidelity user-interface, but once I've got things settled I shouldn't have to use it too often so I can live with that.

If you decide not to move for now, you could change your Fidelity agent to be Cavendish to get trail commission rebated.