Informed Choice is delighted to have been shortlisted in all three of our categories – IFA of the Year, Best Investment Adviser and Best Use of Technology by an Adviser.

These adviser awards seek to recognise adviser firms for both the quality of their advice and their business acumen covering both general IFAs and specialist advisers.

Also shortlisted in the IFA of the Year category is 2plan wealth management, Bestinvest, Lowes Financial Management, Paradigm Norton Financial Planning and Positive Solutions.

In the Best Investment Adviser category, we are joined in the shortlist by Alan Steel Asset Management, Bestinvest, Chartwell Group, Paradigm Norton Financial Planning and Positive Solutions.

For Best Use of Technology by an Adviser, the other shortlisted firms are 2plan wealth management, Alexander Forbes, Bluefin, Paradigm Norton Financial Planning, Positive Solutions and Thomsons Online Benefits.

The next stage is interviews this month to decide the final placings and winners. The awards will then be announced on Thursday 25th March 2010 at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London.

We wish our competition the best of luck and, as ever, we are delighted to see that Informed Choice is one of the smallest firms represented in each of our categories. We will let you know the results the minute they are announced in March.

Savers need to readdress their approach to private pensions in 2010 – a year in which the general election will shape the financial landscape, says Informed Choice.

Speaking to IFAonline, the company’s managing director Martin Bamford urges savers to take more of an interest in their private pensions and start viewing them as an important investment tool.

With the Surrey IFA’s clients predominantly in the 50-70 age category, he says it is important this group gets a grip on their pension pots in what promises to be an uncertain year.

“Historically, clients don’t seem to have taken much interest in their private pensions, in regard to where the money is invested, what it provides and what kind of returns it makes,” he says. “People need to take pensions more seriously and start viewing them as investment portfolios.”

“Pensions are really investments – the pension aspect relates to the chosen tax wrapper.”

Bamford adds pensions are becoming an increasingly important asset as a result of the plunge in house prices. And he urges a sea-change in attitude with a more individualised approach.

“Rather than passing the responsibility on to an insurance company, savers should take an active part in selecting individual funds in line with their risk profile,” he says.

In terms of 2010, the Informed Choice MD thinks the forthcoming general election will play a crucial role in shaping an uncertain financial landscape. Gilt values, exchange rates and interest rates will all be impacted by the election – which must be called before June 3 – says Bamford.

“Regulatory challenges and economic fundamentals will be the main issues this year – both of which will be influenced by the general election,” he says.

He foresees a year of two halves, with a steady first part bringing few surprises and a second, more volatile, half bringing possible shocks to the system.

An expected increase in interest rates could also see cash recover lost ground.

“Cash has fallen out of favour and we might see a reversal in this trend – but I think it is unlikely it will reach its historical highs again for two or three years.”

He also thinks it unlikely the stock market will repeat the dramatic rally witnessed in the second half of last year which saw the FTSE surge 50% from March.

“It is great confidence has returned, but people should not make investment decisions on the basis of a very unusual year.”

Emerging markets remain an attractive long-term proposition, but he warns against a strategy of putting all investment eggs in one basket.

“The secret of investment is diversification and staying invested,” he sums up.

Meanwhile, family-run business Informed Choice seems to have emerged from last year’s financial storm in good shape and is currently in the process of recruiting three more advisers to its team.

During such tough economic times, it is understandable that so many people stick their heads in the sand when it comes to their money.

By considering a few simple personal finance resolutions, it is possible to transform your personal finances and get to the end of 2010 with a much healthier financial position.

Here are our eight top personal finance resolutions for 2010.

1 – Work out your budget

It continues to amaze me how many people simply don’t know how much money they spend each month (and where this money goes). Working out and sticking to a monthly budget is all about spending less than you earn. If you achieve this, month on month, you will be in a better financial position at the end of 2010 than you were at the start.

2 – Get out of the red

If you have short term debt (credit cards, store cards, overdrafts, etc) you will know that debt is a drag on your ability to meet other financial objectives. It’s also an emotional drag on your attitude towards money and personal finances. Make clearing your short-term debt a priority before starting to save for other financial plans.

3 – Make a plan

This action ties in closely with your monthly budgeting. When you are working out what you are going to spend your money on each month ensure that you prioritise debt over savings. Stop taking on more short-term debt. Mark a debt-freedom day on your calendar and stick to it.

4 – Look to the future

Starting a pension is likely to be a big priority for many people in 2010. We recently heard proposals from the main political parties on the subject of pensions, all suggesting we will need to save more and work for longer. You cannot rely on the State for a sustainable level of income in retirement and that means you need to use a pension or another investment vehicle to create your own sources of income for later life.

5 – Pay less tax

No one enjoys paying tax but many of us fail to take the simple steps that enable us to pay less tax. Each and every year we waste an average of £132 per taxpayer because we don’t take some simple planning steps and maximise our tax allowances.

The simple steps you can take to pay less tax include making sure savings and investments producing taxable income are held in the name of the lowest earning spouse and using your annual Individual Savings Account (ISA) allowance. From 6th April 2010 we can each invest up to £10,200 each year into a tax-efficient ISA.

6 – Review your mortgage

The ‘credit crunch’ has made getting good mortgage deals more challenging, yet it remains important to review your mortgage regularly to ensure you are paying a competitive rate of interest. If you are on your lender’s standard variable rate (SVR) then you might be able to access a better product, saving you money each month which can go towards your other financial objectives.

7 – Sort out your financial affairs

If you don’t have a Will, get one. You can write your own Will but there are some major risks involved with this DIY approach, so meet with a solicitor to get this organised. If you die without a Will, your estate will be distributed according to laws created in 1925. It is no surprise that these laws probably do not reflect modern thinking on inheritance! Don’t risk dying ‘Intestate’.

At the same time give some thought to family financial protection, particularly what would happen to your family from a financial perspective if you were to die, lose your income or contract a critical illness such as cancer. It is possible to insure against these risks but you need to quantify them first. If you have existing life assurance plans, review them to make sure they remain competitive and appropriately structured.

8 – Meet with an Independent Financial Adviser

Make 2010 the year that you carry out a comprehensive review of your personal finances and Financial Planning with an impartial professional who has access to the tools and knowledge needed to improve your current and future position. Most IFA’s offer a free initial consultation with no obligation so they can identify areas that they can help you with and you can grill them about their qualifications, experiences and charges.

Once again, it appears that sorting our health and finances top our New Year’s resolutions.

Some research we saw today from comparison site Gocompare.com shows that whilst 27 million people will make resolutions, 41% of these will not make it past the end of January.

The research found that losing weight, taking more exercise and sorting out the finances were top priorities for 2010.

Here at Informed Choice, we might not be able to help you with the first two goals, but when it comes to sorting out the finances we can certainly ensure you stick to this resolution for longer than one month!

In a poll of over 1,500 Britons it was found that 56% are planning to make resolutions. Losing weight is the biggest resolution this year, with 45% of those making resolutions saying this was their aim. Nearly a quarter of us are vowing to find a new job in 2010.

If you are making resolutions for 2010 but fear you lack the resolve or commitment needed to see things through, this post from Leo Babauta at Zen Habits is worth reading:

The Definitive Guide to Sticking to Your New Year’s Resolutions

Trevor joined Fidelity in January 2006 as Asset Allocation Director.

In addition to managing funds, Trevor is a member of Fidelity’s Asset Allocation Group. He holds an MA in Mathematics from Cambridge University and is a qualified actuary.

In this video, he describes the investment market outlook for 2010 along with his views on price inflation and which asset classes could look most attractive next year.

For more outlooks from Fidelity fund managers, please visit www.fidelity.co.uk/outlook.