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First Steps Account

Alliance Trust Savings First Steps Account is a flexible self-select investment account that offers all the features of our Investment Dealing Account, while enabling you to invest for the benefit of a child.

It enables you to hold a wide range of investments, including:

  • UK and International Stocks and Shares
  • Investment Trusts
  • Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)
  • Gilts
  • Funds
  • Fixed Interest

It gives you complete flexibility to develop your investment portfolio in a way that works for you – whatever you’re investing for.

What are the benefits of an Alliance Trust Savings First Steps Account?

With our First Steps Account you can make real-time deals online or over the phone, with shares held electronically on your behalf through our Nominee Services.

Your trades are settled automatically with proceeds being credited to or debited from your account.

And because all your investments are held together in one easy to access account, you can see their value at any time, plus you can trade quickly and easily.

The main benefits of our First Steps Account are:

  • Access to a quick and flexible trading service that allows you to hold all investments in one easy-to-manage account
  • Ideal for people who want to buy and sell shares but don’t want the time consuming paperwork that is often associated with it
  • An excellent way for parents or grand-parents to save for a child under the age of 18
  • If your First Steps account is linked to any adult held account, you could qualify for a rebate of dealing charges for automatic purchases of Alliance Trust PLC shares.

Please refer to the Shareholder benefits section for more information

Trade through i.nvest in international equities with your First Steps Account

You can now trade international equities on i.nvest in international equities in your First Steps Account. You can find out more about trading in international equities by clicking here. We will also ask you to complete a registration form. You will get further information on the registration process in our how to register and trade page.

What are the charges?

We believe in fully transparent charges, and with our First Steps Account you only pay for the services you use.

  • There is no charge for setting up the account
  • There is no annual administration charge
  • There is no inactivity charge

Charges start from as little as £6.25* per deal. For more information, please refer to our charges document.

*Charges start at £6.25 and vary dependent on the number of Alliance Trust PLC shares you hold. Please refer to the Shareholder Benefits section for more information.

Risk Warnings

Please remember the value of your investments and any income from them can go up or down and you may get back less than the amount you originally invested. All investments carry an element of risk, which may differ significantly. If you are unsure as to the suitability of any particular investment or product, you should seek professional financial advice. Foreign markets will involve different risks than UK markets. In some cases risks will be greater. The potential for profit or loss from transactions on foreign markets or in foreign currency denominated markets will be affected by fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.

PLEASE NOTE: If you do not set up your First Steps account under trust, it will form part of your estate for inheritance tax purposes.

Who can apply for a First Steps Account?

If you’re over 18 you can apply in your own name, or jointly with up to four other adults, to set up an account for the benefit of a child.

There are two ways to do this:

  • You can hold the account informally and pass it on to the child when they reach 18
  • You can set up the account under a trust

You can set up and hold as many First Steps Accounts as you wish – so no matter how big your brood or how many grandchildren you have, you can invest for each and every child you care about.

How do I apply?

You can apply by post by simply completing and returning an application form to us:

Alliance Trust Savings Limited
PO Box 164
8 West Marketgait
Dundee
DD1 9YP

When you open a First Steps Account with us, we’ll send you a PIN and Personal ID so that you can access our i.nvest services. i.nvest enables you to buy and sell your holdings, view valuations and manage your account online.

Find Out More about i.nvest

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