Child Trust Fund
Support your child’s journey into adulthood with their Child Trust Fund (CTF). From learning to drive, to university and beyond, their CTF can help towards their goals at age 18. Capital at risk.
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Child Trust Funds with Foresters Financial
We are one of the largest CTF providers, which is why over 1.2 million customers choose to save for their child's future with us.
A Child Trust Fund is a long-term savings account for children born between 1st September 2002 and 2nd January 2011. New accounts cannot be opened, however you can continue to save for your child's future with us. Making a contribution is simple and affordable, and you can start saving from just £10 up to £9,000 a year (running from birthday to birthday).
You can choose how you do business with us, whether this is over the phone, online, email, video or face-to-face.
How the CTF is invested
The Child Trust Fund Extra invests in the UK Large Company Tracker Fund.
The CTF is a unit-linked life plan and meets Government standards required to be a stakeholder product, this means it is a straightforward, low cost product.
Each time we receive a contribution into the Child Trust Fund Extra, we will invest it on your child's behalf and purchase units into the fund. The unit price changes directly in line with the investment performance of the fund.
The CTF also has the option to invest in the Foresters Stakeholder (Schroders) Managed 1 Fund by making a fund switch or through a process called Lifestyling.
For more information on fund performance, simply create your MyPlans account.
As with all stock market investments the value may fall as well as rise and you may get back less than has been paid in.
UK Large Company Tracker Fund
The UK Large Company Tracker Fund aims to achieve long-term capital growth and provide a return that matches as closely as possible the performance of the FTSE 100 Custom Screened Index by investing in UK shares.
The fund invests 100% shares into companies listed in the UK FTSE 100 Custom Screened Index. This index is an amended version of the FTSE 100 Index that aims to invest more responsibly by excluding companies involved in industries such as Controversial Weapons, Thermal Coal and Tobacco.
Tracker funds (also known as Index funds) are collective investment schemes that follow the movement of a market index, such as the FTSE 100 Custom Screened Index. As the fund tracks the index, investment decisions are driven by changes made within the index.
Foresters Stakeholder (Schroders) Managed 1
The Foresters Stakeholder (Schroders) Managed 1 Fund gives access to a professionally managed portfolio of UK and international company shares, along with global government and corporate securities and cash. This means that, unlike a tracker, there is a team of analysts making investment decisions and choosing where to invest.
The aim of the Foresters Stakeholder (Schroders) Managed Fund is to outperform the Investment Association (IA) Mixed Investment 20-60% median, which means that the fund must hold between 20%-60% of the investment in shares and the rest in other assets such as Government and corporate bonds to reduce the risk. As there will be no more than 60% invested in shares, the fund has a risk-controlled approach with the opportunity for growth.
It aims to generate capital growth over the medium to long-term through an active asset allocation strategy, and the individual performances of underlying investments.
The Child Trust Fund Extra has the option to invest into this fund, and has the option to opt into Lifestyling. As the fund is actively managed the annual management charge is 1.5%.
Ways to boost their savings
We offer flexibility with your contributions, from the type of payment to how you can make them; online, over the phone, by post or direct from your bank (Direct Credit). Anyone can contribute into the child's CTF.
Single contributions can be made by debit card, cheque and directly from your bank or building society (Direct Credit).
For monthly contributions anyone will be able to choose their Direct Debit collection date and the number of Direct Debits set each month, to suit their payment needs.
Each year we will increase your monthly contribution by the Retail Price Index (subject to a minimum of 2.5% and maximum contribution limit) to keep pace with inflation. This is one less thing to think about whilst you save for their future. We will write to you each year before this happens and you have the option to opt out of this at any time.
Choose how you do business with us
We offer a comprehensive service so you, your family and friends will be able to do business in a way that suits. Whether this is online, email, telephone, video or face-to-face, our service covers a range of platforms for you to manage and invest in your child’s CTF.
Post
Forester Life, Foresters House,
2 Cromwell Avenue, Bromley,
BR2 9BF
Manage their tomorrow, online today
You can view your child's Child Trust Fund online by simply activating your MyPlans account. With MyPlans you can make payments online, view your Plan value, see the fund performance, investment information and contact your Financial Adviser.
Family and friends can also create their own Gifters MyPlans account. They can see their payments, past performance of the fund, access personal correspondence and make further contributions. If you are currently contributing to a CTF by Direct Debit you can activate your MyPlans account. If you are making a new contribution to the CTF you will be able to create your MyPlans gifter account at the end of your contribution application.
;Activate your MyPlans account Log in to MyPlans Make an online gift payment
Important Documents
Child Trust Fund Extra Brochure
Child Trust Fund Extra Terms and Conditions
Find out more about Lifestyling Rules
Any gift payments cannot be reclaimed, and combined accounts cannot exceed the contribution limit of £9,000, running from birthday to birthday. The money can only be accessed by the child at age 18. As with all stock market investments, the value of your child's Plan can fall as well as rise and you may get back less than has been paid in.
Your child reaching age 18
On their 18th birthday the CTF will mature and automatically be transferred to an ISA in their name. The ISA will continue to invest in the same fund as before, with the same charges.
From age 18 onwards the Planholder will have a variety of options. Leave the money where it is, withdraw the money from the Plan, or reinvest all or some of the money in an Adult ISA. They will be able to do this online, over the phone, or get face-to-face advice should they wish.
We have created our Child Trust Fund Hub to provide you with further information as their 18th birthday approaches.
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