General Investment Account guide on Timeline Platform | Timeline Help Centre

Summary

​This guide is for information on opening and servicing of the Timeline GIA only. For information relating to the product specifics including aims, risks, commitments, and fees, please refer to the Timeline GIA Key Features document available on the Timeline website.
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How do I open a Timeline GIA for my client?
​A Timeline GIA can be opened via the client onboarding web journey. And via 'add wrapper' under the accounts page for existing customers on the Timeline platform.
​All deposits, Direct Debit instructions and transfers can be submitted via these journeys.
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Who is eligible to open a Timeline GIA?
​Any individual who is over the age of 18 and a UK resident for tax purposes can open a GIA. For full eligibility requirements please refer to our terms and conditions.
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Do you accept Direct Debit instructions?
​Yes, a client can make Direct Debit payments into their Timeline GIA. This can be setup via the client onboarding journey. Please see the Direct Debit adviser guide for more information.
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Can I transfer my client’s existing GIA to Timeline?
​Yes, a client’s GIA can be transferred from another provider to Timeline. We can accept both full and partial GIA transfers (partial transfers across all wrapper types can only be requested manually). GIA transfers are requested as in-specie transfers as standard. Once received, these transfers are requested using the Altus Transfer Gateway.

​If the ceding provider doesn’t accept electronic transfer requests, we will request the transfer manually.
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Though Timeline has no charge for transferring a GIA product in or out, for transfers in, the existing GIA provider may have charges associated with encashing or transferring the plan. Please enquire with the existing provider before instructing a transfer on your client’s behalf.
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When transferring a GIA, we won't always receive the original book costs. In that instance, you'll need to request them and we can add them to the client and account details.
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Can my client make one-off payments into the Timeline GIA?
​ Yes, the client can make a single deposit payment into their Timeline GIA. They can send the funds to us by bank transfer once the instruction has been created on the adviser hub.
​Please note, if the client makes a payment to us without the instruction having been submitted by the adviser first, our Platform Operations team will contact you to submit this prior to the payment being processed.
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Is the entire Timeline asset universe available within the Timeline GIA?
​Yes, all assets within Timeline’s asset universe are available within the GIA.
​For a full breakdown of asset and investment types available, please refer to the Timeline GIA Key Features document.
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How do I manage my client’s GIA?
​All servicing options are available via the Adviser Portal. If you require any support, please contact platform@timeline.co.
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Can my client hold a model portfolio in their GIA?
​Yes, for advisers subscribed to Timeline’s DFM service, the full selection of Timeline portfolios are available to GIA clients. If you don’t currently use the DFM service, you can find more information on the Timeline website.
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Can I use a third party DFM/Model Portfolio in my client’s GIA?
3rd party models will be made soon available.
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How can my client hold funds outside a model portfolio?
​Yes, client's can hold two accounts within each wrapper type where assets are held in either a model account (for all funds linked to a Timeline model portfolio) or a Flex account (for all other assets as well as cash).
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Can funds be withdrawn from my clients GIA?
​Yes, you can instruct either regular withdrawals or one-off withdrawals from the GIA.
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Can I set up adviser fees on a client’s GIA?
​Yes, you can set up ongoing adviser fees for your client’s GIA as well as ad hoc fees or initial fees for any deposit or transfer instruction. Please refer to the Adviser Fees guide for more information.
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What happens to my clients GIA in the event they die?
​In the event your client dies, we will arrange for the funds to be passed to the beneficiaries following receipt of a completed deceased client pack. For full details of this process and our requirements please refer to the Bereavement guide.
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What happens if my client moves abroad?
​It is the responsibility of the client and yourself to notify us if they have moved abroad. Clients can still access their GIA from abroad, but we can only accept payments from a UK bank account and can only pay withdrawals to a UK bank account.
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Can my client transfer their GIA to another provider and are there any charges?
​Yes, your client can transfer their GIA to another provider. We will action this on receipt of a valid instruction from the new provider. There are no charges for transferring a client’s GIA to another provider.

Where we refer to ‘we’ or ‘us’, we are referring to Timeline Platform as provided by Timeline Portfolios Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (number 840807).
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Where we refer to ‘you’, we are referring to the adviser.