Brite Advisors 2025 Update: What Beneficiaries Should Expect Next

A Turning Point for Brite Clients

If you're affected by the Brite Advisors receivership, you’ve likely endured months, if not years, of financial uncertainty. Now, with the 2025 distribution plan beginning to take shape, there’s finally light at the end of the tunnel.

In this blog, Senior Financial Adviser Jonathan Laws and CEO & Founder Dominic James Murray of Cameron James outline what’s known so far, what you can expect next, and, most importantly, what actions you should take today to avoid mistakes tomorrow.

Timeline: Key Dates and What They Mean

The roadmap for distribution has shifted multiple times, but two key dates now stand out:

• March 25th – A memorandum will be published by the receivers outlining their proposed steps.
  
• March 28th – A formal distribution methodology will be announced.

They already released a memo at the end of last year with their determination, and we don’t expect many changes. Some minor tweaks may happen based on feedback, but the core plan will likely remain.

What Is a Distribution Methodology?

In short, the distribution methodology outlines how your money will be returned.

Will the assets go to you directly? To your trustee? Can you transfer to a new platform or trustee? These are the details the receivership process is clarifying now.

While some clients hoped to bypass their original trustees, the reality is that funds are likely to be returned to the same trustees who held the plans initially. For many, this may not be ideal, but from a regulatory standpoint, it's the cleanest and most compliant path forward.

Will All Brite Beneficiaries Be Treated Equally?

Unfortunately, not exactly. The current approach looks like they’ll be selling down everything and returning cash to trustees. That’s how we’ve always assumed it would go. Some clients may be slightly disadvantaged, but the aim is to benefit the majority. You’ve got to go for the greater good… even if 5–10% of beneficiaries are slightly disadvantaged, it may still be the cleanest way forward.

Receivership and the methodology are about 95% finalised. The next two to three months will involve ironing out the small details, possibly with a hearing pencilled in around the end of May. A conservative estimate for distribution would now be July or August 2025.

What Happens After the Trustee Receives the Funds?

Once assets return in cash to the trustee, what can clients do? While subject to change, the current plan is that assets will return to your original trustee. Many Brite members aren’t fans of their trustees, but it’s the only regulatory-compliant way to proceed.

• You may stay with your trustee and choose a new platform
  
• Or you may switch to a better trustee—one that’s more secure, robust, or has a built-in platform
  

Another option discussed is leaving funds with Brite for up to 12 months while finding a new trustee. But that could create more problems than it solves, as money should be sent by the scheme, not directly by the platform. However, the safest route is to work with a financial adviser to review your trustee, platform, and overall retirement plan.

Some Clients Already Transitioned Successfully

Some clients classified as Brite clients didn’t actually end up on the Brite platform. One even signed paperwork the day before the receivership was announced. Luckily, we’ve helped them transfer to new platforms and complete full financial planning as usual. These clients had Gibraltar or Maltese QROPS or UK SIPPs and simply needed a new advisor after Brite failed.

Building Financial Plans Outside Brite

What has Cameron James been doing for clients who still have assets frozen?

We’ve been helping them with everything else: IRAs in the US, savings plans, healthcare planning. Many hadn’t done full financial planning before—even outside of Brite. This is real financial planning: understanding retirement goals, mapping Social Security and pensions, building a strategy with US accounts, IRAs, 529s, and HSAs—all these tax-efficient tools that were never explored before. Yes, Brite is frozen. But the core question remains: When can I afford to retire, and how much can I retire on?

This is the foundation of effective planning. Asset restrictions shouldn’t stop you from building clarity around the rest of your finances.

What Should Beneficiaries Do Now?

This is your opportunity. Funds are still months away, so now is the time to do your homework:

1. Speak to advisors
   
2. Research trustees and platforms
   
3. Understand your investment options
   
4. Talk to real clients—don’t just read reviews
   
5. Ask real questions about the people you may trust going forward

Reviewing Notices: Is It Worth It?

We've been through the valuation notices already. Most disagreements were rejected or remain undecided in court. Now, it’s more valuable to look ahead than debate portfolio contents that are going into one giant pooled fund.

You can also visit our Brite Advisors FAQ for answers to common questions about the receivership process and next steps.

Documents and Advice: DIY or Guided?

Everyone can benefit from a financial advisor. But if you have cross-border assets, a good advisor is almost essential. Trying to navigate this alone, especially moving from a QROPS back to a UK pension, could be a regulatory disaster. Seek clarity, regulated advice, and professional support before making any moves.

Will You Miss Out On Distributions?

No, but if you don’t act, you may not have your say. You might miss your window to give feedback or raise concerns. Material impact? Probably not. But your voice matters—if you want it heard, stay engaged.

Final Thoughts

We understand this may have felt like an ordeal. You may feel abandoned or unsure. But you still likely have hundreds of thousands, or even millions, invested and that needs managing for the long term.

Our goal and philosophy at Cameron James is simple: Keep calm and pension on.

1. Pretend nothing has happened. Take this chance to start fresh.
2. Do your diligence. Research. Look at your options. Talk to people.

Whether you're continuing with your current advisor or finding someone new, make sure you’re clear about the game plan. Build a proper retirement strategy. Understand how your funds fit into it. And protect your financial future.

If you're involved in the Brite situation and want to speak with our advisors here at Cameron James, you can use the link below.