THERE are a number of easy to read personal finance books on the market for consumers, but little up to now for the personal finance professional.

This has been remedied with the publication of the Gill & Macmillan Financial Adviser's Guide 1996/97 to Life Assurance, Pensions, Investments, Taxation and Social Welfare by Ciaran McMahon.

Designed for easy reference, this 400 page guide is appropriately technical in style and well illustrated, while the writing is jargon free and includes practical examples.

EU regulations now require that financial intermediaries meet certain training and compliance standards and the author is clearly aiming to assist industry representatives to meet those standards.