Although Schwab says it has no plans to offer a full advisory service, only aids to self-help, the fee-based financial advisers to whom it currently refers counsel-seeking clients (in return for a fat commission) fear that is where it is heading.

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To this end, Smith employed a freelancer on a win-fee basis to help him and together they scoped the project and approached Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE).

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In many cases, the difference between classes is the size of the 12b-1 fee imposed to help cover marketing and distribution.

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The project is being run by BBC Worldwide, the corporation's commercial arm, which said that money earned would help supplement licence-fee income.

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In his testimony, Sheik Meshal said that Omar Al Salehi, the UBS vice chairman of investment banking in the Middle East, offered him the fee at a meeting in mid-2009 when enlisting his help on the Zain deal.

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Fee-fronting appears to be a common way less reputable brokers help the desperately ill part with their money.

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Also, anyone suing for accident damages with the help of a no-win, no-fee lawyer - known as a conditional fee arrangement - will in future have to pay their lawyer's success fee from their own funds if they win their case and not add it to the bill of the losing party.

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It calls for offering senior citizens a choice between traditional fee-for-service Medicare and a premium support system that would provide a fixed government payment to help them buy private health insurance.

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