Category Archives: Consolation

Pension agnostic?


An ”agnostic“ is someone who knows he cannot know and so gives up trying to find out. You hear the phrase “pension agnostic” bandied around at the moment, mainly from the providers of ancillary services that help companies auto-enrol. If you key … Continue reading

Posted in actuaries, Consolation, corporate governance, dc pensions, defined aspiration, Fiduciary Management, Financial Education, First Actuarial, hargreaves lansdowne, pension playpen, pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Never mind the width – feel the quality!


  In the heyday of occupational pension provision, offering membership to a company pension scheme sent a clear message to staff that the company was confident in its future and cared for its human resource. When defined benefit schemes were first … Continue reading

Posted in auto-enrolment, Consolation, dc pensions, Financial Education, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

More cobblers from investment experts on DC pensions


I am afraid I have to report yet more moronic thinking from the investment community showing their  disconnect with the ways and means of everyday folk. Example one is from Lyxor, who used to be called Societe Generale until they screwed … Continue reading

Posted in auto-enrolment, Bankers, club pension, Consolation, dc pensions, defined aspiration, happiness, Liability Driven Investment, mallowstreet, NEST, pension playpen, pensions, Personal Accounts, Public sector pensions, with-profits | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

“The older I get, the less I trust my pension!”


An interesting observation from Gerry Barwell in 140 characters When I interview consumers on AE/ wider pensions – the barrier of mistrust is significant. Less so in the young but for 40+ Which gives us the opportunity to speculate on … Continue reading

Posted in actuaries, annuity, auto-enrolment, CDC, Consolation, pensions, Personal Accounts, Popcorn Pensions, Retail Distribution Review, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The 6 People You Need in Your Corner


I voted for the Taskmaster Continue reading

Posted in Consolation, leadership, Management, social media | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Born to overrun – Springsteen dancing in the park


Last night Hyde Park hosted  80,000 mesmerised spectators who stood in the rain and listened to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band ,  joined by Sir Paul McCartney – the legend. Here’s the video footage of the two singing “I saw her standing … Continue reading

Posted in Bankers, Consolation, Greece, happiness, pension playpen, springstee, Springsteen, The Racket of the Lambs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

How to buy a pension


Buying your pension is one if not the biggest financial decisions you will take (or have taken). It’s fearfully difficult and most people take it with little help and – worse-information. Almost everyone is going to have to do it and that so … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, Bankers, Change, Consolation, dc pensions, defined aspiration, happiness, pensions, Public sector pensions, Retail Distribution Review, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

“Pensions that are no more”


Cardinal O’Brien Scotland‘s most senior Catholic, has been very specific in his comments on social inequality. Ostensibly they are aimed at David Cameron, but if the pensions industry think they are absolved, they should think again. (Cardinal O’Brien) said: “When I say poor, I don’t … Continue reading

Posted in Church of England, Consolation, dc pensions, defined aspiration, pensions, Public sector pensions, religion | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

We console ourselves when we grieve for Fabrice


The two questions Fabrice Muamba is reported to have asked as he came out of his coma were “did we lose?” and  “why did they stop the match?”. For someone who has been through as much as Muamba did in his childhood, … Continue reading

Posted in Church of England, Consolation, poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment