Category Archives: consultant

COVID-19 – our chances IF we survive.

Posted on May 27, 2020 by henry tapper

      Introduction Given the complexity of the question, and the different facets, we are breaking our commentary on this question into three bulletins: What is the likely mortality of the ‘survivor pool’ in the short term? What are … Continue reading →

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A make or break week for UK investors

Posted on June 26, 2017 by henry tapper

Are fund managers the new bankers? If you’ve read the excellent  (draft) FCA Asset Management Market Study, you’d be forgiven to think they were – (and that investment consultants were their knowing flunkies). The question now is how far the FCA … Continue reading →

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Ignore “bad “; let’s big-up good asset management!

Posted on December 5, 2016 by henry tapper

The asset management industry will get nowhere trying to defend bad practices. It should be celebrating its success stories. We have good active managers in this country and we have good passive managers, protecting bad practice among bad asset managers … Continue reading →

Posted in consultant, corporate governance, customer service, pensions | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Tax-subsidies on retirement advice; a waste of public funds!

Posted on September 5, 2016 by henry tapper

The Government intends to extend tax breaks on pensions to allow those with pension pots to use them to pay for advice. The details are in this consultation document. The fundamental premise is that taking financial advice on retirement matters … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, consultant, dc pensions, de-risking, defined ambition, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Value for money from investment consultants

Posted on May 4, 2016 by henry tapper

In this article I’m proposing that investment consultants are subject to the same degree of scrutiny as the other service suppliers to trustees. Investment consultants should be subject to a Value for Money assessment). This morning I will be hearing … Continue reading →

Posted in consultant, corporate governance, Fiduciary Management, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Making “PLSA” more than a name-change.

Posted on October 17, 2015 by henry tapper

“What’s the point of disruption?” This is the kind of exam question that I’d love to answer. Just sit me down in some massive gymnasium with a pen and paper and I’d hand you back 2000 words an hour later which … Continue reading →

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Why Corbynism is radical (and what it means for pensions)

Posted on September 14, 2015 by henry tapper

The most tweeted action of Corbyn’s first 24 hours as Labour leader was to choose to go to a constituency engagement rather than go on the Andrew Marr show. For Labour apparatchnick schooled in two decades of Blairite PR and … Continue reading →

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Measure 4 Measure (why we rate things)

Posted on August 22, 2015 by henry tapper

A very curious article appeared on the NOW blog yesterday, I took exception to it and wrote to NOW to tell them. You can read the article here. It’s author, the excellent Martin Olive had clearly become frustrated with “rating … Continue reading →

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Are workplace pensions “risk-free” to employers?

Posted on February 6, 2015 by henry tapper

If you think workplace savings plans are “risk free” to employers – think again; “value for money” changes that Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, Bankers, consultant, dc pensions, Fiduciary Management, First Actuarial, pension playpen, pensions, Retail Distribution Review, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How far can guidance go?

Posted on January 7, 2015 by henry tapper

Guidance Technology? I am interested by Guidance Technology, it is at the core of http://www.pensionplaypen.com. As we use it, Guidance Technology narrows down options available to people to a shortlist that is clearly differentiated. For an employer to choose the … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, consultant, defined ambition, defined aspiration, pension playpen | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments