Tag Archives: finance

The fine line between monetisation and exploitation

Posted on April 4, 2024 by henry tapper

  David Locke is the Director of Finance at The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI). He is a member of our Pension PlayPen linked in group and he’s a widely respected commentator on pensions – in particular the financing of … Continue reading →

Posted in pensions | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

In 2024 we must start restoring confidence in UK investment

Posted on December 29, 2023 by henry tapper

2023 was the year when the cost of living crisis spread from food banks to middle class bank accounts. Speaking to the FT, Bestinvest managing director Jason Hollands said: “People ultimately invest to achieve real world goals, including paying off … Continue reading →

Posted in pensions | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Michael, it’s not Auto-Enrolment’s that’s failing low-earners!

Posted on January 4, 2021 by henry tapper

“Automatic enrolment is failing many low earners. Millions of them are both serial borrowers via consumer credit, paying APRs in excess of 30%, and auto-enrolled into default funds typically targeting an annual real return of under 3%. The DWP should … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Death by discount rates

Posted on July 24, 2020 by henry tapper

Q: When is a million dollars not a million dollars? A: When it is not yet a million dollars. The pensions business is all about the long term. Fund managers like me are responsible for ensuring we have sufficient funds … Continue reading →

Posted in de-risking, defined ambition, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

If not a house…what ?

Posted on May 5, 2017 by henry tapper

This chart taken from Office of National Statistics Data – seems significant. It shows that in the period following the financial crash renting became the norm for young adults in the UK. Buying a house in your twenties was – … Continue reading →

Posted in pensions | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fancy finance or cheaper houses?

Posted on March 28, 2017 by henry tapper

  I recently wrote a blog arguing that we could make more use of the  burgeoning financial education/wellbeing brigade to get youngsters saving for proper housing of their own. My thoughts focussed on finance but of course the Government want … Continue reading →

Posted in pensions | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

What do you do when the lights go out?

Posted on February 2, 2014 by henry tapper

Professional Pensions run the story of the £22.9m fine dished out to State Street who had been double charging clients for years. I had thought of custodians till recently as their name suggests as guardians of assets, not as asset strippers. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bankers, governance, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

John Kay has not left the room.

Posted on June 6, 2013 by henry tapper

I had read Professor John Kay‘s Review of UK Equity markets and long-term decision making but it wasn’t till I heard him speak yesterday that I “got it”. Kay’s concern for the state of the UK financial services market goes much … Continue reading →

Posted in Bankers, governance | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Replacing the financial salesman in the workplace.

Posted on May 17, 2013 by henry tapper

Auto-enrolment killed this kind of adviser as video killed the radio star. Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, annuity, auto-enrolment, Payroll, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Bankrupt graduates – W.O.T.

Posted on June 10, 2012 by henry tapper

We are  a nation in debt. Jointly and severally. As a country we have lived beyond our means, individually we have spent more than we have earned. The problem is not universal and many individuals have managed their finances well, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bankers, Student debt | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment