Monthly Archives: April 2012

All the Queen’s Men (overtime at Romney Weir)

Posted on April 29, 2012 by henry tapper

What do you do when you come back from Church on a wet April Sunday morning? If you live opposite Romney Weir in Eton, you can enjoy watching eight engineers monitoring how the largest archmides screw in Europe is coping with the extra flows … Continue reading →

Posted in Change, happiness, Henry Tapper blog | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

“Pensions that are no more”

Posted on April 29, 2012 by henry tapper

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

Is optimism enough?

Posted on April 28, 2012 by henry tapper

“Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.” Mr Micawber’s character was based on Dickens’ own father.  Dickens must have loved his Dad. The Micawber … Continue reading →

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

City v United ; 1968 revisited (Colin Freeman’s testimony )

Posted on April 27, 2012 by henry tapper

Just like the Premiership it’s getting tight at the top.  A few weeks ago we thought it was all over.  But it’s not now.  Which reminds me.  Is it 1968 all over again?  You may not remember, so I’ll give … Continue reading →

Posted in football | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

500,000 pensioners who will get no help from the Government.

Posted on April 27, 2012 by henry tapper

If you have purchased an annuity in the past three years of are likely to purchase one in the next three years you will be buying into pension conversion rates artificially depressed by the Government‘s quantitive easing program and by insurance … Continue reading →

Posted in Change, corporate governance, dc pensions, defined aspiration, NEST, Retirement, Treasury | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The 500,000 retirees abandoned by the Government

Posted on April 27, 2012 by henry tapper

If you have purchased an annuity in the past three years of are likely to purchase one in the next three years you will be buying into pension conversion rates artificially depressed by the Government‘s quantitive easing program and by insurance … Continue reading →

Posted in annuity, Bankers, corporate governance, dc pensions, Henry Tapper blog, pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Collective Defined Contribution Schemes – A Shameful Missed Opportunity

Posted on April 26, 2012 by henry tapper

An article by Kevin Wesbroom. In December 2008 the Government published the response to its paper on risk sharing pension schemes.  The opening sentence of the Executive Summary states “The Government is committed to encouraging good practice pension provision.”  In December … Continue reading →

Posted in annuity, customer service, dc pensions, defined aspiration, pensions, Public sector pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Good boss / bad boss

Posted on April 24, 2012 by henry tapper

1. Business is a playground, not a battlefield. Average bosses see business as a conflict between companies, departments and groups. They build huge armies of “troops” to order about, demonize competitors as “enemies,” and treat customers as “territory” to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Management | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Spurious Certainty of Chicken Licken

Posted on April 24, 2012 by henry tapper

There are two certainties – death and taxes; oh – add to that a pension in payment! Or so the officers of the DWP , the Government Actuary and the Pensions Regulator would have it. GAD tried to knock the idea … Continue reading →

Posted in annuity, dc pensions, de-risking, defined aspiration, Management, NEST, pension playpen, pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 125 Comments

How shares work (for us and our pensions)

Posted on April 22, 2012 by henry tapper

Shares haven’t worked well for us over the past twelve years. World stock markets, especially the mature markets in Britain , Japan and the US, are worth less today than they were at the turn of the millenium. While some company’s shares … Continue reading →

Posted in auto-enrolment, Bankers, Change, corporate governance, customer service, dc pensions, defined aspiration, FSA, happiness, Henry Tapper blog, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments