Monthly Archives: October 2012

More cobblers from investment experts on DC pensions

Posted on October 31, 2012 by

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 , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Payroll follows member!

Posted on October 30, 2012 by

There is an unholy row going on between the NAPF on one side and the DWP and the ABI on the other centering on whether the average Joe wants the pension “pot” from his former employer to follow him to his new … Continue reading →

Posted in auto-enrolment, Payroll, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Digital accountability – a terrible beauty is born

Posted on October 28, 2012 by

An interesting comment from my mother “Jimmy Savile would not have got away with it today.” This from an 80 year old who observes the digital age with detached amusement but understands that the behaviour of a celebrity is now governed … Continue reading →

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The fundamental flaw with RDR and Auto-Enrolment

Posted on October 26, 2012 by

Today I am in Hampshire in a posh hotel holed up with a bunch of hungover salesmen who for no obvious reason have hung around long enough to have become Sales Directors of the insurers and advisory firms they work for. … Continue reading →

Posted in auto-enrolment, pensions, Popcorn Pensions, Retail Distribution Review | 3 Comments

Why we need to say “NO” to pension guarantees!

Posted on October 25, 2012 by

On Monday the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries delivered a paper stating that it would be able to deliver a system of lock-in guarantees at a price of less than 1% pa of the fund that could be used by … Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, annuity, auto-enrolment, Bankers, club pension, corporate governance, customer service, David Pitt-Watson, dc pensions, defined aspiration, EU Solvency II, FSA, happiness, Liability Driven Investment, NEST, pension playpen, pensions, Personal Accounts, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Can pensions help you when you’re broke?

Posted on October 24, 2012 by

When I was a financial adviser, I often hear people say that they couldn’t afford to save into a pension. When I probed, this objection often boiled down to  a fear that “tying up money” left people scared that in … Continue reading →

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

Your 10 frequently asked pension questions

Posted on October 22, 2012 by

 Is Aviva a bus or a pension company? If I am entitled, am I eligible for a company contribution? If I am eligible, am I an entitled worker? Why has Gregg McClymont got so many consonants in his name? Why has … Continue reading →

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

Club Pension!

Posted on October 22, 2012 by

Words resonate in strange ways and when they come in pairs new resonances emerge. Last week, Martin Lewis called “pension” a broken brand (worrying to the owner of the Pension Play Pen). The idea behind the word “club” seems to be under … Continue reading →

Posted in club pension, Financial Education, happiness, Henry Tapper blog, Martin Lewis, pension playpen, pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Frankel you wonderhorse!

Posted on October 20, 2012 by

I wrote my first post on Frankel towards the start of his career and I’m posting this on his last – well as a racehorse – what happens next is hopefully just as fun! Here’s another great video that pins together a … Continue reading →

Posted in cheltenham festival, Frankel, Horse racing | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What do we mean by good?

Posted on October 20, 2012 by

Spending time in Liverpool this week has given me the chance of spending time with clients, fellow advisers and those who market the products our clients use. The NAPF Conference is a time when you can look at what you are doing , compare … Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, corporate governance, dc pensions, de-risking, napf, NEST, Payroll, pension playpen, pensions, Popcorn Pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments