Monthly Archives: January 2013
The solid value of insurance
“The people I talk to full into one of two categories, either you’ve built up some money and want to hang onto it, or you are looking to .” That was our opening gambit when we met with prospects. I … Continue reading
Call out the instigators
The Office of Fair Trading has decided to get stuck into workplace pensions. Pension people fight grimly on like townspeople uner siege in the 100 years war. The OFT is the invincible siege engine wheeled to the gates. In August this year, the OFT … Continue reading
Seven things to know about the new state pension!
These charts have been kindly donated by Citywire and their New Model Adviser team (to whom we should be very grateful). Each one of them surprised me. I dedicate this little blog to one of my heroes, Barbara Castle. If we … Continue reading
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
Hats off to Steve Webb for our new pensions system!
It’s good to see the publication of the DWP’s white paper Security in Retirement – towards a new pension system. It announces an initiative first promoted by Frank Field in the late 1990s but thought then “unthinkable”;. While I agree with … Continue reading
“Comply or explain” – will “bottom up” regulation work for pensions?
“Comply or Explain” is a phrase that crept into the “corporate governance” lexicon after the 1992 Cadbury report. The idea’s that rather than demand compliance with Government standards, regulators give companies the option to comply or explain why they haven’t. … Continue reading
The Regulator’s right to be cautious about mastertrusts
Over the past two years we’ve seen a number of multi-employer occupational schemes spruced up for auto-enrolment. We’ve seen a number of insurers and asset managers set up as the providers of master trusts. We’ve had a few financial advisers … Continue reading
ABI finally comes clean on pension charges
Here, not before time, is the ABI’s capitulation in the face of pressure from Government, opposition, the NAPF and all right-thinking people in pensions. Special thanks go to Gregg and his team on the Labour pensions bench! The agreement is … Continue reading
2 cheers for the Regulator’s new clothes
Not before time, the Pension Regulator is getting to grips with its responsibilities to protect members of UK DC plans. I am pleased that the Regulator is getting involved (one cheer) and I’m pleased that they are concentrating on outcomes (two … Continue reading
Logins, passwords and all that tra la la!
How many times do you log in to a website a day? Just to get online this morning, I had to spend quarter of an hour telling Holiday Inn Express all about me. No doubt I have now subscribed to yet more mailings … Continue reading