Monthly Archives: March 2014

How pensions are impacted by the bank bonus culture

State Street need something better than the “need and greed” culture that fostered these frauds and Mastertrusts and IGCs need something better than the toothless response to these excesses Continue reading

Posted in Bankers, State Street, target date funds | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Better hid.

The trustees of NEST have been faced with a dilemma and it’s clear they have considered it and taken decisive inaction. This blog sets out to explain  and justify why the Trustees of our National Employers Savings Trust have chosen … Continue reading

Posted in NEST, State Street | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

“What’s it like to be retired?”

It could be the trending chant at any event that Alex Ferguson turns up to – a taunt to a man who having lost control has seen slump into mundanity in a few short months. Financial wellbeing in later life … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, auto-enrolment, Bankers, Facebook, Financial Education, First Actuarial, pension playpen, pensions, Popcorn Pensions, Public sector pensions, steve webb | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why there is nothing- nothing- like the Cheltenham National Hunt Festival

On Tuesday March 11th, 45 members of the Pension PlayPen group will embark a London Double Decker bus at Paddington, drink and sing our way to Prestbury Park on the northern outskirts of Cheltenham and spend an afternoon in the … Continue reading

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Honest research from Towers Watson on employer attitudes to workplace pensions

I have a lot of respect for Towers Watson. They may be big but they have kept their integrity through their expansion and the people who work for them demonstrate a focus on their customers and an intellectual integrity that … Continue reading

Posted in auto-enrolment, Payroll, pension playpen, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Pensions are stopping us building houses and housing is stopping us buying pensions!

This was the 52nd pension play pen lunch and one of the best. Attended by a knowledgeable gang of social housing officers, pension consultants and a fair few bankers, the lunch group set out to answer the question “are pensions … Continue reading

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When AE collaborations are a cop-out.

AE Collaborations such as those advertised in Pensions Extra last week are a “neat fusion” according to Zurich’s Stephen Leffley. Barnett Waddingham’s Damian Stancombe admits their collaboration with Standard Life was driven by providers cherry-picking but stresses “at the very … Continue reading

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When only a dedicated project manager will do – AE needs new advisers.

Most pension people trying to project manage auto-enrolment have found themselves out of their depth. Whether you are an actuarial consultant or an IFA the issue is the same- you know little about HR processes and less about payroll. Integrating … Continue reading

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The DWP charges wagon is firmly back on track

    The last few days has seen a number of surprise developments culminating in a proposed amendment to the Pensions Act 1993. Poor fare for a thought piece? Read on! The original proposal for a wording proposed by Lords … Continue reading

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Why I wanted to be Pensions Personality of the Year 2014.

If we measured personality by Klout score then it would be won by an algorithm as faceless as the inventor of Bitcoins. Continue reading

Posted in dc pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments