Monthly Archives: August 2014

Pension PlayPen – why it should sit on your browser

  Britain has never given itself a pension challenge like todays. More than a million employers are still to stage auto-enrolment and more than 200,000 are born each year. Pension PlayPen analyses the propositions of 42 providers of which 19 … Continue reading

Posted in pensions | Leave a comment

Why I work for First Actuarial

  First Actuarial celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and it has a lot to celebrate Record profits with turnover up from £12.5m to £14m All nine of the original Founders in place – now joined by a further 8 … Continue reading

Posted in actuaries, First Actuarial, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Retirement reforms and the Guidance Guarantee” – The Pension PlayPen’s response

This is the Pension PlayPen submission to the FCA’s consultation CP14/11 Pension PlayPen is a website dedicated to helping small employers and their advisers find good quality workplace pension plans.   It was founded in 2013 by Henry Tapper with … Continue reading

Posted in dc pensions, Financial Conduct Authority, pension playpen, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Savers who cash in their pensions face charges of up to 20%”

  I repeat the Daily Mail’s headline which is absolutely accurate. I am glad that they did not use the word “penalties” as this implies a non-contractual lock-in being imposed by insurers. This is not what is happening. Insurers are … Continue reading

Posted in advice gap, pensions, Pensions Regulator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What did you do in the war Daddy?

One of the most successful recruitment campaigns ever- focussed on this simple question. It asked young men to imagine themselves once the fighting stopped having to explain to those in their care the contribution they’d made to the war effort. … Continue reading

Posted in accountants, advice gap, annuity, corporate governance, pensions, Pensions Regulator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

From Conference to Premier – the rise of TPAS.

Visit the rickety offices of the Pension Advisory Service (TPAS) in Victoria and you’re in for a big surprise. Not for TPAS the City style of the Treasury funded Money Advice Service. This is “Macclesfield not Manchester”. While my pre-match Bovril turned out … Continue reading

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

Pension PlayPen respond to FCA on IGCs and DC Governance

This is less of a blog – more of an epic! If you want to have a go yourself, the link is to http://www.fca.org.uk/your-fca/documents/consultation-papers/cp14-16-response-form   The Pension PlayPen’s response was submitted online and this text is what we got back … Continue reading

Posted in FCA, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Is an annuity an investment product? Perhaps not!

  I have been worrying about a presentation I have to deliver to an investment group on the value of annuities. I have long felt that annuities are a rubbish investment and UK annuities a particularly rubbish investment. My confidence … Continue reading

Posted in advice gap, annuity, pensions, Pensions Regulator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Does anybody care what you think?

  I bet you’ve sat in an exam hall , or been asked to complete a questionnaire or stared at the comments box below an article you’ve read and gone “nah-better not”. The rubric is that “your views matter”, but … Continue reading

Posted in actuaries, pension playpen, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Freddie Flintoff’s fabulous comeback; T20 Finals Day

The Blast Finals Day held at Edgbaston is the best value major sporting event of the summer. For £50 you can get a full 11 hours of cricket and a bunch of support acts including the magnificent Mascot Race, a … Continue reading

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