Monthly Archives: December 2014
What should we pay for the annuity guarantee?
The publication of the FCA’s market study on annuities has not met with much enthusiasm. Consumerists do not think it has gone far enough to punish lazy insurers. Those on the sell side find it hard to understand what … Continue reading
Why I’ll be taking my chances in the death pool
Death is becoming an equal opportunity employer. Death is getting the diversity agenda.
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Banahan, Burgess and a Bath night out!
Most of this winter has been spent watching Yeovil Town lose, with the prospect of a home cup tie against Man Utd looming, I’ll be traipsing down to the Huish on Tuesday night to will them to a rare … Continue reading
Posted in rugby
Tagged Bath, Bath Rugby, Bryanston, Burgess, Matt Banahan, North Dorse, rugby, Sam Burgess
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The alchemy fallacy – Guest blog from Ralph Frank
The 2014 Edelman Trust Barometer found that financial services is the least trusted major industry, with a score of 48% globally (technology is the highest at 79%). Trust in UK financial services is even lower than the global average, coming … Continue reading
What’s missing from the FCA’s “retirement income” market study..
In a rather sensationalist blog, I gave my view today on the untimely burial of annuities. Let’s hope they rest in peace, in the meantime the FCA has discovered a brave new world of Pension Dashboards, non-advised drawdown and even … Continue reading
The coffin slams shut on annuities – but will they stalk the night?
There was no smoking gun. Annuities hare not bad value but- through poor purchasing, they have delivered poor outcomes. This is my 20 word precis of the 100 page document which you can read for yourself here. This conclusion has not … Continue reading
Posted in annuity
Tagged annuities, Business, Defined benefit pension plan, FCA, Financial services, market practice, pensions, Retirement, thematic review
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Hats off to all workplace pension providers
I’ve referred earlier this week to an excellent article by Kim North in Money Marketing in which she points to the ongoing work Scottish Widows have been doing on the participation of women in workplace pensions. In the same … Continue reading
Posted in FCA, NEST, Retirement
Tagged Aegon, Aviva, BlackRock, Business, Business and Economy, CDC, Financial services, Financial Services Authority, Friends Life, Government, L&G, London, NEST, pension, Pension new, pension playpen, Pension Regulator, pensions, Politics, Prudential, Retirement, Royal London, Scottish Life, Standar Life, Steve Webb, workplace Pensions, Zurich
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Clarity needed on NEST’s finances
The Pension Regulator has announced it intends to introduce a Directory of workplace pensions. The criteria for inclusion will be that the workplace pension must meet the Quality Standards being introduced from 2015 and that the workplace will be universally … Continue reading
Posted in DWP, NEST
Tagged Business, dc pensions, Directory, DWP, Ed Balls, Employment, Financial services, George Osborne, Gregg McClymont, National Employment Savings Trust, NEST, Payola, Pension Regulator, pensions, Retirement, Steve Webb, Tim Jones, twitter
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Clap along if you feel that happiness is the truth!
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof! Clap along if you feel that happiness is the truth! Clap along if you know what happiness is to you! Clap along if you feel like that’s what you … Continue reading
Posted in pensions
Tagged Business, DWP, Government, Happiness, Happy, Lewis Hamilton, money marketing, OECD, pension, pensions, Pharrell Williams, Retirement, Yeovil
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Pensions too boring for DWP select committee member
Nigel Mills MP, who sits on the DWP’s Pension Select committee is so committed to his task that he chose to turn up to a DWP committee meeting as a part of the recent pensions debate. He used the time to play … Continue reading
Posted in DWP, pensions
Tagged Business, Candy Crush, dc pensions, DWP, Employment, Financial services, Government, Mark Hoban, Nigel Mills, pension, pension playpen, pensions, Retirement, Steve Webb
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