Monthly Archives: October 2016
“Cash for kite marks?”- we should stick to “value for money”.
At the end of the Pension Minister’s rambling confession at the PLSA’s conference yesterday , he was called to dish out awards to the three occupational scheme which had got the PLSA’s new “Retirement Quality Mark”. The three were … Continue reading
Con Keating on Pension Valuations
Here’s one of two articles of Con’s he’s publishing here today; this appeared in Professional Pensions yesterday. Con reckoned he’d draw some flack and he’s been proved right (see the tweets at the end). But as Jonathan Stapleton points out, … Continue reading
Posted in pensions
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Con Keating asks “what is the purpose of a Pension Fund?”
This article is designed to be read in conjunction with another article published this day. Both articles , together with details of First Actuarial’s FAB Index have been submitted to the DWP’s enquiry into DB deficits. They may also form … Continue reading
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Please don’t die-I was enjoying your annuity!
News that Government has finally put the Secondary Annuity Market down is no surprise. It was one of Steve Webb’s worst ideas and has proved about as popular as Osborne. Economically, the creation of a market in annuities is a … Continue reading
Posted in annuity, pensions
Tagged CDC, John Ralfe, pension, Pension Freedoms, pensions, Ros Altmann, secondary annuity, Steve Webb
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“Why do we see pensions like that?” Assumptions behind the FAB Index
This week we published the FAB index (FABI) which shows the way we see the state of this nation’s defined benefit pensions. “We” means First Actuarial, I work for First Actuarial. We want to paint a picture of the pensions … Continue reading
Posted in Bankers, pensions
Tagged actuaries, assumptions, FABI, first actuarial, gilts plus, jobs, pensions, valuations
10 Comments
Want to know about investment risk? Quietroom’s “difficult second video”!
The good people at Quietroom have come up with another classic. I have to admit to having a bit part – I was the idiot who they asked to edit their script – as if! I think it is a … Continue reading
Posted in pensions
Tagged classic, edducation, employer, financial education, IFA, Investment, Risk, staff, Vimeo
3 Comments
Stop telling people what to do! (Michelle cracks the whip)
If you don’t know Michelle, then you should. She is the living, breathing soul of TPAS, an actuary who has forgotten how to be boring and a restorer of confidence in pensions. As the photos on this blog suggest – … Continue reading
Posted in actuaries, pensions
Tagged Actuary, Aon, Michelle Cracknell, pension playpen, Pension Wise, Pensions Wise, TPAS
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Doesn’t pension freedom extend to Defined Benefits?
The debate about the assumptions we use to decide the state of our defined benefit schemes is in full swing. On the one hand you have those, like John Ralfe who use an approach which ensures that there’s always enough … Continue reading
Posted in pensions
Tagged DB, defined benefit, Derek Benstead, first actuarial, Freedoms, Guarantee, John Ralfe, pensions, PPF7800, Rob Hammond, The Pensions Regulator, TPR
2 Comments
Who moved my cliche? The sorry state of the “employee benefits market”
I was suffeciently underwhelmed by the “vibrant employee benefits live exhibition” last week to stay just 20 minutes. Bearing in mind the Boris Bike ride from the City to Kensington Olympia, this represented a poor return on my time. … Continue reading
Posted in pensions
Tagged benefits, cheese, Commission, Compensation, Corporate, employee benefits, employee benefits live, platforms, reward, Technology
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Balancing the long and short term consequences of pensions.
Lesley Titcomb is the Pensions Regulator; in this blog – first published here – she explains the balance she has to maintain between the various interest groups that want to have a say. If you read my blog yesterday, you’ll … Continue reading
Posted in pensions
Tagged Blog, Funding, Google, Lesley Titcomb, pensions, Pensions Regulator, Technology, WordPress
3 Comments