Monthly Archives: December 2016
Likely market impact of the Pension Schemes Bill
The Pension Schemes Bill (the Bill) is expected to be enacted in 2017 and focusses on protecting savers and maintaining confidence in pension savings. The pensions market has responded to the introduction of auto-enrolment and has developed a new … Continue reading
Posted in auto-enrolment, pensions
Tagged CP16/30, DWP, FCA, pension pounds, pensions, TPR
3 Comments
Why I’m scared of wealth managers
This blog’s written for the advisory community, but if – like me – you are considered a target for wealth management – you might want to read it too. Consumers approaching the tipping point from saving to spending their … Continue reading
The bonus culture in asset management.
Asset managers pay themselves big bonuses Now we learn that bonus payments distort the way that active managers trade stocks. Anton Lines ‘ recent paper draws this conclusion from a manager of managers “The paper suggests that active managers … Continue reading
The demise of Pan-European-Pensions
This blog was prompted by reports that Britain is fast withdrawing QROPS status to many of our European partners. A Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme, or QROPS, is an overseas pension scheme that meets certain requirements set by Her Majesty’s … Continue reading
Transaction costs- what Pension PlayPen has to say to the FCA
The FCA’s consultation paper on Transaction Costs and Charges is important and timely. It enables those who are governing our workplace pensions to do their job and makes sure that those who invest our money- do their’s. Here’s the response … Continue reading
Posted in pensions
Tagged charges, FCA, pensions, Transaction costs, Value for Money, VFM
Leave a comment
Why active management is top-shelf material
I have been spending some time making a submission to the FCA about the CP16/30 transaction cost paper. While doing so- I re-read the Executive Summary of the Asset Management Study, which followed a few weeks later. It would be very … Continue reading
What next for the British Steel Pension Scheme?
There must be something in the water at the DWP. First NEST now the PPF make bids to become our national pension providers. I am not against state run pension funds, but I am against the creation of state oligarchies … Continue reading
Shift to bonds chokes health of UK pension funds!
One of the best things about working for First Actuarial is our resolute refusal to see the world any way but our way! As common sense (pragmatism) is what guides us, we are happy to have the courage of our … Continue reading
A Christmas present for UK pension plc
The Pension Protection fund published its monthly update on Tuesday. The news slipped out quietly (as good news generally does). The aggregate deficit of the 5,794 schemes in the PPF 7800 Index is estimated to have decreased over the month to … Continue reading
Half a million savers let down by those they trust!
I am (once again) grateful to Jo Cumbo of the FT for her excellent reporting. Here is her summary of the latest state of the nation report on the progress of IGCs and Trustee Chairs overseeing our workplace pensions. You … Continue reading