Monthly Archives: December 2020

2020 – a different year but one that had its upside

Posted on December 31, 2020 by henry tapper

It’s new years eve and I’m at work – sharing a two bedroom flat in the Blackfriars region of the City with my partner. Although we now share tier four lockdown with most of England, we are classified as part … Continue reading →

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Tomorrow’s World – Maarten Ectors on 2021

Posted on December 31, 2020 by henry tapper

Janus – the two headed dog guarding the new year, had one head looking forwards , the other back. In this blog by my go-to tech man- Maarten Ectors, we are invited to look back to 2020 and forwards to … Continue reading →

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Opperman – CDC makes pensions “more sustainable for employers”

Posted on December 31, 2020 by henry tapper

Guy Opperman signs off his end of year vale dictum like this Finally, we’ve made significant strides in terms of introducing collective defined contribution schemes. We’ve outlined a legislative framework for them, which spreads the investment risk, allowing for greater … Continue reading →

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Funny old year – for our Pensions Minister

Posted on December 30, 2020 by henry tapper

I applaud Guy Opperman for his 2020. He kept the Pension Schemes Bill moving , he remained unstintingly optimistic in the face of the pandemic and he weathered personal tragedy with dignity and fortitude.  He is the public face of … Continue reading →

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If you’re planning a new year’s party – listen to your mom

Posted on December 30, 2020 by henry tapper

I’ve said it before on this blog,  Paul Lewis has an unerring knack of saying the right thing at the right time, even when what he says is not strictly accurate. Right now he is being criticized on social media … Continue reading →

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Private equity funds workplace pensions should avoid

Posted on December 29, 2020 by henry tapper

  Venture capitalists are supposed to take risk- the clue is in the word “venture” which links them to a long line of entrepreneurs going back to the merchant adventurers who opened up new worlds – the Marco Polos, the … Continue reading →

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I’ve lost my pension pot – somewhere in Germany – what should I do?

Posted on December 29, 2020 by henry tapper

I’ve lost my pension pot… The BBC has made an excellent program building on last year’s exposure of problems at Dolphin Capital. At that time alarm bells were beginning to ring for thousands of UK investors in Dolphin’s bonds. The … Continue reading →

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No news – but is it good news?

Posted on December 28, 2020 by henry tapper

It is December 28th which sounds like a no news day. The BBC website’s top story is that hospitals are under increasing strain from Covid-19 On Sunday, some 30,501 infections and 316 deaths were recorded in the UK. But the … Continue reading →

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Does paying more deliver more performance? Chris Sier on VFM

Posted on December 28, 2020 by henry tapper

You get what you pay for, right? As far as fund management is concerned, this old adage does not quite ring true, although as ever there are some caveats. Looking at the cost data I have collected on behalf of … Continue reading →

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Is Bitcoin an asset?

Posted on December 27, 2020 by henry tapper

  My answer is “yes” and “no”. At the most fundamental, Bitcoin is a means of meeting financial obligations – it can be used to pay for things and is recognized as currency. It has been likened to gold, as … Continue reading →

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