Monthly Archives: August 2022
Via Nova challenges Origo’s PE backed monopoly.
Origo – a monopoly in the making I have for five years been writing about the pernicious impact of a potential monopoly created by Origo in the transaction of pension transfers. I still worry. Origo was set up in 1989 … Continue reading
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Tagged Fidelity, Hargreaves Lansdown, Lifesight, Origo, pension transfers, ViaNova, Willis Towers Watson, WTW
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The promotion of financial scams on social media
According to the Transparency Task Force, the only sector of the economy less trusted than the financial services community is “social media”. And yet many people engage with untrustworthy financial services products (typically offers of crypto-currency or other feasible investments) … Continue reading
Pension Awareness Day and the Cost of Living Crisis
But Google “Pension Awareness Day” and this is what you get… The UK is facing a challenge we are not saving enough for the future. We all want to retire someday and you can’t keep relying on that lottery win … Continue reading
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Tagged cost of living, Crisis, Pension Awareness Day, Pension Geeks
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Should regulators be enforcers?
Tim Thomas asked this question at a TTF seminar this lunchtime. His conclusion was they considered themselves a world-class regulator and a reluctant enforcer. From comments made by Andrew Bailey (former CEO) and Mark Steward (former head of enforcement) … Continue reading
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Tagged action fraud, Al Rush, BSPS, Enforcer, FCA, Pension Life, Regulator, TPR, True and fair, TTF
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How the FCA failed those sold Blackmore Bonds.
Last night’s excellent Panorama on the Blackmore Bond scandal, was pitched precisely to explain how ordinary savers were duped by unscrupulous fraudsters who have outwitted the FCA. What is most worrying is that the FCA were shown to have repeatedly … Continue reading
Boomers – confused! Does my generation get “retirement”?
Dunstan Thomas has published a consumer study that tells me what I knew from personal experience, that my generation – “the boomers”, don’t know much about retiring or retirement. Here is how it announces itself. Exploring Baby Boomers’ Lengthening Journeys … Continue reading
Why you shouldn’t miss BBC’s 9 O’clock Panorama tonight
There is no better way to understand savings scamming than through listening to victims talk. Publicity of scams increases awareness and makes it harder for scammers to rob. Though some may get a prurient satisfaction from watching this program, I … Continue reading
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Keating and Clacher explain the threat from the proposed DWP funding regulations
DB Funding Regulations The story so far The DB Funding Code is back on the agenda following the DWP’s draft funding regulations and comments in the FT from TPR Chair, Sarah Smart. The proposals have brought a number of criticisms … Continue reading
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Tagged Con Keating, DB, DWP, Funding Code, Iain Clacher, Pensions, Sarah Smart, TPR
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How the Evolve pensions measure value for money – Pension PlayPen – 10.30am today
Paul Bannister is a remarkable fellow, a brilliant runner he was laid low with Covid and when I met him last summer , he was sapped for energy. But now he’s back! His Strava posts are awesome and he’s running … Continue reading
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Tagged Evolve, Jessica Rigby, master trust, Paul Bannister, Pensions, Steve Goddard, Swanley
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Happy independence day India!
Today is Lav’s 65th birthday. For decades, Lav has been looking forward to this day – not just because it’s Indian Independence Day, but because it should have been the day he formally retired. But though Lav is 65, he … Continue reading