Author Archives: henry tapper

About henry tapper

Founder of the Pension PlayPen,, partner of Stella, father of Olly . I am the Pension Plowman

Sensible solutions to social care.

The last time that the question being asked by Patrick Jenkins was being addressed by “financial services companies” (like Commercial Union) , was in the early days of the 1990s when as an IFA I discussed with mature clients investing … Continue reading

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An “unreal” annuity story told by insurers.

First of all the good news; annuity rates give us the best deal since we had an economic collapse in 2008. Annuity rates have reached an 18-year high of 7.75%, according to the Standard Life Annuity Rate Tracker. Second of … Continue reading

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Do you need to be at work to be “at work”?

I am surprised that this is still a matter of debate. If as an organisation you are paying a rental or at least rates for a premises, you must believe there is advantage in having people come to work. UK’s … Continue reading

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Keep me in the rapture of – Heaton, Lemper and Cave – oh and those proms!

I am still in recovery from the experience in Brighton on the last day of July. I am not talking about the publication of the CDC Code by the Pensions Regulation or the departure of Josephine Cumbo from the Financial … Continue reading

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Fraud Compensation Fund and the SFO

  This is a blog by the unstoppable Angie Brooks and can be found in its original on her Pension Life website (link to the article is here). The biggest problem in financial services worldwide – for the past 16 … Continue reading

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Will Britain become a sun-bath for nations to our south ?

My friends are heading off to the Mediterranean. My actuary has swapped Bournemouth for Croatia, he tells me it’s 40 degrees out there. I don’t mean to crow, but we are enjoying 30 degrees of sunshine lying by the River … Continue reading

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Pensions aren’t so tax-efficient for the very wealthy.

  £268,275. This is a figure that currently only impacts people who have more than £1m (£1,000,000) in their pension pots(s). This blog explains why it currently matters to the pension super-rich. But it gives a foretaste of what using … Continue reading

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Concern about losing tax free cash is childish – I want off the pot!

Apart from giving journalists a story in a quiet month, the pre-Budget rumour round is an opportunity for all the wealth management CEOs to have a moan. I think this is childish, this is why! Of course tax-free cash is … Continue reading

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Pay, care and housing – problems for all generations; here’s Haldane on building houses.

Is Andy Haldane speaking here for Government? I hope he is. He’;s rumoured to be  influential in No 11 Downing Street and the Chancellor has a big job sorting out a  strategy to tackle housing. Care and our wage in … Continue reading

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Why do working people see pension experts as pen pushers?

I know I shouldn’t find this funny, but having read many reports from commissions telling people they’ll need  to work till 70, I can see this fellow’s point. Here we need to take a step back and ask what commissions … Continue reading

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