Category Archives: advice gap

Paul Lewis; you are awful – but I like you!

Posted on August 17, 2017 by

I was shocked to read – as I scrolled though my digital FT this morning – Paul Lewis telling me “employers should pay more into pensions”.  He argues that “miserly contributions into defined contribution schemes are storing up trouble”. I … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, pensions | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

Reaching the places advice cannot reach

Posted on August 15, 2017 by

  Only a handful of pension providers have adapted their systems to allow people to use the Pension Advice Allowance. The pension advice allowance, introduced in April, allows pension savers to take £500 tax-free from their retirement funds to help … Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, advice gap, pensions | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Britain leading the way (at last)

Posted on August 14, 2017 by

The balance of regulatory geo-politics has changed (did I really write that!) I guess most baby boomers like me grew up thinking that (at least in matters financial), Britain could look to America for progressive policy and practice. This is no … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, Big Government, customer service, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Pot follows member (unless we want to keep it where it is).

Posted on August 11, 2017 by

  In a statement this week on the sluggish service standards of firms administrating our Defined Contribution occupational pension schemes, the PLSA concluded The median transfer time is 11 days, and although some are much longer1, this is principally due … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, pensions | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Why employers must understand the value for money of their workplace pension

Posted on August 10, 2017 by

  Among the remedies leading from the FCA’s Asset Management Market Study was a clear recommendation …that both industry and investor representatives agree a standardised template of costs and charges and we propose to ask an independent person to convene … Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, advice gap, NEST, pensions | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

“Pot follows member”? Who are you kidding? Pension Bee blows the lid on DC transfers.

Posted on August 9, 2017 by

We’ve had fuss about how hard it is to move your bank account, we’ve had fuss about how hard it is to switch utility supplier, but how hard is it to merge your pension accounts so that your pot follows … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Isn’t this what millennials really want in the workplace? @locktoninfo

Posted on August 4, 2017 by

Although Pension PlayPen and First Actuarial do our work for employers and trustees, we rely on our partner- Lockton – to do the heavy lifting on workplace benefits. Here’s the first of two articles on what they’re research tells them … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, Financial Education, governance, happiness, pensions | 3 Comments

From Denham to Sier – a 1% world!

Posted on August 3, 2017 by

  You know how sometimes a little fact gets stuck in your head for no apparent reason? Back in 1998, I was reading an article by the then Pensions Minister John Denham. He stated that if we could reduce the … Continue reading →

Posted in accountants, advice gap, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Is the University Superranuation Scheme suffering fantasy deficits?

Posted on July 31, 2017 by

First the big picture Universities aren’t going away, nor are the people who teach in them, administrate them and provide the infrastructure that keeps them going. Many of our universities have survived wars, plagues, great fires as well as many … Continue reading →

Posted in accountants, actuaries, advice gap, pensions, Public sector pensions | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments

First Actuarial – “scaremongering on solvency is driving people to cash-out their DB pensions.”

Posted on July 28, 2017 by

  In a week when we learned pension freedom withdrawals hit a record £1.9bn, First Actuarial warns advisers’ exaggerated concerns about the ongoing viability of defined benefit (DB) schemes is contributing to the recent surge in people cashing out. A … Continue reading →

Posted in accountants, actuaries, advice gap, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments