Category Archives: Australia

Australia gets tough on DC funds and so should we

Posted on October 28, 2020 by henry tapper

Australia is facing up to some tough questions and it is asking the questions we need to ask. For example, should we assume that all ESG investments  a good thing, or are some more beneficial to pension savers than others? … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, Australia | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Don’t cash-out your pension #buildbackbetter !

Posted on June 22, 2020 by henry tapper

This blog is about how we make sure we have enough cash to pay the bills (including the butcher’s bills) Cashing out pensions – the lure In its recent policy statement (P20/6), the FCA leaves two carve-outs (loopholes) for advisers … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, age wage, Australia, auto-enrolment, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Helping people understand their pensions

Posted on November 15, 2018 by henry tapper

Last night I spoke to a group of potential investors about AgeWage, they were mainly senior doctors. I thinkthey got it. I hope that you will understand our vision for more understanding of pensions. Here are the slides Here is … Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, advice gap, age wage, annuity, Australia, pensions | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Aussie’s are “Super Pension Savvy” – why aren’t we?

Posted on January 4, 2018 by henry tapper

As most people (in pensions) know, Australia has a thriving retirement savings industry that works because there is a social contract between Government, Unions and Employers to fund workers pensions at ever-increasing amounts. I don’t want to do a teach in – … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, Australia, auto-enrolment, cricket, dc pensions, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

How do we auto-enrol workers in the “gig economy”?

Posted on October 11, 2016 by henry tapper

A gig economy is an environment where temporary positions are common and organizations contract with independent workers for short-term engagements. The trend toward a gig economy has begun The consultancy McKinsey  reckon that some 162 million people in Europe and America work independently. … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, auto-enrolment, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

(Workplace) Isa ain’t gonna wash for a week!

Posted on April 22, 2016 by henry tapper

  A radical idea Michael Johnson has published his proposal for a workplace ISA, Michael has explained this to me before and has explained his proposals publicly to the DWP Select Committee. The proposal is not just to include an ISA … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, auto-enrolment, DWP, Payroll, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Heard the one about the Englishman, the Australian and the American?

Posted on November 4, 2015 by henry tapper

If you are a fan of such jokes, read no further – the Social Market Foundation’s  (SMF) study “Golden Years? What freedom and choice will mean for UK pensioners“, contains all three characters (unsexed), but there the joking ends. This is … Continue reading →

Posted in annuity, Australia, CDC, Paul Lewis, Pension Freedoms, pension playpen | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“How were those freedoms for you?” – Two events to help us find out!

Posted on April 10, 2015 by henry tapper

The press offices of all the major insurers have been busy printing announcements of how they have seen a tenfold increase in enquiries about pension benefits this week. Pension Wise has been open for bookings and Michelle Cracknell and the TPAS … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, annuity, Australia, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Don’t underestimate SME’s hunger for investment know-how!

Posted on March 8, 2015 by henry tapper

I am  frustrated by the capitulation of many in the pension industry to the challenge faced by inducting 1.2m new employers into our funded pension culture. The Pension Apartheid practiced by the investment elite At a recent event, Joanne Segers, CEO … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Financial Conduct Authority, Financial Education, First Actuarial, Pension Freedoms, pension playpen, pensions, Pensions Regulator | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Freddy Flumper gets savvy!

Posted on August 18, 2014 by henry tapper

  It’s been some days since I’ve reported on the fabulous Freddy Flumper -“fabulous” in the sense that he lives only in the fable on this blog. For anyone who missed the instructive fable of Freddy and Tony Lamborghini , we … Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, advice gap, Australia, auto-enrolment, pension playpen, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment