Category Archives: Bankers

Why insurers, not pension schemes, have taken the infrastructure challenge

The announcement this morning of  the National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) includes the government selling off its 40% stake in the Eurostar rail service. In all, about £375bn of investment in energy, transport, communications, and water projects is planned. You can … Continue reading

Posted in auto-enrolment, Bankers, brand, dc pensions, de-risking, defined aspiration | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Whatever happened to the pensions-linked mortgage?

I phoned my bank yesterday looking for a mortgage. “How long do you want your mortgage for Mr Tapper?” “Fifteen years” “I’m sorry Mr Tapper, we can’t lend on an interest only basis beyond your 65th birthday so that will … Continue reading

Posted in advice gap, Bankers, brand, pensions | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Whatever happened to insurance?

If the man on the Clapham Omnibus was able to feel secure that he was insured against living too long, dying too soon or losing an income through sickness, mightn’t we have a simpler and more stable platform on which to build? Continue reading

Posted in annuity, Bankers, brand, leadership, Payroll, pensions, workplace pensions | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Why bother to save? – Invest instead!

What this policy is about is getting people to invest in real assets for the best interests in society Continue reading

Posted in annuity, auto-enrolment, Bankers, Change, club pension, Management, Mark Carney, pensions, social media, workplace pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thank goodness for that!

Without this open dialogue, we would not have the necessary tension between those who create rules and those who have to meet their costs. Continue reading

Posted in advice gap, auto-enrolment, Bankers, club pension, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“My word is my Eurobond” – pensions without banks

We have become so obsessed with the paradigm created by Megabank that we consider a “limited level of positive return..guaranteed” something to aspire to. Continue reading

Posted in Bankers, dc pensions, defined aspiration, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

John Kay has not left the room.

I had read Professor John Kay‘s Review of UK Equity markets and long-term decision making but it wasn’t till I heard him speak yesterday that I “got it”. Kay’s concern for the state of the UK financial services market goes much … Continue reading

Posted in Bankers, governance | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“Fit lean pension machines” – an uncomfortable prospect?

We move into day two of auto-enrolment with all to play for on a pitch increasingly likely to take spin Continue reading

Posted in advice gap, auto-enrolment, Bankers, dc pensions, EU Solvency II, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Those Dutch pension cuts in full!

Final figures from the Dutch central bank DNB show a total of 66 Dutch pension funds have been forced to curtail pensions due to funding shortfalls. Continue reading

Posted in actuaries, Bankers, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Can a hedge fund make your money prosper?

  Here is a question asked to members of  our Pension Play Pen by Alan Miller. It’s a long question so I’ve broken it down a bit- my answers at the bottom! When you consider predictions (eg LBS’s Dimson & Marsh) … Continue reading

Posted in Bankers, brand, hedge funds, Horse racing, smelly, stock lending | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments