Category Archives: customer service

Who made that choice for you?

Put the question “why are pensions guaranteed?” into google and you will not get an answer. I reckon it’s because no-one asks the question. Why is nobody asking the question? Is someone guaranteeing the value of your house? Is there … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, auto-enrolment, corporate governance, customer service, EU Solvency II | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Can we have a word Mr Webb?

You mentioned that there should be a default position (on mallowstreet). I have argued that there is a default decumulation position, it is a level single life annuity provided by the insurer that managed your pension accumulation. This is a “pot-luck” position and many are buying appalling annuities as a result. This is at the root of what we, Robin Ellison, Con Keating, Alan Higham , the AMNT and Kevin Wesbroom, (to name but a handful of those calling for change), are trying to address. Continue reading

Posted in annuity, auto-enrolment, corporate governance, customer service, dc pensions, de-risking, Fiduciary Management, Liberal Democrats, NEST, Nick Clegg, pension playpen, pensions, Personal Accounts, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Popcorn pensions

I was sitting in Kentucky Fried Chicken with my friend Mr Peter Shellswell last week. We were eating the salad in case you are wondering. Popcorn chicken and gravy is my fave but we’d decided to be good. Continue reading

Posted in auto-enrolment, corporate governance, customer service, dc pensions, de-risking, EU Solvency II, Fiduciary Management, mallowstreet, pension playpen, Retirement, social media | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Is Auto-Enrolment a busted flush? Pension Play Pen lunch Jan 2012

The Play Pen sat down for the 26th time at the Counting House on Monday 9th Jan 2012-the first working Monday of the month. It concluded that their was life in auto-enrolment though enthusiasm for the project and for NEST … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, auto-enrolment, customer service, dc pensions, NEST, pension playpen, Retirement, social media | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Don’t tell me what to do – give me advice!

In a recent polldaddy poll I asked whether people would pay for advice to get information, find out their options or to be told what to do. 60% of people wanted options , 30% wanted to be told what to do and 10% … Continue reading

Posted in corporate governance, customer service, dc pensions, de-risking, pensions, Retail Distribution Review, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

ABI and the OMO- guest blog by Alan Higham

ABI Consultation Paper on OMO Code of Conduct Posted on December 23, 2011 by Alan Higham The ABI has finally been pressed into taking some meaningful attempt to improve the outcomes people have at retirement. The ABI has a number … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, corporate governance, customer service, dc pensions, Martin Lewis | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Who wins from banning credit card surcharging?

The wires hum this morning with the news that Government are going to ban companies from “surcharging” credit cards to disguise extra margin as “operational cost”. Continue reading

Posted in customer service, dc pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

My five big challenges for twenty twelve

If I thought I’d be here twelve months ago I wouldn’t have bothered. I’d have gone straight to jail, not passed go and not collected my £200. I reckon most of us would have preferred to be on the subs … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, Bankers, corporate governance, customer service, dc pensions, NEST, Retirement, Salford Quays, social media, Treasury | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I have seen the future of DC (part 84)

The future for DC may well be a fund manager’s future but it’s a fund manager with big ears and a small mouth who is most likely to win.
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Posted in annuity, Bankers, corporate governance, customer service, dc pensions, de-risking, Fiduciary Management, NEST | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Unexpected risks – people just don’t get pensions (education).

We’re all aware that investing in the stockmarket is a “risky” business, it’s easy to understand how the sharp falls in stock markets impact on your savings and as stock market falls are the staple of media reporting, it’s not surprising that … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, Bankers, corporate governance, customer service, dc pensions, de-risking, Fiduciary Management, FSA, NEST, pension playpen, pensions, Retail Distribution Review, Retirement, Treasury | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments