Category Archives: governance
Paying for other people’s pensions
I’ve said it before on this blog, but I’ll say it again. The amount of Council Tax many people pay to fund other people’s pensions exceeds their own contributions into pensions, even when they’ve been auto-enrolled into “workie”. “You … Continue reading
Posted in de-risking, Financial Education, governance, infrastucture, investment, leadership, pensions
Tagged auto enrolment, Centre for Policy Studies, change, CPS, LGPS, Michael Johnson, pensions
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Can the pension insurers win back their customers’ respect?
IGCs are ours to use and not the insurers to castrate. Continue reading
Posted in governance, investment, later life, leadership, Pension Freedoms, pension playpen, pensions
Tagged advosors, Fiduciary, Government, IFAs, IGC, Inurer, pension, Pension Freedoms, Politics, Ros Altmann
4 Comments
NEST is not a financial soup-kitchen.
For some time , I and others advising on workplace pensions have been calling for NEST to make a clear statement on charging employers for NEST support. Now we have it . In case you can’t press the link , here … Continue reading
Posted in auto-enrolment, DWP, governance, NEST, Payroll, pension playpen, pensions
Tagged advice, auto enrolment, Business, Business and Economy, corporate governance, corporate risk, dc pensions, DWP, Employment, Government, HMRC, market economics, National Employment Savings Trust, NEST, pension, Pension new, pension playpen, subsidy, Tax
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“Good Governance – Bad Governance” – the Aberdeen Conference
I’ve been working hard so I gave myself the luxury yesterday of half a day off to find out about how good governance can help investors get more from their investments. Forget the swanky surroundings and the top-dollar grub, this … Continue reading
Posted in governance, investment
Tagged Aberdeen, Andrew Neil, Conference, David Milliband, Dorchester, governance, Martin Gilbert
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“Winning hearts and minds” – what IGCs can do for retirement saving!
What so concerned many of us when we read the comments from the Independent Governance Committee’s recent meetings at Evershed’s city offices, was that they showed no unified sense of purpose, no urgency and worst of all – confusion about … Continue reading
Posted in governance, investment, pensions
Tagged auto enrolment, Business, corporate governance, Financial services, governance, Government, hearts and minds, IGC, Independent Governance Committees, Indpendent, National Employment Savings Trust, pension, Pension new, pension playpen, pensions, Politics, Ros Altmann
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The day the IGCs had their picnic
Apparently yesterday was the day the IGCs had their picnic or whatever they do when they congregate at some legal temple in the City. The IGC’s – let’s be reminded – were set up by Government to keep the insurers … Continue reading
Posted in governance, pension playpen, pensions, risk
Tagged Evershed, ft, governance, IGC, jo cumbo, OFT, pensions, Richard Butcher, Robust, Steve Webb, workplace Pensions
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How challenging? We are IGC
I love it when you get “Pension News” from a lawyer. The latest gem comes from Pinsent Masons, who reveal that the FCA expects Independent Governance Committees to challenge insurance companies. This is what I call a “not news” story … Continue reading
Posted in governance, pensions
Tagged Business, Business and Economy, Charlie, corporate governance, corporate risk, dc pensions, Defined benefit pension plan, Financial services, governance, I am Charlie, IGC, Insurance, National Employment Savings Trust, pensions, Retirement, Steve Webb
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Why can’t we know what we pay for “fund management”?
We have the right to know what we are paying for funds. The cost of a fund can best be defined as the difference between what you would have received from a theoretical return on the assets in the fund … Continue reading
Posted in FSA, governance, life insurance, pension playpen, pensions, Retirement, steve webb
Tagged Business, charges, costs, dc pensions, Defined benefit pension plan, DWP, FCA, Fund, Funds, IMA, Management, manager, pension playpen, pensions, portfolio, Retirement
4 Comments
Straight talking from the IMA on charges?
In one of the least incisive video interviews I’ve seen this year, here’s Ian Smith of Pensions Week quizzing Jonathan Lipkin- IMA Director of Public Policy Decision- on how the IMA and its members are facing up to the … Continue reading
Posted in FCA, Financial Conduct Authority, Financial Education, governance, pensions
Tagged Business, charges, costs, DC Governance, DWP, Fat-cat, FCA, Financial services, governance, Government, hidden costs, IMA, Retirement, Steve Webb
5 Comments
Is this Master Trust Assurance Framework fit for purpose?
There is an important debate to be had on the regulation of master trusts. That debate is about how we prevent poor standards invading what is currently a very well run part of workplace pensions. Until the past two weeks, I … Continue reading
Posted in dc pensions, de-risking, DWP, governance, pension playpen, pensions, Treasury
Tagged Business, DWP, Employment, ICAEW, National Employment Savings Trust, pension, pensions, Retirement, The Pensions Regulator
73 Comments