Category Archives: Payroll

The Regulator’s right to be cautious about mastertrusts

Over the past two years we’ve seen a number of multi-employer occupational schemes spruced up for auto-enrolment. We’ve seen a number of insurers and asset managers set up as the providers of master trusts. We’ve had a few financial advisers … Continue reading

Posted in actuaries, annuity, auto-enrolment, club pension, dc pensions, governance, NEST, Payroll, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Pensions dead by 2050 – taking the Michael?

The Daily Telegraph, which through Richard Evans has started writing sharp and provocative articles on pensions, came out with a corker just before Christmas. I read it on the beach and nearly choked on my sangria! Here it is in … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, Australia, auto-enrolment, David Pitt-Watson, dc pensions, de-risking, defined aspiration, Henry Tapper blog, NEST, Payroll, pension playpen, pensions, Treasury, with-profits | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Auto-enrolment – stay cool – hang loose!

Here’s a technical update for readers getting their companies ready to auto-enrol staff into pensions! The Government has announced new automatic enrolment thresholds for 2013/14 The Government has to review annually the various automatic enrolment thresholds.  On 14 December 2012 the DWP … Continue reading

Posted in actuaries, auto-enrolment, NEST, Payroll, pensions | 4 Comments

Right direction – wrong speed! Defining a “good” workplace pension.

I like the rhetoric, what the DWP and tPR are saying is going in the right direction, I hope they can keep their foot to the floor so that companies and trustees staging next year can get it right first time. Continue reading

Posted in dc pensions, Management, napf, Payroll, pension playpen, pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Time to get tough on “dodgy” pensions – the Regulator speaks

Regular readers will know that I have for a few months been expecting and calling for a strengthening of the DWP’s stance on what makes for “good” and what kinds of pension scheme should Qualify for auto-enrolment. I did not … Continue reading

Posted in auto-enrolment, Payroll, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

RDR and AE – what future for commissions and advisor-charging?

Every week we get a few more enquiries from concerned employers who are being told by their pension advisers about the changes coming next month from the Retail Distribution Review. There is variation on the theme but the overall message is clear. Pensions “advice” is … Continue reading

Posted in actuaries, auto-enrolment, club pension, dc pensions, de-risking, FSA, Payroll, pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Project managing auto-enrolment

I received a polite e-mail from a company’s Finance Director yesterday. “I see First Actuarial are offering a project management service for small and medium sized companies staging auto-enrolment in 2014; I’ve got four questions for you 1. Why should I … Continue reading

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

Opt-outs triggered by smartphones say Legal and General!

Speaking at a private conference for First Actuarial staff, Adrian Boulding said that Legal and General‘s clients were enthusiastic about their staging experience and he went on to suggest that members were much more ready to get information and transact digitally than his firm … Continue reading

Posted in actuaries, auto-enrolment, corporate governance, dc pensions, de-risking, Facebook, First Actuarial, Management, NEST, Payroll, pension playpen, pensions, twitter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Contract workers mustn’t be tricked out of pensions.

Last week I wrote about how contract workers employed by ISS in Sark are likely to miss out on employer contributions to their workplace savings plan. In it I stated.. ‘The Agencies that have supplied teachers and apparently social workers to … Continue reading

Posted in auto-enrolment, Henry Tapper blog, Linkedin, Payroll, pension playpen, pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Offshore payroll companies – a (pensions) scandal in the making?

Last night’s documentary on @bbc5live has unearthed a potential pensions scandal that should have the Pension Regulator and the DWP springing to action. The problem is this. The Agencies that have supplied teachers and apparently social workers to (local) Government have been … Continue reading

Posted in auto-enrolment, dc pensions, Management, NEST, Payroll | Tagged , , , , , , , | 20 Comments