Category Archives: Personal Accounts

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

Sorting the pensions of the “squeezed middle”.

There are three distinct streams among those old enough to work and young enough not to, Stream One is for  those who can look forward to retirement with a degree of confidence because their employer is guaranteeing it. They are primarily … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, Bankers, corporate governance, dc pensions, de-risking, EU Solvency II, Fiduciary Management, FSA, Henry Tapper blog, Liability Driven Investment, Martin Lewis, NEST, pensions, Personal Accounts, Retail Distribution Review, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Now Pensions – Danegeld ,fools gold or a new beginning?

The sooner they can publish the detail the better.

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Posted in annuity, corporate governance, customer service, dc pensions, de-risking, mallowstreet, NEST, pension playpen, pensions, Personal Accounts, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Rising to Beecroft’s challenge- can we make pensions work for micro-employers?

Scanning the Pension Press as one does when having breakfast these days, I came across an excellent piece of reporting on Pension Insight (fast becoming one of  the best on-line pension publications). New laws are to be introduced which will … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, corporate governance, customer service, dc pensions, de-risking, Fiduciary Management, mallowstreet, NEST, Nick Clegg, pension playpen, pensions, Personal Accounts | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Pension choices for smaller companies

Smaller companies– those with less than 50 employees are the beating heart of Britain’s economy. It is from among their number that the next Virgin or Tesco will come and though many of them will be toast in ten years … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, corporate governance, customer service, dc pensions, de-risking, pension playpen, pensions, Personal Accounts, Retail Distribution Review, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The ACA have spoken – the DWP ought to listen

Let’s hope that instead of issuing yet more consultation documents on the policing of the auto enrolment regulations, the Government will , through its key Departments, DWP and the Treasury, start getting us excited about the prospect of this new order. Otherwise this new pension paradigm will degenerate, as its Stakeholder predecessor degenerated, into a fearful, unloved, unadopted and unenforced mess.

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Posted in annuity, corporate governance, customer service, dc pensions, de-risking, pensions, Personal Accounts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Accounts and accountability-who pays for NESTCorp?

I am a lover of NEST– of collective DC – of private and public partnerships that bring better funded pensions to people for whom the current system cannot reach. I have made my own private submission to the Work and … Continue reading

Posted in NEST, pensions, Personal Accounts, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

“Buying a Retirement Income” from an RIP

I’m sure the panelled annuitants or Retirement Income Providers (hereafter known as RIPs) are feeling pretty comfortable about life this morning.

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Posted in annuity, NEST, pension playpen, pensions, Personal Accounts, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Tell them the truth (a ridiculous notion)

However, it would lead to the kind of engagement between staff and retirement that is needed if we are to move forward from the current deadlock of distrust.

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Posted in EU Solvency II, NEST, pension playpen, Personal Accounts, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

A massive failure of nerve – the sad state of our DC pensions

Last year 460,000 people bought annuities from their DC pensions, Two thirds of these people did not bother to get the best rate for their accumulated funds and as a result suffered on average a 10% lower pension than those who did. Continue reading

Posted in corporate governance, dc pensions, de-risking, EU Solvency II, Fiduciary Management, Liability Driven Investment, NEST, pensions, Personal Accounts, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments