Category Archives: Politics
Why I’m against this pension commission
I am stuck in the middle of Scotland, it is April and I am snowed in high above Loch Rannoch. Tired of walking through blizzards I am attending to my e-mails which includes a missive from my friend Steve (the Pension) … Continue reading
Posted in pensions, Politics
Tagged DWP, malcolm mclean, pension, pensions, pensions comission, poltics, Ros Altmann, steve herbert, Steve Webb
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Can we afford financial services in times of austerity?
Thomas Philippon , the celebrated economist, gave a lecture on Tuesday Morning as part of London University’s Leading Minds series. The gist of his talk is that the cost of financial services (the collective name for everyone who is an … Continue reading
Posted in FCA, Fiduciary Management, Financial Conduct Authority, Politics
Tagged austerity, Business, corporate risk, DWP, Employment, FCA, financial service, Financial services, Financial Services Authority, financial services industry, Human Resources, Insurance, intermediaries, intermediation, Investing, Investment, Investment management, John Kay, pensions, Retirement, Thomas Philippon, TPR
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Meaninglessly big data.
I don’t like this infographic, it just appeared on my twitter feed to attract me to an article that would lead me to the conclusion that I was helpless and needed the assistance of some organisation to create me a … Continue reading
Posted in Change, Management, pensions, Politics
Tagged Big Problem, big-data, Data, fail, God
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“Greeks bearing no gifts” -Eamonn O’Connor on the power of a “pair of two’s”.
My friend Eamonn O’Connor, who is busy setting up City Noble, had time to share this little nugget. Far too subtle for this blog and a pearl before the Plowman’s swine Eamonn! Plenty of posturing in Euroland at present: the … Continue reading
Posted in Henry Tapper blog, Politics
Tagged Business, city noble, Eamonn O'Connor, Euro, Eurozone, France, Germany, gifts, Greeks, pensions
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Haven’t employers done their bit?
Employers have a right to feel put upon. I hear that the Pensions Minister is disappointed that large employers are not interested in delivering pension freedoms to retiring staff. If he believed that employers were prepared to take on responsibility … Continue reading
People seeking safety at any price?
I was annoyed to listen to one of the Bank of England’s Chief Economists Andy Haldane tell the BBC’s Robert Peston that people were seeking safety at any price. Passing the buck on to the “cautious consumer” may play … Continue reading
Posted in actuaries, advice gap, Bankers, Mark Carney, pensions, Politics, Retirement, reward
Tagged Andy Haldane, auto enrolment, Bank of England, Business, dc pensions, Defined benefit pension plan, Employment, equities, Funding, Infrastructure, National Employment Savings Trust, pension, pensions, Retirement, Robert Peston, Scheme Funding, Steve Webb
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Keeping the vultures at bay (pension liberation)
This message hit my inbox this morning from the indomitable Angie Brookes A new campaign has been launched to warn people of the dangers of pension liberation and the fraudsters who are peddling this junk. Pension Life – http://www.pension-life.com – … Continue reading
Posted in pensions, Politics
Tagged Financial adviser, IFA, liberation, Pension Liberation, Scam
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Don’t get fooled by the phoney pension giveaway
The phoney give-away The most accurate measure for the success of private pensions in the UK is the replacement ratio; a measure of what percentage of people’s pre-retirement income is replaced by savings specifically for retirement. Steve Webb and the … Continue reading
Posted in annuity, Politics, Public sector pensions
Tagged annuity, Business, Business and Economy, CDC, corporate governance, corporate risk, DB, dc pensions, defined benefit, DWP, Employment, Financial services, George Osborne, Government, inheritance, Osborne, pension, pensions, Politics, pooling, Retirement
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Why IFA’s have nothing to fear and everything to gain!
This morning I am chairing Money Marketing’s AE Invitational in Swindon. These will be my opening comments to the audience of invited IFAs who I’m looking forward to spending the morning with. ” When I started selling insurance, … Continue reading
Posted in advice gap, auto-enrolment, pensions, Pensions Regulator, Politics
Tagged AE Invitational, auto enrolment, Business, corporate governance, dc pensions, De Vere Hotels, DWP, Employment, Friendly Pensions, Guidance, IFA, money marketing, pension, Pension new, pensions, People's Pension, Retirement, Sage, Standar Life, Steve Webb, Swindon
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“Educated beyond their intelligence”
Denis Skinner’s recent gibe at Tory Ministers ,and George Osborne in particular, is brilliant (even if the phrase was coined by another). For me- it will be a defining epithet for the coalition- it sums up the best and worst … Continue reading