Category Archives: Popcorn Pensions

A full frontal retreat on charges

If we are to restore public confidence in pensions, we need action not more procrastination. Continue reading

Posted in advice gap, annuity, auto-enrolment, dc pensions, defined aspiration, pension playpen, pensions, Popcorn Pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The worst kind of paternalism

They’re all , fat and old, queuing for the House of Lords Continue reading

Posted in Music, pensions, Popcorn Pensions, Public sector pensions, RBS | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A promise or a guarantee?

If Steve Webb wants AE to work, he should stop turning promises into guarantees and burdening employers with unforeseen liabilities and huge consultative and administrative costs. Continue reading

Posted in actuaries, auto-enrolment, corporate governance, EU Solvency II, Fiduciary Management, leadership, Liability Driven Investment, pension playpen, Popcorn Pensions, steve webb | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Another year older..

I am not a year older – I am two years younger than I was five years ago – at least I’m two years further from retirement (relatively speaking). Continue reading

Posted in Popcorn Pensions, Retirement, steve webb, welfare, with-profits, workplace pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What’s this charge cap really going to cost? (1000th blog)

Ringing out the old and ringing in the new should be managed with a little more responsibility than the approach adopted by the DWP through their dodgy Impact Assessment Continue reading

Posted in club pension, dc pensions, defined aspiration, governance, Liberal Democrats, pension playpen, pensions, Popcorn Pensions, Retail Distribution Review, Retirement | 2 Comments

Let’s rid us of financial carnage at retirement

I’m really interested in why pension schemes don’t provide more support. Any views out there on what the biggest barriers to providing more support than basic communication and a signpost to MAS or TPAS or Unbiased? Continue reading

Posted in advice gap, annuity, auto-enrolment, customer service, dc pensions, de-risking, defined aspiration, pensions, Popcorn Pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Who’ll blow the whistle on the annuity fiasco?

Ros Altmann has got a lot of stick from pension folk for feeding the bad news on annuity rates to the Daily Mail, resulting in this front page. Continue reading

Posted in actuaries, advice gap, annuity, auto-enrolment, pensions, Personality, Popcorn Pensions, Public sector pensions, Retirement | 16 Comments

Small is beautiful – a good news story from Investment Solutions

Have a look at the Investment Solutions website or http://www.firstactuarial.co.uk or http://www.pensionplaypen.com – you’ll see a common thread- SMALL BUT BEAUTIFUL. Continue reading

Posted in investment, pensions, Personality, Popcorn Pensions, Treasury | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

John Tapper’s retirement plan

The Auction catalogue tells us “Mr Tapper’s cows are a very nice lot, all young, of good size and colour and good milkers Continue reading

Posted in doctors, Henry Tapper blog, pensions, Popcorn Pensions, religion | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Can employers “do auto-enrolment” themselves?

The answer is with the financial services industry, with payroll and HR software manufacturers and with the providers of pensions themselves Continue reading

Posted in advice gap, auto-enrolment, pensions, Popcorn Pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments