Category Archives: Retirement

Whose risk is it anyway?

Posted on November 17, 2012 by henry tapper

The Government wants us to think about pension risk sharing… To consider how much responsibility we can take for our own financial welfare when we’re really old. To consider what our employers can do to help And consider (which they talk of quietly)  … Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, auto-enrolment, dc pensions, de-risking, defined aspiration, economics, pensions, Personal Accounts, Retirement | 5 Comments

NESToration – go boom in that Euro room!

Posted on November 14, 2012 by henry tapper

If NEST had been a person Amnesty would have registered it a political prisoner. Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Change, NEST, pension playpen, pensions, Personal Accounts, Retirement | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Contract workers mustn’t be tricked out of pensions.

Posted on November 12, 2012 by henry tapper

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

Is there a future for defined benefit pensions?

Posted on November 2, 2012 by henry tapper

The TUC has published a working paper written by my colleague Hilary Salt entitled “the future of defined benefit pensions provision” which is a very good read. You can reach it here. The wags among you may consider that you could … Continue reading →

Posted in dc pensions, de-risking, defined aspiration, Fiduciary Management, Financial Education, First Actuarial, NEST, pensions, Public sector pensions, Retirement, Trades Union Congress | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Why we need to say “NO” to pension guarantees!

Posted on October 25, 2012 by henry tapper

On Monday the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries delivered a paper stating that it would be able to deliver a system of lock-in guarantees at a price of less than 1% pa of the fund that could be used by … Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, annuity, auto-enrolment, Bankers, club pension, corporate governance, customer service, David Pitt-Watson, dc pensions, defined aspiration, EU Solvency II, FSA, happiness, Liability Driven Investment, NEST, pension playpen, pensions, Personal Accounts, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Club Pension!

Posted on October 22, 2012 by henry tapper

Words resonate in strange ways and when they come in pairs new resonances emerge. Last week, Martin Lewis called “pension” a broken brand (worrying to the owner of the Pension Play Pen). The idea behind the word “club” seems to be under … Continue reading →

Posted in club pension, Financial Education, happiness, Henry Tapper blog, Martin Lewis, pension playpen, pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

What Steve Webb must do now.

Posted on October 17, 2012 by henry tapper

Well Mr Webb, you said it; I refer to your excellent talk at the IOD (16/10/12) First you said that you would legislate for “pot follows member” in 2014/15 .Then when asked what happens if a member transfers to a bad qualifying scheme, you … Continue reading →

Posted in annuity, CDC, dc pensions, defined aspiration, Financial Education, Henry Tapper blog, Management, Payroll, pensions, Retirement, Treasury | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Australian “Super” – not an answer – a new question.

Posted on October 5, 2012 by henry tapper

I went to a discussion on the Australian retirement savings system at the invitation of the Australian actuarial group in London (thanks guys). The talk was excellent as were the questions. Being  neither Australian or an actuary it was an eye – opener! Australia … Continue reading →

Posted in annuity, Australia, auto-enrolment, corporate governance, pensions, Retirement, The Ashes | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

“The older I get, the less I trust my pension!”

Posted on September 30, 2012 by henry tapper

An interesting observation from Gerry Barwell in 140 characters When I interview consumers on AE/ wider pensions – the barrier of mistrust is significant. Less so in the young but for 40+ Which gives us the opportunity to speculate on … Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, annuity, auto-enrolment, CDC, Consolation, pensions, Personal Accounts, Popcorn Pensions, Retail Distribution Review, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Why I support Labour’s attack on pension charges

Posted on September 30, 2012 by henry tapper

The reactions I’ve read to Ed Milliband‘s “all-out attack on pension charges” have been universally negative. They  range from Robert Burgon’s “open letter to Ed Milliband” condemning the lumping of good and bad together to the broadside from Otto Thorenson of the ABI (linked). All … Continue reading →

Posted in annuity, auto-enrolment, Bankers, David Pitt-Watson, dc pensions, defined aspiration, leadership, NEST, pensions, Personal Accounts, Retail Distribution Review, Retirement | 7 Comments