Category Archives: Retirement

Immigrant pension taboos

Posted on June 11, 2012 by henry tapper

I live in  West London – Brentford and Eton (lower Slough). If I want to eat, a curry is the natural choice, if I buy groceries, it’s most likely from an Asian grocer. My Grandfather was the Methodist minister for Hounslow, his … Continue reading →

Posted in pensions, religion, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Financial Education – why we do it- why we love it!

Posted on June 2, 2012 by henry tapper

We’re simple folk at First Actuarial .we build our strategies around things we like to do, things we are good at and things that need to be done. We like helping people “get” pensions. It gives us a buzz when … Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Education, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

How can you tell if your pension’s any good?

Posted on May 16, 2012 by henry tapper

The Pension Play Pen had a debate last November when we tried to set an order of importance on the six things that the Pension Regulator said , made for good DC pensions (outcomes as they call them). The top of … Continue reading →

Posted in annuity, auto-enrolment, Change, dc pensions, de-risking, defined aspiration, Retirement, social media | 10 Comments

Is your company good to retire from?

Posted on May 7, 2012 by henry tapper

Is this a stupidly obvious or obviously stupid question? If you fall into the “stupidly obvious” camp you are one of a dwindling band of devotees of the paternalistic culture that believes that a lifetime’s work with an organsiation should be rewarded … Continue reading →

Posted in annuity, customer service, dc pensions, de-risking, defined aspiration, happiness, Henry Tapper blog, Popcorn Pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

How to buy a pension

Posted on May 5, 2012 by henry tapper

Buying your pension is one if not the biggest financial decisions you will take (or have taken). It’s fearfully difficult and most people take it with little help and – worse-information. Almost everyone is going to have to do it and that so … Continue reading →

Posted in annuity, Bankers, Change, Consolation, dc pensions, defined aspiration, happiness, pensions, Public sector pensions, Retail Distribution Review, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Can GPP providers be a little clearer about commission?

Posted on May 4, 2012 by henry tapper

Someone told me yesterday that he preferred ISAs to pensions because he knew what was going on with an ISA. He’s not stupid, he’s financially literate but it turned out he knew nothing about annuities  and he asked that I blog … Continue reading →

Posted in annuity, pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Auto-enrolment ; winners and losers.

Posted on May 1, 2012 by henry tapper

Tesco doesn’t seem to be getting too much credit from the DB aficionados who have been perturbed by its attempts to push back retirement ages as part of the new deal.

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Posted in annuity, auto-enrolment, Change, dc pensions, defined aspiration, happiness, infrastucture, pension playpen, pensions, Popcorn Pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

500,000 pensioners who will get no help from the Government.

Posted on April 27, 2012 by henry tapper

If you have purchased an annuity in the past three years of are likely to purchase one in the next three years you will be buying into pension conversion rates artificially depressed by the Government‘s quantitive easing program and by insurance … Continue reading →

Posted in Change, corporate governance, dc pensions, defined aspiration, NEST, Retirement, Treasury | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The 500,000 retirees abandoned by the Government

Posted on April 27, 2012 by henry tapper

If you have purchased an annuity in the past three years of are likely to purchase one in the next three years you will be buying into pension conversion rates artificially depressed by the Government‘s quantitive easing program and by insurance … Continue reading →

Posted in annuity, Bankers, corporate governance, dc pensions, Henry Tapper blog, pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Collective Defined Contribution Schemes – A Shameful Missed Opportunity

Posted on April 26, 2012 by henry tapper

An article by Kevin Wesbroom. In December 2008 the Government published the response to its paper on risk sharing pension schemes.  The opening sentence of the Executive Summary states “The Government is committed to encouraging good practice pension provision.”  In December … Continue reading →

Posted in annuity, customer service, dc pensions, defined aspiration, pensions, Public sector pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments