Monthly Archives: May 2025
Are NICs saved by salary sacrifice too much for Reeves, Paul Lewis thinks so!
Salary sacrifice investigation bit.ly/4khiyZA about time. It is a benefit for middle class professionals to avoid NICs on pension contributions and tax and NICs on buying a bicycle, joining a gym, buying a car or home computer, childcare, store cards, … Continue reading
McGrath keeps actuaries honest (warning blunt video inside)
William McGrath lead a tough debate about the standards adopted by the actuarial community. It was a debate that ended in a fairy tale from our speaker but it was a bitter tale. There were a high proportion of actuaries … Continue reading
11 tales from the FCA – a pension super-team!
I have had great fun exploring these 162 slides of information offered us by the FCA but collated by Ignition House. I didn’t know it was anything to do with Ignition until its boss reprimanded me for flattering the FCA … Continue reading
What’s “Optimum” for Aussie savers when they want to spend
We get a lot from Australia around accumulation, it’s a nice model for commercial pension schemes as it’s mandating ever increasing contributions. But what is more interesting for Great Britain is the work that’s going on on retirement income. Here … Continue reading
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What the hell is going on with long-dated gilts?
The UK government is shifting to shorter-term borrowing to lower its interest bill as a global debt sell-off adds to the pressure on its tax and spending plans. Jessica Pulay, head of the UK’s Debt Management Office, said the agency … Continue reading
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Regs and maths make run-on compelling for pensions; 10.30 this morning
Britain may not have no more passionate supporter of the DB pension continuing than William McGrath. But the DWP and Pension Minister are running him close with their press release insisting that pension schemes that can continue should! Over … Continue reading
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Auto-enrolment – the good news and the shortfall V SERPS (Pt 11)
Over the past weeks I have been going through the FCA’s Financial Lives Survey and delving into some of the more difficult areas of pensions for ordinary people. I will be publishing shortly an index of the blogs I have … Continue reading
Too little, too late: Experiences of income adequacy in later life
There are increasing numbers of older people living with incomes that fall short of recognised measures of minimum living standards. Ensuring an income that enables an older person to live with dignity, choice and purpose should be a priority. With … Continue reading
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McGrath – Pension Regulation and Maths – Tomorrow – 10.30am;
Britain may not have no more passionate supporter of the DB pension continuing, though the DWP and Pension Minister are running him close with this week’s press release insisting that pension schemes that can continue do! Over the past weeks … Continue reading
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FCA’s Financial Lives on the smart decumulators and their advisors (pt 10)
It’s a tough agenda as since the introduction of Pension Freedoms in 2015 the behaviour of savers has included cashing in the pot as well as drawing down cash, swapping from an annuity and using the pot as an insurance … Continue reading