Tag Archives: Insurance

“The first cut is the cheapest” – transferring legacy pensions

We all know the song. The revised phrase was coined by stockbrokers who’d tell their customers to sell out of a failing stock before it’s price fell again. The phrase use to be sung to Equitable Life policyholders who hung … Continue reading

Posted in actuaries, annuity, auto-enrolment, Change, dc pensions, defined aspiration, pension playpen, pensions, Personal Accounts, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

“Pensions people can trust” – a proper kick in the nuts.

If we could only lift up our eyes from our spreadsheets and do some strategic thinking, we’d be grateful that Labour are trying to clean up our act. Continue reading

Posted in annuity, auto-enrolment, dc pensions, defined aspiration, mallowstreet, pension playpen, pensions, Retail Distribution Review | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

How sure are you that you’ll get your pension promise?

While large numbers of people,  (the low-paid , young and the haitual self and unemployed) have never been in a company pension scheme, some 30 million of us in the UK have either a private pension in payment or have the prospect … Continue reading

Posted in dc pensions, pensions, Popcorn Pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Heard the one about the actuary, the investment consultant, the IFA and the lawyer?

At precisely the same time, the Pension Play Pen debated the relative value of actuaries, investment consultants, lawyers and financial advisers to Britain’s future pensioners, but in two different towns. These lunches , which have been taking place since 2009, bring … Continue reading

Posted in actuaries, Financial Education, FSA, pension playpen, Retail Distribution Review, social media | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

NEST’s been gelded by the ABI – this is the result!

Here is a case study that will be of interest to Gregg Mcclymont MP  @greggmcclymont  and those campaigning for “remasculating” NEST. As I’ve said before NEST is a pension eunuch. It cannot accept transfers, accomadate chunky contributors or pass on the benefits … Continue reading

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

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

Who’ll win this Pension Referendum?

We are about to have a pensions referendum. Votes will be cast not at the ballot box but through an obscure process known as “the opt-out“. Over the next five years , more than 5m people, around 20% of the … Continue reading

Posted in auto-enrolment, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Who cares who manages our pension funds?

Almost nine out of ten defined contribution members cannot name the funds their contributions are invested in, according to research from Standard Life. The survey revealed that, in spite of this, just under half (49%) of respondents, felt their investments reflected their … Continue reading

Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

CIT; your ABC of auto-enrolment!

CIT     compliance investment trust  your three steps to success on the road to tomorrow’s pension. Yes I know there are a number of ways of pronouncing that “C” but if using a “sh”  helps you remember what I’m talking about- I’ve no objection. Worse has been … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, auto-enrolment, Change, dc pensions, de-risking, defined aspiration | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Is your company good to retire from?

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