Tag Archives: Life annuity

Pensions crisis: one in 10 forced to delay retirement

Pummeting annuity rates and poor investment returns means thousands cannot afford to stop work.   One in 10 of those due to retire this year will delay taking their pension, as a combination of plummeting annuity rates and poor investment … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, auto-enrolment, de-risking, Fiduciary Management, happiness, Henry Tapper blog, Martin Lewis | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The NAPF point the finger at the £1bn annuity scandal

The picture shows the current view of member behaviours in DC and it’s been around long enough for us to feel reasonably confident that it works . The diagram promotes investment strategies that suit the needs of the three member … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, dc pensions, FSA, Henry Tapper blog, NEST | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Can we have a word Mr Webb?

You mentioned that there should be a default position (on mallowstreet). I have argued that there is a default decumulation position, it is a level single life annuity provided by the insurer that managed your pension accumulation. This is a “pot-luck” position and many are buying appalling annuities as a result. This is at the root of what we, Robin Ellison, Con Keating, Alan Higham , the AMNT and Kevin Wesbroom, (to name but a handful of those calling for change), are trying to address. Continue reading

Posted in annuity, auto-enrolment, corporate governance, customer service, dc pensions, de-risking, Fiduciary Management, Liberal Democrats, NEST, Nick Clegg, pension playpen, pensions, Personal Accounts, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

You can’t buy a sausage with a brick

Abe Bacchus, the guy who taught me to sell life insurance in 1984, used this great phrase when a  prospect objected to creating a “capital reservoir” for the future. Of course a geared investment into bricks and mortar over the … Continue reading

Posted in dc pensions, de-risking, NEST, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

PPF II -opening the door for a better DC

We are where we are – the social contract has been decided… not compulsion but impulsion; impulsion  into a DC pensions model that relies on the markets to deliver a second tier of pensions. Our retirements will be funded from employer and employee contributions over a … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, corporate governance, Liability Driven Investment, NEST, OECD, pension playpen, twitter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Yes – things are this bad in DC land!

We all know that equity markets have sent the value of our pension savings into free fall and some people understand that low prospective interest rates mean the amount of pension you can buy from your savings has fallen lower. But did … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, dc pensions, de-risking, pension playpen, pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Seen but not read – passing the buck with a disclaimer

We are all familiar with small print that were it read would make sure no one would have time to take the necessary decision. We have learned to read selectively. Continue reading

Posted in corporate governance, dc pensions, de-risking, Martin Lewis, pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

It’s the legacy, stupid!

If we really care about retirement outcomes, we have to think about this stuff and the £20bn of unclaimed (orphaned) pensions that are hanging around in the back cupboards of life companies and occupational pension schemes alike. Continue reading

Posted in annuity, corporate governance, customer service, dc pensions, de-risking, Liability Driven Investment, Martin Lewis, pensions, Treasury | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Champagne down the drain

Many thanks to those who came, and those who wanted to come but couldn’t – not the easiest of days to get about.

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Posted in annuity, dc pensions, de-risking, mallowstreet, Martin Lewis, Retail Distribution Review, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

None of my business

I went to a meeting last week at the end of which the pension manager I was speaking with asked “I can see why this matters but why are you bothering?”. A very sensible question as it happened since the commercial … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, dc pensions, de-risking, pension playpen, pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments