Tag Archives: SERPS

How private pensions became a synthetic version of SERPS

Once upon a time , the Government used to pay pensions based on contributions made by employers and employees. There was no formal pension fund that backed up this pension scheme but the Government , if it did not have … Continue reading

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Will the cost of living crisis lead to a run on the (pension) pot?

  Around the turn of the century I wrote my first Government pension consultation response., it was for Eagle Star and was supposed to have been signed off by someone in policy. It wasn’t and it went to Government including … Continue reading

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Why is the state pension so complicated?

  Due to the wonder of BBC sounds , you can listen to Paul Lewis, Ros Altmann and Steve Webb discussing this question (minutes 2-13); it’s well worth listening to as it is full of good tips for you , … Continue reading

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WASPI’s drowning out another minority – those who stayed “in”.

There is a second WASPI petition. There’s a new #WASPI petition – please sign it! Currently at 11k signatures… How soon 100k? https://t.co/ijhUQohWtk — Sarah Pennells(@Savvy_Woman) September 13, 2017 The WASPI women are well organised and have a widening support … Continue reading

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Too Expensive to Keep? Is it time to break our promises to the baby boomers?

In a stunning lecture delivered without notes to a “senior” audience at the Oxford and Cambridge Club last night, Paul Johnson helped us ask these questions of ourselves. For his audience was by and large – precisely the entitled class … Continue reading

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The New State Pension; winners and losers!

Today I am going to be on TV, which is making me nervous-I’m surprised how nervous – I expect it’s the fear of the unknown and it’s about having to make stupid choices (tie/no tie; white or patterned shirt etc). … Continue reading

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Let the canny worm lie?

The problem with cans of worms is that the cans degrade and in the end the worms get out, and cause a stink. Over the weekend, the Telegraph that acts as a professional “worm can opener” has been turning its … Continue reading

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There’s a Lamborghini pension in a showroom near you

A universal Lamborghini pension? At a seminar yesterday, Paul Lewis explained to an audience of IFAs that the full new state pension was a Lamborghini pension. What he meant was that if you wanted to buy an equivalent pension from … Continue reading

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Why the FCA should take a leaf out of tPR’s book.

  The Pensions Regulator have been re-born over the last five years and become focussed on helping advisers, trustees and employees solve pension problems. They have started treating us as  customers and not potential criminals. Sadly, this attitudinal shift doesn’t seem … Continue reading

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What price certainty?

                                The cost of certainty changes in proportion to the amount of certainty. The more flexible your guarantee, the more it’s going to cost you. I … Continue reading

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