Tag Archives: Treasury

The FCA report on the use of Pension Freedoms – sad but not shocking.

The data that the FCA supplied last week about the choices people are taking with their retirement savings isn’t surprising – but it’s still shocking! Nearly nine in ten savers accessing their retirement pots under the pension freedoms are using … Continue reading

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

Austerity, WASPI and the middle way.

This morning George Osbourne has taken the opportunity to remind us that any enthusiasm we might have generated from his upbeat autumn statement should be tempered by the prospect of austerity to come. Osborne points to China , to political … Continue reading

Posted in pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Why now’s the time to get behind our Pensions Minister

  Good pension ministers, like good football managers are hard to find and harder to keep. They are hard to find as it is a job few that are up to it would want. They are hard to keep because … Continue reading

Posted in pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Why I’m excited about second hand annuities.

Transparency is the great disinfectant, but disinfectant- when applied to an open wound- can be painful. It is however the only way we can recover. Continue reading

Posted in pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Auto-enrolment limits – what the DWP aren’t saying!

The DWP’s paper on the Earnings Trigger and Qualifying Earnings Bands(QEB) for auto-enrolment next year is very well written and gives an insight into just how much thought is going into managing the conflicting needs of employers, workers, administrators and…HMRC. … Continue reading

Posted in accountants, auto-enrolment, Payroll, pension playpen, pensions, Pensions Regulator, Treasury, welfare, Workie | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“10 years too early, 10 years too late” – CDC stands on on an empty platform

Nearly eight years ago, the Government Actuary ‘s Department produced  a paper that effectively killed CDC. It argued that CDC could not be relied upon to deliver benefits with the same certainty as our DB system and that there was no … Continue reading

Posted in advice gap, CDC, Pension Freedoms, pension playpen, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How the autumn statement will effect pensions and pensioners

There were no big pension surprises in this autumn statement but the Chancellor managed to squeeze some savings from auto-enrolled workers and pensioners. All eyes now turn to the 2016 Budget where the Chancellor is expected to make an announcement … Continue reading

Posted in accountants | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Someone Is Spending Your Pension Money – (Guest blog from John Matlin)

I am grateful to my friend Per Andelius for this epic statement of the way things are in the USA. Much of it makes for unhappy reading as the central issue – outlined in the opening paragraphs – seems to … Continue reading

Posted in pensions | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hey Treasury – leave TPAS alone!

  Along with the consultation on the Financial Advice Market Review, the Treasury sneaked out another consultation this week on publicly funded financial guidance. The term “Public financial guidance” has the kind of resonance offered by “public convenience” – it … Continue reading

Posted in pensions | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

85 million reasons for change! Why pension tax relief is front page news.

The Daily Express has picked up on the “loophole” caused by the increase in the nil rate band that is denying £85m of pension tax relief at source to part time workers (and the very low paid) in occupational pension … Continue reading

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