Tag Archives: Treasury

What is salary sacrifice and why’s it under threat?

Posted on January 17, 2016 by henry tapper

If you read Jo Cumbo’s piece on possible changes to pensions tax relief in the FT yesterday, you’ll have seen references to the abolition of pension salary sacrifice. Pension Salary Sacrifice is quite legal and both the DWP and HMRC … Continue reading →

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

Posted on January 9, 2016 by henry tapper

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 →

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Austerity, WASPI and the middle way.

Posted on January 7, 2016 by henry tapper

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 →

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

Posted on December 20, 2015 by henry tapper

  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 →

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Why I’m excited about second hand annuities.

Posted on December 17, 2015 by henry tapper

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 →

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

Posted on December 16, 2015 by henry tapper

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

Posted on December 6, 2015 by henry tapper

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 →

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How the autumn statement will effect pensions and pensioners

Posted on November 25, 2015 by henry tapper

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 →

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

Posted on October 25, 2015 by henry tapper

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 →

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Hey Treasury – leave TPAS alone!

Posted on October 15, 2015 by henry tapper

  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 →

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