Tag Archives: VFM

Don’t go down without a fight – take advice before sacking your manager!

Julius Pursaill and I get on very well, we see eye to eye on most things and though I don’t have his investment insight, I think he recognizes I know a thing or two about how people think about pensions! … Continue reading

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Consultants and VFM – Nico and Darren’s podcast #9

I spent my lunchtime yesterday wondering up to the Regents Canal in Islington listening to Nico, Darren and Sophia Singleton talking about VFM from DC pensions. Well that’s not exactly true, more of the conversation was about DB plans (and … Continue reading

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DWP bets the house on “adequate” DC pensions. No wonder it’s targeting VFM!

The DWP published a report on Friday that has attracted attention from mainstream and social media. It is the DWP’s first analysis of retirement income in the UK since the analytical report of the 2017 auto-enrolment review and it was … Continue reading

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SMEs need advice on pensions – advisers need “VFM” to work.

Sarah Smart gave a pretty impressive presentation to a group of PLSA members this morning. Speaking from the PLSA, Smart – a former adviser and now Chair at the Pensions Regulator singled out advisers as key stakeholders in getting the  … Continue reading

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No Nico! VFM is a measure to help consumers – not actuaries!

This blog responds to Darren and Nico’s VFM podcast with Zoe Alexander of Nest and you can listen to that podcast from here. It’s well worth it. The blog divides into two, in the firs half I challenge Nico over … Continue reading

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Andy Cheseldine, old school and proud of it

  I had a chance to meet with the Minister for Pensions in this year and she asked if there was anyone she should trust for an honest , unbiased and saver-centric view of pensions. I answered – Andy Cheseldine. … Continue reading

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USS – you’ve never had it so good/bad – (delete as necessary)

How USS sees itself and how others see it. I have just read an article that relates the views of Simon Pilcher on the success of USS’ investment strategy in the 12 months to September 2022. The Universities Superannuation Scheme, … Continue reading

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Nico and Darren quiz the Pension Plowman

  Nico Aspinall and Darren Philp are bi-handedly doing the pensions industry a favour by publishing a series of podcasts on Value for Money. All can be accessed by click-through  above and all of them are good. But I’m particularly … Continue reading

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How should you divorce your financial advisor?

  Marriages always start so well and that’s the same if you are getting into a relationship with a spouse or your financial advisor. Many people selecting  an IFA find themselves in “shock and awe” at a handsome report presenting … Continue reading

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“A good way to kick off the debate” – Now let’s get this VFM Framework over the line

    The headline was given me by the DWP’s Des Healy after Pension PlayPen’s hour long debate on the VFM Framework. Unsurprisingly, it was one of our best attended events. Surprisingly, we heard not just from Des but other … Continue reading

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