Tag Archives: VFM

Are employers able to “know their workplace pension”?

Posted on March 8, 2020 by

Are employers the provider’s clients? In financial services, the client is the entity that takes the decisions on where the money goes. Whether we define “money” as “pension contributions” or “fees paid”, the employer is seen as the client. It … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, age wage, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“What do people want?” – a question for IGCs

Posted on January 23, 2020 by

  The saddest statement I heard last year was from an adviser who told a room “we have given up reporting on outcomes, outcomes always disappoint”. It is not just IFA’s who don’t like to report on the outcomes of … Continue reading →

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The price of everything , the value of nothing.

Posted on November 17, 2019 by

Knowing the price of investment management does not mean you know its value. Unfortunately the outcome of an investment can only be known retrospectively. Turning this on its head, past performance may not be a guide to a future , … Continue reading →

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Annuities – don’t knock ’em!

Posted on September 12, 2019 by

Unwelcome news for anyone looking to turn their pension pot into a secure retirement income. Rates are down due to low bond yields but also because there’s less competition in the market, following the #pensionfreedoms. https://t.co/NWAqReWjMi — Josephine Cumbo (@JosephineCumbo) … Continue reading →

Posted in annuity, pensions | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Mr Field – you want a common measure for value for money? I’ve got one!

Posted on August 6, 2019 by

In the Work and Pension Select Committee’s report on pension transparency, one demand has caught the imagination of the pension community You can read Kim Kaveh’s excellent article here. Professional Pensions ran the question on its Pension Buzz survey and … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The impact of NDAs on pension outcomes

Posted on July 23, 2019 by

NDAs (non disclosure agreements), have been much in the news in the past week. The government says it will crack down on the use of workplace “gagging clauses” to cover up allegations of harassment, discrimination and assault. Many businesses use … Continue reading →

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Angela Eagle’s stunning Bill on pension costs and charges

Posted on May 9, 2019 by

Angela Eagle presented a bill to the House of Commons at 1.30 yesterday (Wednesday May 8th). It is a fine bill and I wish it success. It may not succeed under the current Government and may be no more than … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, pensions | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Can pension ratings be “too simple”?

Posted on May 5, 2019 by

  To my mind , the only meaningful way that someone using a workplace or personal pension can test for value for money is by comparing the money they put in with the value they get out. This is known … Continue reading →

Posted in advice gap, age wage, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

From zero to hero – the Hargreaves Lansdown IGC report

Posted on April 12, 2019 by

Hargreaves Lansdown’s (HL) 2015 -16 IGC report was embarrassingly bad. I got cross that a successful funds platform didn’t put its back into independent governance. Hargreaves’ Vantage product (now HL Workplace Pension)  was at the time being widely promoted as … Continue reading →

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

Fidelity’s IGC-the bland leading the blind

Posted on April 11, 2019 by

The general reader is introduced to the 2019 IGC report with a statement from Fidelity An IGC is an Independent Governance Committee whose purpose is to represent the interests of policyholders (including active and deferred members) in the company’s relevant … Continue reading →

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