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‘Auto-escalation’ possible next step for auto-enrolment
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) data may have identified an increase in workplace pension participation but more needs to be done to address the exclusion of the self-employed and low-earners,...
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Stephen Lowe: Six reasons not to overlook guaranteed income for life
The death of guaranteed income for life retirement solutions has been greatly exaggerated, argues Stephen Lowe, before offering six reasons why there is plenty of life in them yet. It has been...
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Inquiry: Secondary annuities market ‘a step too far’
Retirees in poor health may have had their hopes dashed when the government scrapped plans for a secondary annuities market. However, advisers view the U-turn as an important measure against pension...
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Annuity rates up more than 10% since August low
The average annuity rate has improved by 10.6% since the market low in August, according to analysis from Retirement Advantage. The retirement specialist attributed the rate hike to providers reacting...
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Structured products: Blueprint for a sustainable retirement
Sponsored content Cherry Reynard looks at how structured products can add an extra dimension to drawdown portfolios. Structured products have had something of a complex history. There were undoubtedly...
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Universal withdrawal rates: Why one size doesn’t fit all
Advisers play a critical role in helping people decide how much income to take each year, as Andrew Tully explains. Pension freedom saw the removal of the GAD maximum withdrawal rates, giving people...
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Kate Smith: The advice implications of changes to the MPAA
The proposed reduction in the Money Purchase Annual Allowance alters the dynamic of the pension freedoms and has implications for retirement planning – Kate Smith takes a closer look. Philip Hammond’s...
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Andrew Pennie: Hasn’t the MPAA horse already bolted?
You only need imagine the client who had to access their pension to pay down debt or fund a divorce settlement to know some unfortunates will be caught out by the MPAA change, says Andrew Pennie. So we...
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Govt proposes pension transfer controls to stop scams
The government has proposed a series of restrictions on pension transfers in a bid to tackle fraud. In a consultation out on 5 December the government proposed restricting people’s right to transfer...
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All QROPS income set to be taxed, govt confirms
The government has confirmed it will change the way qualifying recognised overseas pension schemes (QROPS) are taxed, with the aim of limiting inconsistencies in the tax treatment of UK and foreign...
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Budget beware: Is a pension incentives raid on the cards?
Higher earners are being urged to maximise their pension contributions ahead of the 2017 Budget amid concerns the Chancellor will scrap higher rate tax relief. The move would be the latest in a long...
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OECD criticises Osborne’s pension reforms
The OECD has attacked former Chancellor George Osborne’s pension freedom reforms, warning they could lead to people outliving their savings. The Paris-based international organisation said people...
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Have your say: Is the levy on pension advisers justified?
Pension advisers look likely to be hit with a levy from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) this year to make up for an increase in the number of claims related to self-invested personal...
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Jessica List: The MPAA – why fix what wasn’t broken?
The cut in the money purchase annual allowance appears to offer very little in the way of benefit to justify the disruption to providers, advisers and, most importantly, the retirement plans of those...
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Back to school: Education and advice go hand-in-hand
It is commonly accepted that the earlier you start saving, the better. The same ethos should be applied to financial education. We invest in an education system designed to help children become young...
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Video interview: Richard Parkin on proposed cut to MPAA
Fidelity International head of pensions policy Richard Parkin talks about the proposed cut to the Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA) to Julian Marr, editor of Retirement Planner‘s sister title...
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Six million workers need more help with pension transfers – Royal London
Six million workers with valuable defined benefit (DB) pension rights need more help to decide whether to transfer them into a cash alternative, according to Royal London. The insurer, which also...
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Government to consider charge cap extension in auto-enrolment review
The government is to examine the current cap on charges related to automatic-enrolment and whether they should be extended to include all transaction costs, it has said at the launch of its review....
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Platforms v SIPPs: Service key in battle for market survival
Only 15 out of 26 platforms made a pre-tax profit last year, according to a recent report. By any measure, this is worrying for an industry entrusted with hundreds of billions worth of client assets....
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Bob Champion: The $64m withdrawal-rate question
If spending demands mean it is improbable a client’s pension pot will last a lifetime, says Bob Champion, the role of the adviser is to raise this with the client and ensure they are fully aware when...
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