All Covenant articles – Page 15
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Opinion
What you need to know from this week's pensions headlines
It has been another couple of days of announcements in the ever-changing world of pensions.
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Opinion
Four steps to a targeted, practical covenant review
The latest defined benefit code of practice puts the employer covenant where it should be – right at the heart of all funding and investment decisions that trustees make.
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Features
USS revamps covenant assessment model in face of funding challenge
The Universities Superannuation Scheme has opted for a more thorough covenant assessment due to changes in higher education funding and an expected increase in its deficit from this year’s triennial valuation.
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News
Schemes consider money purchase reversion to reduce employer risk
Legal experts have reported that schemes caught by the recent change in the definition of money purchase are trying to amend their benefits structures to remove the additional risk of guarantees.
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Features
Xerox to protect repayment power amid legal uncertainty
Xerox Final Salary Pension Scheme is planning a resolution allowing it to continue to make repayments to its sponsor, but legal experts are split on whether such a move is necessary or will even be effective.
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News
IASB proposal could hit sponsor-scheme funding strategies
A proposed change to pensions accounting guidance around surpluses could lead to trustees having to renegotiate their financing arrangements with employers and shifting towards non-cash vehicles.
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News
Interest rate uncertainty a concern for employer covenants
Interest rate rises could have a negative effect on covenant strength as some companies are forced to refinance at higher rates, advisers have said, and trustees should keep a watching brief to mitigate any resultant impact on their sponsors' ability to pay scheme contributions.
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Opinion
Employer growth emphasis will separate the wheat from the chaff
The Pensions Regulator's announcement of the need for schemes to take into account an employer’s ability to grow followed intense lobbying on the government to give employers more flexibility on the timing of contributions.
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News
How the PPF's contingent asset shift could affect your scheme
The Pension Protection Fund will publish in October the conclusion of its consultation on making the certification of contingent assets more transparent, after around half a sample of type A contingent assets failed a stress test.
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Features
Vodafone scheme completes CWW merger with £325m employer payment
Vodafone has contributed £325m to its defined benefit scheme as it completes the transfer of the Cable & Wireless Worldwide Retirement Plan, after purchasing the rival telecoms company in 2012.
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Features
Imperial Tobacco ups employer contributions after funding drop
Imperial Tobacco has increased contributions to its UK defined benefit scheme to boost its winding-up funding level, which has dropped by 12 percentage points, according to its latest valuation.
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News
Trade body calls for review of charity pension rules
News analysis: The Charity Finance Group has called for a review to the regulations surrounding multi-employer pension schemes, claiming they can threaten charities’ ability to raise donations.
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News
Covenant-lite market expands as small schemes digest DB code
Small and medium-sized employers’ pension schemes are finding greater access to pared-down, lower-cost covenant assessments following the Pensions Regulator’s revised defined benefit code of practice, which has increased focus on employer strength.
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News
One in seven trustees think sponsor relationship needs work
Around one trustee on each board feels their relationship with the scheme sponsor needs to be improved, according to a survey of 100 scheme representatives, conducted as fresh regulation seeks to strengthen this bond.
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FeaturesSiemens shrinks deficit with asset-backed funding deal
Engineering and electronics company Siemens has set up a Scottish limited partnership for its UK defined benefit scheme to provide additional security for members, shutting a large part of its deficit and stabilising the company’s cash flow.
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News
Revised DB code emphasises integrated risk management
The Pensions Regulator this week released a new code of practice for defined benefit schemes, focusing on trustees and employers working collaboratively on scheme funding.
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Features
Mercer parent shuts DB scheme to equalise benefits
Marsh & McLennan Companies, the US-based parent of global consultancy Mercer, has decided to close its UK defined benefit scheme to future accrual in a stated attempt to create a level playing field between employees.
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Features
LPFA reports doubling in employers needing covenant review
The London Pensions Fund Authority’s risk-based approach to setting contribution rates has identified around twice the number of employers that may need to provide greater solvency guarantees after its recent valuation.
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NewsBattle to plug deficits continues as FTSE 100 see £8bn deterioration
The total pension deficit of FTSE 100 defined benefit schemes worsened by an estimated £8bn, bringing the total to £57bn at the end of 2013, according to research, but experts maintain larger schemes are managing their risk exposures effectively.
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News
Lafarge trustees seek merger assurances to protect members
The trustee board of Lafarge’s UK pension fund has begun discussions with its sponsor to ensure members would be protected under its proposed $40bn (£23.8bn) merger with Holcim to form a global cement maker giant.