All Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) articles – Page 22
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NewsFCA annuity provider rules to encourage consumers to shop around
New plans announced by the Financial Conduct Authority will require annuity providers to make consumers aware of rival deals before they purchase an annuity, and some experts say there should be similar rules for other retirement products.
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News
Increased contributions vital to continue AE success story
The real tests of auto-enrolment are still to come, one of the architects of the initiative has warned, as an adequacy report found many defined contribution-reliant members of Generation X are already beyond auto-enrolment’s help.
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Opinion
Illiquid assets: Latest fad or the future of DC investment?
Analysis: Defined contribution investments are still far less sophisticated than those of many defined benefit plans, but there is growing support for making illiquid assets such as infrastructure or private equity part of DC default funds.
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News
FCA wants to strengthen duty on managers and consultants
About £109bn of investor assets is held by managers who charge high fees but do not offer significant variation from an index-tracking strategy, the Financial Conduct Authority’s interim report on competition in the asset management market has found.
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News
Draft Lisa rules attempt to prevent AE opt-outs
Providers of the lifetime Isa should warn savers that substituting their pension for the product will mean they lose out on employer contributions, draft rules published by the Financial Conduct Authority have proposed.
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NewsEarly exit charge cap attracts criticism and praise
Both the government and the Financial Conduct Authority have confirmed plans to introduce caps on early exit pension charges, but authorities should take care not to actively encourage early decumulation, experts say.
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OpinionLifting the curtain on transaction costs
Editorial: The Financial Conduct Authority’s proposals for transaction cost disclosure have been welcomed across the industry, but confusion has crept in over how this will affect trust-based schemes.
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OpinionLock the door on hackers
Editorial: Would you leave your front door open when you go out? Not if you can help it. Online, it happens a lot.
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OpinionWhat to expect from the forthcoming pensions bill
Since the Pensions Act 2004 there have been six acts of parliament dealing with pensions policy – and this does not include the various finance acts that have changed the pensions tax regime.
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News'Patchwork quilt' of solutions threatens drive for transparency
Regulators and consumer groups have been warned against installing a “patchwork quilt” of solutions to increase transparency in asset management, as remedies to hidden charges within funds begin to emerge.
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OpinionFCA has fundamental part to play in regulating workplace pensions
Workplace defined contribution pension schemes are a key part of the reward and benefits package. Generally employers and trustees are aware of the requirements and standards published by, among others, the Pensions Regulator.
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OpinionHow to make your providers work harder
In early 2017 the Financial Conduct Authority is expected to present the final report on its asset management market study. One of the important topics the FCA wants to understand is whether the relationships between pension funds and their investment consultants are subject to misalignment of interest and conflicts.
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OpinionAre the regulators fit for purpose?
The current pensions landscape is a continually shifting and often bewildering picture. Blink and you can miss another change to pensions legislation and regulation.
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NewsUnilever launches guidance tool, but fear of giving advice still stops many
The Unilever Pension Fund has introduced an online initiative using example members to help savers plan their benefits, ahead of a clarification on the distinction between advice and guidance from the Financial Conduct Authority, HM Treasury and the Pensions Regulator.
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News
Proposed early exit charge cap gets mixed response
The Financial Conduct Authority yesterday proposed capping exit charges at 1 per cent of pot value for existing contracts, while banning them altogether for future contracts.
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News
Queen's speech promises mastertrust regulation
Long-anticipated mastertrust legislation was announced in the Queen's speech this week, providing protection for consumers and increased powers for the Pensions Regulator, but details are still sparse.
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News
Consultations to flesh out details of secondary annuity market
The Financial Conduct Authority and HM Revenue & Customs have both launched consultations to shed further light on how the secondary annuity market could work, but questions were raised about the projected level of take-up.
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News
TPAS call volumes balloon since freedoms
The Pensions Advisory Service has seen a 71 per cent increase in enquiries since the introduction of freedom and choice in April last year, showing the need for accessible guidance.
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OpinionFreedom and choice one year on – how far are we now?
April 2015 saw an expected flurry of activity, with tens of thousands of defined contribution members exercising their freedom and accessing their pension funds.
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News
Withdrawals slow as freedom and choice demand eases
The pace of withdrawals from defined contribution pension pots started to slow in the three months between October and December 2015, as pent up demand following the introduction of freedom and choice began to ease.