All Opinion articles – Page 90
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OpinionEditorial: Unsolved problems
Ah, the fading hope of a new year. Inevitably, despite the equity market recovery in December, volatility had never left global markets.
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Opinion
Tax allowance boost could buffer SMEs against rising AE costs
The Association of Consulting Actuaries has called for action to help alleviate the financial pressure on small companies resulting from the statutory increases in auto-enrolment contributions.
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Opinion
How the DB code’s employer growth objective affects scheme funding
In a world where just one in five UK sponsors have a ‘strong’ covenant, Spence’s Marian Elliott explains how trustees of such schemes can strike the balance between an appropriate investment risk strategy and reliance on employer contributions.
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Opinion
PPF: How the pensions landscape is changing
Talking head: The Pension Protection Fund’s Stephen Rice uses the Purple Book to demonstrate that while certain DB asset allocation trends are tailing off, the derisking journey has some way to run.
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Opinion
Six hurdles for DB and DC schemes to get over in 2015
By now, you'll have waded through all manner of 2014 round-ups, but what lies ahead for the pension trustee or scheme manager is certainly more pressing.
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Opinion
Why relief doesn't come easy with pensions tax
Nobody understands it. It gives the greatest benefit to the wealthy. And it simply is not working as an incentive to get people saving into a pension. We are, of course, talking pensions tax relief.
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Opinion
What schemes can learn from this year’s top 5 legal stories
Legal rulings on issues including increased pension loss payouts, clarification on RPI guidance and the introduction of new accounting reporting frameworks have challenged schemes to respond and factor in these changes in the year ahead.
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Opinion
Schemes say cost-saving key advantage of technology
Pension schemes put time-saving and cost-saving first when it comes to their reasons for using technology, rather than engaging scheme members or informing advisers, a survey has found.
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Opinion
Lafarge, Channel 4 and Lloyds feature in the top five derisking stories of 2014
Many schemes worked hard this year to make a dent in their pension fund deficit as liabilities soared, employing methods ranging from simple payment increases to complex recovery plans.
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Opinion
Nationwide, Strathclyde and British Coal among top five 2014 investment stories
Ditching hedge funds, the rise of responsible investment and the growing success of property mandates have all featured in a tricky year for UK pension fund investment.
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Opinion
Five entirely depressing findings from the DC charges audit
If the workplace pensions industry should be judged by how it treats its existing customers, then today's revelations on scheme charges find it at best unfair and at worst extortionate.
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Opinion
Mixing it up: how added diversity could boost trustee board results
GSAM’s Kathleen Hughes argues a broader spread of backgrounds on trustee boards would better reflect schemes’ members, could achieve more effective decision-making and provide valuable experience for future company board talent.
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Opinion
When is halfway not halfway? Measuring the AE journey
Talking head: Pensions commentator Steve Bee looks at the engagement challenges faced by smaller employers in light of the shift to a more individualist pensions regime.
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Opinion
Top tips for small employers readying for AE
Planning, picking, payroll: Now Pensions’ Morten Nilsson shares some of the key areas to focus on to enjoy a smooth-sailing auto-enrolment experience.
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Opinion
Why fancy tools are not enough to communicate with savers
AHC’s Karen Partridge discusses where savings tools do and do not work to engage scheme members, and how a successful portal can be a win-win for staff and employers.
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Opinion
Why the pensions liberation determination was not the one we needed
The pensions ombudsman published yesterday the first of his long-awaited pensions liberation determinations. But it was not exactly the kind of case the industry has been awaiting.
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Opinion
Does your scheme lack a 2015 strategy?
Any other business: Most schemes lack a set strategy for the new year, governance experts say, as the industry turns its attention to the challenges of the next 12 months.
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OpinionEditorial: The neverending story
How time flies. In print and on the iPad, Monday saw the 45th edition of the relaunched Pensions Expert, and the last of the year.
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Opinion
Why the FCA's piecemeal action could push people back towards annuities
Will the Financial Conduct Authority's investigation of the annuities market never end? Even today's market study, and accompanying review of sales practices, will preface further work – by providers this time.
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Opinion
Altmann: 2015 set to be another big year for pensions
Talking head: Our columnist Ros Altmann gives her take on how next year’s challenges for both DC and DB schemes will be played out, including auto-enrolment, default funds and DB-DC transfers.