October
2004
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SMEs
concerned over pension costs
More that 50% of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)
are concerned about the financial burden of future pension provision,
according to the results of a recent survey conducted by AXA
|
29/10/04 |
Winterthur
identifies new HNWI
Some 40,000 high net worth (HNW) individuals are currently
being under-served by UK advisers, Winterthur Life has claimed
|
27/10/04 |
aquila
updates administrator to meet A-day requirements
Software provider aquila has launched a new version of its
administrator product, following extensive consultation with
the financial services, corporate and TPA markets on how to
develop the product to deal with the onset of new legislation
|
26/10/04 |
Education
of risks and rewards key to boosting investment
Educating people on the risks associated with investment
products is key to persuading people to invest more, according
to a recent survey from the Tillinghast business of Towers Perrin
|
24/10/04 |
Pooled
funds on upward trend
Pooled balanced funds achieved a positive return for the
sixth consecutive quarter, with a median return of 1.8%, according
to Russell/Mellon’s Pooled Pension Fund Update (Q3 2004
|
22/10/04 |
Raising
retirement age could open litigation minefield
Raising the retirement age in accordance with suggestions
from the Pensions Commission could create a minefield of litigation
for employers, according to business information firm Croner
|
20/10/04 |
Fat
cats put on pensions diet
Though senior executives still get a better pensions deal
than lower level employees, the majority of UK companies that
have closed final salary schemes to new entrants have now also
closed them to the top echelon, according to consultancy Watson
Wyatt |
19/10/04 |
National
vote would mean yes to compulsion
Half the population would vote yes for making employer and
employee contributions compulsory in the event of a national
referendum, according to research from AXA |
18/10/04 |
Final
go-ahead for Personal Finance Society
The merger of SOFA and LIA, to form the Personal Finance
Society, has been given the final go-ahead after SOFA members
voted in favour of the plan at the organisation’s EGM
in London on 15 October |
16/10/04 |
Conservatives
make for angry pen pals
The shadow Chancellor, Oliver Letwin, and the shadow work
and pensions secretary, David Willetts have written to Gordon
Brown and Alan Johnson to clarify the strategic direction of
the government’s pensions policy |
16/10/04 |
No
industry plans for over 50s recruitment
Despite notions of increased working life and phased retirement
options, UK businesses are reluctant to employ older people,
according to recruitment company Spring Personnel |
15/10/04 |
Pensions
law firms announce merger
Pensions law firms Pinsents and Masons are set to merge
in December forming ‘Pinsent Masons’, which will
represent an estimated annual turnover of £150 million
|
15/10/04 |
Multi-employer
schemes could be the future
Multi-employer schemes could very well be the future of
pensions and provide an ideal solution to many of the problems
of pension provision, according to The Pensions Trust |
15/10/04 |
Index
linked bonds key to real value protection
Despite the current environment of low inflation, pension
schemes must protect the real value of their investment portfolios,
warns Baring Asset Management |
14/10/04 |
Cash
most likely alternative over Lifetime Allowance
Employees expected to suffer a tax charge post-April 2006
under the new Lifetime Allowance rules will most likely be offered
cash as the main alternative to pension, according to consultancy
Watson Wyatt |
13/10/04 |
Investment
Solutions opens door to property
Manager
of manager, Investment Solutions, has launched an institutional
property fund in response to increased client demand for the
asset class |
12/10/04 |
Pensions
Commission paints a bleak future
The Pensions Commission’s long awaited first report
was published today amid a flurry of negative press about the
bleak future of retirement provision |
12/10/04 |
Higher
state pension is key, says Willetts
A higher basic state pension, an end to means testing and
more financial redress for the 60,000 people who have lost their
pensions through company closures - these were three of the
main pension reform proposals put forward by David Willetts
at the Conservative Party Conference |
06/10/04 |
Scottish
Life takes managed funds to new level
Scottish Life is implementing time and risk grading into
its range of managed funds, which will allow advisers to match
asset allocation with policyholders' changing risk appetite
over time |
05/10/04 |
Baillie
Gifford gets personal
Baillie Gifford is entering the personal pension market
for the first time with the launch of a competitively priced
personal pension product |
04/10/04 |
Opra
calls for industry feedback on trustee knowledge
Opra is calling on the industry to help them define what
trustees need to know in order to carry out their roles in the
most effective way |
01/10/04 |
