All Costs and charges articles – Page 18
-
OpinionChallenging providers is key to boosting value
Since April 2015, trustees have had to decide whether the costs paid by their members are good value. But how do they do this?
-
OpinionSupporting consumers and the industry
Following years of reform and bold new policy it is right that we now enter a period of stability and implementation, building on our success and consolidating support for consumers and the industry where it is needed.
-
NewsTrustees and consultants urged to up their game in transparency push
The chair of the Financial Conduct Authority’s working group on cost disclosure has spoken out about a dangerous fixation with net performance in the pensions industry, insisting that granular data is needed for the recent transparency drive to have any effect.
-
OpinionCounting the pension cost
From the blog: Many investors, like most people, do not really understand pensions. While there is now a lot of pension information in financial statements, unless you happen to be sitting next to an actuary it can be a bit of a blur.
-
OpinionAre we making enough progress on transparency?
Transparency has become a buzzword in the industry, but we don’t always mean the same thing when we talk about it.
-
News
DC schemes to give members cost information online only
Defined contribution schemes should disclose costs and charges to members by signposting a link in their annual benefit statement, the Department for Work and Pensions has proposed, as the industry agrees communications need to be kept simple.
-
OpinionShould your DC scheme move to a mastertrust?
It is no secret that mastertrusts have been steadily increasing in popularity over the past few years, but are they the right solution for your scheme?
-
Features
How will regulation need to change to be fit for the 21st century?
Pensions Expert 20th Anniversary: When the world’s first funded occupational pension plan appeared towards the end of the 16th century in the form of a large iron chest, its success was short-lived.
-
FeaturesRoyal Insurance Group overhauls trustee board
The Royal Insurance Group Pension Scheme has reduced its trustee board size and changed the way member-nominated trustees are appointed, saying the move will save costs and make governance more efficient.
-
OpinionHow contingent assets can benefit schemes
Trustees need to ensure schemes have enough money to pay pensions now and in the future, but for business reasons, employers may not want to tie up their money in the scheme.
-
Opinion
Asset manager mergers: How they affect pension schemes
Analysis: The recent uptick in mergers and acquisitions activity in the asset management industry has sparked debate among experts over potential ramifications for schemes. Fees, innovation and relationships with managers could all be affected.
-
Features
Mastertrusts and platforms: A match made in heaven?
Analysis: Greater efficiency and the ability to access a broader range of investments are some of the reasons why mastertrusts appoint third party investment platforms, but as with all providers, monitoring is key, experts say.
-
Features
Outsourcing admin: What to look out for
Analysis: Outsourcing pensions administration or transitioning to a different provider can be a complicated and time-consuming process. What steps can trustees take to smooth the journey?
-
OpinionWhat to look for in an active manager
The question of active versus passive management never really gets answered. Various market participants have their own views on each approach, often depending on what time period is considered.
-
OpinionWill the FCA market study revolutionise pensions?
The Financial Conduct Authority’s asset management market study is finally with us, but despite the dramatic headlines, the final report turned out not to be the ‘game changer’ that some hoped for and others feared.
-
OpinionHow consultants can prepare for scheme consolidation
The pensions industry, particularly the segment dealing with defined benefit schemes, is notoriously fragmented. In the UK alone there are more than 6,000 pension funds. From a macroeconomic perspective this does not make much sense.
-
NewsNo all-in fee for asset management firms
Asset management firms must disclose estimated and actual fees and transaction costs to clients, but should not be forced to charge a single fee for services, the Financial Conduct Authority has recommended.
-
Opinion
How are DGFs being used in DC?
How are defined contribution schemes using diversified growth funds, and what roles do member engagement and cost constraints play? Naomi L’Estrange from 2020 Trustees, Shuntao Li from Barnett Waddingham, Neil McPherson from Capital Cranfield, Murray Taylor from JLT Employee Benefits, and Percival Stanion from Pictet Asset Management discuss DGFs in DC and the issue of fees.
-
News
Triple lock to be retained in Tory-DUP deal
The Conservatives and the Democratic Unionist Party have struck a deal to maintain the triple lock, sparking concerns over what this means for pensions policy in the long term.
-
FeaturesPearson moves away from hedge funds into DGFs
The pension plan of publishing giant Pearson Group has scrapped its hedge fund exposure and invested in diversified growth funds, in a bid to control investment risk and costs as the scheme nears self-sufficiency.