All Costs and charges articles – Page 20
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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
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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OpinionWhere the LGPS currently stands on pooling
Nearly 12 months have passed since the government set out the criteria for pooling Local Government Pension Scheme investments in England and Wales. Since then, administering authorities have come together to set out their proposals on pooling and how they would meet those criteria.
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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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FeaturesMerseyside mulls infra for income
Merseyside Pension Fund is considering an increase in its allocation to infrastructure, as experts have warned that investors should ensure they have access to the relevant skills and experience.
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NewsCBI requests reforms to ease DB burden on businesses
The Confederation of British Industry has called for a number of reforms to help tackle the problem of pension costs for companies, including access to illiquid assets and approaches to measuring deficits.
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OpinionClosure cases: How trade unions are changing tack
It is not uncommon to hear of trade unions stepping in to protect defined benefit provision for members, as final salary schemes continue to close. But with a greater focus on defined contribution adequacy, union approaches to closure cases are evolving.
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FeaturesEdinburgh University proposes raft of changes to plug scheme deficit
The University of Edinburgh has proposed a number of changes to its defined benefit pension fund to make the scheme more affordable and sustainable, as its deficit has risen by a quarter.
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OpinionHow members' mental health issues affect pension schemes
Any Other Business: Every year 70m working days are lost due to mental health, while a quarter of people consider resigning due to stress, according to the Mental Health Foundation, so how do work-related mental health issues affect pension schemes and employers?
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FeaturesTelefónica rings the changes with pensions modelling tool
A new online pensions modeller is being launched for defined contribution members of the Telefónica UK Pension Plan, but some experts have questioned the benefit of such tools.
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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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FeaturesStagecoach tightens governance reins with scheme merger
Stagecoach Group has merged one of its smaller pension plans with its £1.3bn defined benefit scheme, but the company has maintained a separate section for the smaller fund, keeping liabilities separate while potentially sharing some costs.
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News
FCA lights the way on transparency
‘A big flashing neon light’ marking the direction of travel on transparency has been lit by the Financial Conduct Authority with its proposal to make asset managers disclose transaction costs to defined contribution schemes.
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FeaturesDHL transition exercise delivers savings for members
Postal and logistics company DHL has saved £2.3m for members of its UK defined contribution pension fund by trading investments between members at no cost following an investment transition.
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Opinion
Active management of passive funds – a viable strategy for DC?
Since the introduction of freedom and choice, value for money has been high on the agenda for defined contribution schemes. As trustees try to keep on top of costs, could an active asset allocation approach work for schemes with underlying passive funds?
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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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FeaturesBBC aims to drive down fees in private markets strategy
The BBC scheme lowered its overall investment management fees by £3m over five years, while further increasing its significant exposure to private markets, a move the scheme says allows it to match liabilities at the same time as generating capital growth.
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OpinionThe truth about investment costs
From the blog: Investing can be an expensive business. Management fees, broker spreads, custody charges, administration costs, platform fees – it is all too easy for investors to see their hard earned returns eaten away.
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NewsGovernance is key as dispute rocks asset management industry
Research suggesting that hidden fund fees are the “Loch Ness Monster of investments” has sparked the latest round of a bitter row between the Investment Association and pro-transparency groups.
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NewsRailways scheme on track with cost management
The Railways Pension Scheme has saved £100m in fees, having restructured its external management and pooled fund arrangements, but despite being cost-conscious, the fund remains focused on net returns.