David Hutchins
OpinionValue for money: Is 60:40 really good enough for Generation DC?
Pensions regulators rightly stress the primacy of value for money and good governance in defined contribution pensions. New proposals advocate that DC fiduciaries should adopt a uniform framework for analysing VFM based on three elements: charges and transaction costs, customer service, and investment performance.
OpinionDC costs need more transparency to create member confidence
Regulators rightly stress the primacy of value for money and good governance in defined contribution pensions. However, achieving these key objectives can be challenging due to a lack of transparency.
OpinionDC governance: How to ensure your scheme is on the right track
When it comes to the governance of a defined contribution plan, few things are more important than the process applied to the default investment strategy.
OpinionAre DC default strategies diversified enough?
Recent history and the performance of simple balanced portfolios would suggest defined contribution defaults are overly diversified. But we cannot assume the future will accurately mimic the past.
OpinionSmart beta: Understand the impact on your wider portfolio
In recent years, smart beta or factor investing has gained considerable traction with pension funds seeking to earn higher risk-adjusted returns from their investments through cheaper and simpler approaches than active stock picking.
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.
OpinionThere is no such thing as passive
“It sounds like they’re saying passive life is good, he thought. But there is no such thing as passive life. That’s a contradiction.” Philip K Dick, A Scanner Darkly
OpinionAchieving better outcomes – where should the burden lie?
'We should save a lot more.' That’s the conclusion reached by the Independent Review of Retirement Income commissioned by the Labour party. The review found that people should invest 15 per cent of their income for a comfortable retirement.
OpinionBreak down DC charges to assess value for money
As expectations of future investment returns are downgraded, it is becoming even harder to ensure that people put enough aside for their retirement, but what is the answer?