All articles by Maxine Kelly – Page 5
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News
Default fund design hamstrung by lack of behavioural data
Defined contribution experts have said a lack of sufficient data on members’ likely reaction to April's pension flexibilities is leaving default fund design in a state of limbo.
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News
Schemes win extended reprieve from European OTC clearing rules
The European Commission has recommended schemes be given a two-year reprieve from over-the-counter derivative clearing requirements. But industry experts still expect pension funds to end up paying higher transaction costs.
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Opinion
Could Pip's renewables move help schemes see beyond the bluster?
“The need for infrastructure investment worldwide is massive, the attractions of the asset class are clear, and the appetite of investors for infrastructure assets is growing,” said Michael Wilkins from ratings agency Standard & Poor’s, in an FT article on the subject last month.
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News
Pip to seed separate renewables fund as it seeks FCA approval
The Pensions Infrastructure Platform has said plans to expand its offering by adding a renewables fund this year, as UK schemes continue to seek inflation-linked returns.
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Opinion
What Malcolm in the Middle says about our retirement prospects
We've been talking about it for nigh on a year now, but a report released by the National Association of Pension Funds today paints a detailed portrait of the decision-making paralysis facing many in the 50-70 age group at retirement.
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News
LPFA: £500m GMPF tie-up not limited to infra
The chief of the London Pensions Fund Authority has said the £500m tie-up with the Greater Manchester Pension Fund, announced las week, will consider “infrastructure in a broad definition”.
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News
Webb backs mastertrusts to lead CDC vanguard
Pensions minister Steve Webb has signalled support for mastertrusts delivering a collective defined contribution option for members, at a Trades Union Congress conference on Wednesday – but at least one of the large mastertrusts has rejected the idea.
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News
Schemes plan partial DB-DC transfers to trim liabilities
Legal experts have reported an increase in pension schemes planning to reduce their liabilities by changing their rules to allow partial transfer of members' pure defined benefit assets into defined contribution arrangements.
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Features
Can a scheme rebrand reignite member engagement?
Any other business: The ongoing pension reforms inevitably have pushed schemes to reevaluate how they engage with members and update their communication materials.
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News
Inflation hedging on the rise with smaller scheme LDI
Inflation hedging activity saw a jump towards the end of last year as medium-sized schemes took advantage of favourable pricing, ahead of further inflation falls.
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News
Guidance questions leave employers wavering on workplace education
Industry experts have reported employer doubts over the effectiveness of the guidance guarantee, but have also predicted the service could act as a catalyst to review their financial education programmes.
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News
Secondhand annuities could offer DB funds income, but pricing tricky
The pensions minister’s proposal to allow retirees to cash in annuities could suit defined benefit schemes eager to access the resultant long-term cash flows, but pricing “secondhand” annuities could be a sticking point.
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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
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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NewsM&S weighs drawdown option for mastertrust members
Retailer Marks & Spencer is exploring offering drawdown to its defined contribution scheme members, as the industry readies itself for April's retirement flexibilities in a tough market for annuities.
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News
Latest IORP revision ditches 'professional' qualification requirement for trustees
The latest revision of the European Commission pensions directive has removed a contentious requirement for trustees to have a "professional" qualification – reigniting debate in the industry on the merits of a minimum standard of training.
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News
TPAS: Wave of requests to hit schemes and administrators in April
The Pensions Advisory Service has warned that scheme trustees and administrators risk being overwhelmed in April by members eager to access their savings at the earliest opportunity, having waited a year for the pension freedoms to come into play.
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News
Webb defends 'revolutionary' CDC legacy against industry critics
Pensions minister Steve Webb told an industry event this week the “pendulum is going to swing back” from individual defined contribution pension provision, but delegates challenged the viability of risk-sharing schemes.
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News
DC benchmarks expected to switch attention to performance
Industry experts have predicted the governance focus for defined contribution default funds will swing from cost to performance as DC benchmarking capabilities come to the fore.
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News
How the PPI's answers to the adequacy question stack up
The Pensions Policy Institute has said higher statutory contribution levels for median-higher earners and more contribution-matching could improve retirement outcomes, but has received a mixed response including warnings of unintended consequences.