Industry news and views from Panacea and our partners.
Pension Reforms_
Gain 30 minutes structured CPD in Avivas free investment webcast
Assess the advantages and disadvantages of using smoothed investment solutions, in addition to busting some of the myths surrounding them.
Royal London: Government changes to auto enrolment
Proposals to change the way auto enrolment works have been published by the Department for Work and Pensions.
The Future of the State Pension
The state pension system in the UK has undergone a series of changes since it was introduced in its modern form after the Second World War. Some of the biggest changes have been around the addition of earnings-related elements on top of the basic pension.
Prudential: How do you solve a problem like nearing the Lifetime Allowance?
With the Lifetime Allowance (LTA) for to £1m, more and more clients will be facing a planning dilemma when nearing this limit. Mark Devlin, Technical Manager at Prudential, looks at some of the considerations.
Just: Protect your clients against the risk of following the herd
Pension freedoms were introduced with a fanfare: no-one need buy an annuity again.
Canada Life: Making the most of the new pension rules as part of estate planning
With the introduction of the pension freedoms which came in last year, there were also changes to the rules around pension death benefits, opening up the narrow definition of who could be classed as a beneficiary, as well as the tax treatment of those benefits once in the hands of the beneficiary. These changes provide new opportunities for incorporating pension death benefits into your overall estate planning. How are pension benefits taxed on death?
Canada Life: Survey of advisers about Fixed Term Income Products
Pensions Freedom' is a year old. What are your views of the current landscape for retirement income advice? As an adviser we would really like to hear your views.
Centre for Policy Studies: Response to DWP Committee report concerning the Lifetime ISA
Response to DWP Committee report concerning the Lifetime ISA: reinforce auto-enrolment with a Workplace ISA, to complement the Lifetime ISA
Be careful for what you wish for!
Prudential looks back at the investment markets since March 2015 and considers how investors might have fared with their new-found freedom over how they might access their pension savings.
Canada Life: The blended strategy
Life was a degree more simple before pension freedoms, if clients had modest pension pots they were generally offered a lifetime annuity. This provided a guaranteed income for life. From an advisory position knowing from outset how long the process will take and charging a fee that was in line with client expectations was straightforward.
The Pensions Regulator - Industry Liaison update April 2016
New AE regulations effective 6 April 2016 Directors working under an employment contract and LLP partners New exceptions now apply to: a. directors who work under a contract of employment, where there is at least one other employee working for the company (ie the sole employee/director exemption does not apply) b. LLP partners who are workers and are not salaried members under HMRC tax rules (duties continue to apply in full to salaried members).
Bringing Guidance Alive Welcome to The Pensions Portal
In order to help product providers communicate with the tens of thousands of customers impacted by Pension Freedoms The Pensions Portal will shortly be launching their first two services which they believe to be game changers in consumer communication.
Aviva: Adviser Barometer shows impact of pension reforms
It's been nine months since last year's pension reforms took effect and research from Aviva's latest Adviser Barometer* shows the resilience of the financial adviser market within the constantly-evolving pensions landscape. Nearly three in four advisers (72%) say the pension reforms have had a positive impact, while more than two thirds say the reforms remain the biggest opportunity in the adviser market going forwards.
Four ways Osborne can secure much needed pensions reform in the 2016 Budget
In a new report The 2016 Budget: Pensions, published by the Centre for Policy Studies on Thursday 18 February, leading analyst Michael Johnson summarises four potential scenarios for much needed pensions reform ahead of the March Budget.
The Pension Regulator:AE Industry Liaison Manager update- February 2016
i) As part of a government-wide programme, The Pensions Regulator is consulting on its draft Innovation Plan which sets out how it will embrace technology and support innovation to help deliver better outcomes for retirement savers.
Retirement Choices 2015 - a virtual conference from your desktop
Retirement is the subject of the moment as advisers, providers and clients alike begin to come to terms with what the recent Pension Reforms actually mean.
Retirement Choices 2016 - Pension reforms and Industry Views
The Government announced at the 2014 Budget proposals that from April 2015 it would allow people aged 55 and above to access to their money purchase pension savings as they wish during retirement, subject to their marginal rate of income tax.
Canada Life: The blended approach to retirement income
With the introduction of the pension freedoms in April 2015, your clients now have much more choice. In many cases, it is clear what is needed to meet their objectives. For example, some may simply want a guaranteed income for life and others will want complete flexibility.
Pension Withdrawal Strategies
With so much focus on the new pension freedoms and the increasing popularity of income drawdown, I thought it might prove useful to list the strategies for managing drawdown that I am currently aware of. I am sure there are many more out there and I am putting this forward in the hope of learning a thing or two.
The Pensions Trust: Save your clients up to 30%* on legacy defined benefit (DB) running costs, with award-winning administration
Managing legacy DB schemes can be a painful business. They're expensive, time consuming and something your clients could happily do without.
Royal London: Shock-people not saving enough
Royal London have published research into retirement savings in the UK. Here we look at some of the key findings.
Manage drawdown risk
Drawdown has some great benefits, until theres a market downturn. The impact on the value of a clients savings and the amount of income they can take can be painful. Investors may try to ride it out. But you could have some difficult conversations ahead.
Royal London EET vs TEE
A number of industry commentators have rejected the idea of ISA-style pensions. Here we give our views and the reasons why we're also against this move.
Aegon launches guaranteed drawdown to meet twin demands of flexibility and income certainty
Secure Retirement Income from Aegon has been designed to meet growing demand for flexibility and income certainty, providing an alternative to an annuity or flexi access drawdown, both of which have limitations.
BlackRock: Pension freedoms: four months on
It is four months since the new pension freedoms came into force. For the time being, many retirees are sitting tight, waiting to see how the new rules will bed down before committing to any wholesale changes in their financial plans.
Canada Life: Taking a tax efficient retirement income - a guide for paraplanners
With the introduction of the new pension freedoms, the flexibilities that were only afforded to a few are now available to all and where the majority of clients historically went down the annuity route, now many more will be looking to fully explore all the options now available to them.
Aegon analysis of the Summer Budget 2015
Aegon analysis of the Summer Budget 2015. During the webinar Elaine Cruickshank, Tax and Trust Manager, and Martin Haggart, Pensions Technical Manager, covered
A&E in a box: Sleepwalking towards a pension nightmare
Latest report is a further 500,000 employers are to stage than expected making it 1.8 million employers to stage over the coming months.
FundsNetwork: Retirement guides for your clients
Pensions have been transformed. New rules give people far more flexibility when they retire, and freedom to spend their pension savings as they wish. To help your clients navigate the changes, determine what choices they need to make and learn how to get the most out of their savings, FundsNetworkTM have put together the following guides for you to share with your clients who are approaching, at, or already in, retirement.
Royal London: Pension Freedoms so far so good?
Now that we are a few months into a new pensions regime and our new Pensions Minister is officially in office, lets pause for a moment and see how it all has gone so far.
Aviva: Retirement Spotlight
Head of Distribution, Retirement Solutions for Aviva Life UK, Tony Warwick, explains how our new resource for advisers can maximise business opportunities. You'll find loads of helpful support covering everything from client issues to management tips, all with a strong practical slant to help you generate more business.
Prudentials Summer Oracle Quarterly now available
Prudentials latest edition is now available - covering interesting and topical related commentary that could help you to identify new financial opportunities with your clients. Heres a small introduction from John Warburton.
M&Gs Income Realities: Adviser toolkit
Advisers have a key role to play in helping people find the right solutions for making adequate provision for long, comfortable financial futures. Help your clients understand the importance of a financial plan with our range of materials.
Aberdeen: Pension Reforms: A long-term saving solution
In this video, Scott Dakers, Senior Investment Specialist within Aberdeen's Investment Solutions team discusses: Aberdeen's risk targeted and outcome orientated products Annuities and what the pension changes mean for your clients Investment behaviour both in retirement and saving for retirement. With a flexible range of funds suited to different needs, appetite for risk and stages in life, one of our four funds will help you prepare for your retirement
Prudential: Oracle WebEx Live special event 29 & 30 July
Prudential are delighted to invite you to their special Oracle Live WebEx event. Over two days, theyre running a total of sixteen, 30 minute WebEx presentations. These are aimed at helping you identify new financial planning opportunities with your clients at the same time as offering up to 8 hours structured CPD.
Prudential: You may have heard the FCA pension transfer rules have changed...
The Financial Conduct Authority have issued a Policy Statement detailing changes to their transfer rules, which came into effect on the 5th June 2015.
Canada Life: Tax implications of the new pension flexibilities
Sam Newton discusses the options available under the new pension freedoms and the tax implications.
Aviva: Living on your property, not just in it?
When George Osborne stood up in the Commons in March 2014, he set in motion a wave of change that will continue to reverberate around the retirement planning world for some time to come. Unsurprisingly, most of the focus has been on pensions and how best to take benefits. There has been a reported rapid swing away from traditional annuities towards more flexible drawdown arrangements as people seek to access capital, higher income levels and the perceived better value they may deliver.
Royal London: July 2015 Budget Summary
George Osborne delivered his seventh Budget on Wednesday 8 July 2015. As predicted the main change affecting the pensions industry is a reduction in the annual allowance for those with high incomes. However, a potentially greater impact could result from the outcome of the consultation on pensions tax relief. Here's our summary of the changes with links to Treasury or HM Revenue and Customs if you would like more detail.
Royal London: July 2015 Budget Summary
George Osborne delivered his seventh Budget on Wednesday 8 July 2015. As predicted the main change affecting the pensions industry is a reduction in the annual allowance for those with high incomes. However, a potentially greater impact could result from the outcome of the consultation on pensions tax relief. Here's our summary of the changes with links to Treasury or HM Revenue and Customs if you would like more detail