All Pensions articles – Page 124
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ArticleEuropean court rules DC pensions could be exempt from VAT
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ruled that defined contribution (DC) pension schemes could be exempt from value-added tax (VAT).In case of ATP Pension Services, the CJEU has concluded that a DC pension arrangement may qualify as a special investment fund, meaning that fees for managing ...
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OpinionDamian Stancombe: Will DC pension members have too much flexibility?
Chancellor George Osborne’s announcement has effectively turned DC arrangements into later life savings vehicles rather than a retirement vehicle.Employees are no longer required to use all or part of their pension pot to secure an annuity income until death.Instead, the government has, in my opinion, wrongly put full trust in ...
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ArticleTPR and FCA launch DC pension regulatory guide
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have published a joint guide that sets out how they will regulate workplace defined contribution (DC) pensions.The Guide to the regulation of workplace defined contribution pensions, which is aimed at pension providers, advisers and trustees, outlines each regulator’s approach, and ...
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OpinionJonathan Watts-Lay: Staff need education on investment options
Despite this, news headlines highlighting unfairness in the annuity market for those who are retiring and will buy an annuity now (about 400,000 people a year) are commonplace.Data from Money Advice Service annuity comparison tables at 3 February 2014 suggests that, of employees and pension scheme members who relied on ...
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ArticleStaff retirement income not a priority for employers
Only 15% of respondents said their main reason for providing a defined contribution (DC) pension scheme is to ensure their employees save for an adequate retirement, according to research by Towers Watson.Its DC pension strategy survey, which surveyed 126 employers, found that 65% of respondents cited market competition as their ...
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ArticleSuppliers do not give value for money for pension plans
Nearly three-quarters (71%) of delegates at the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) Investment Conference do not believe pension funds are getting value for money from consultants, providers and active asset managers.During a panel debate, which followed the poll, Robert Brown, chairman of the Global Investment Committee at Towers Watson, ...
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AnalysisThe impact of an ageing workforce on a benefits strategy
If you read nothing else, read this…Older employees may choose to work because they enjoy their job, not because they can’t afford to retire.An ageing workforce requires employers to rethink the make-up of their benefits.Workforce planning should be about employees’ skillsets, not their age.Employees aged over 50 make up 27% ...
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ArticleGovernment publishes response to auto-enrolment consultation
The government has published its response to a consultation on exceptions to the employer duties around pensions auto-enrolment.The consultation, Technical changes to automatic-enrolment: public consultation on draft regulations and other proposed changes, which was published in March 2013, described proposals to insert a clause in the Pensions Bill to provide ...
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ArticleAdvisers believe employers are disengaged with auto-enrolment
Two-thirds (65%) of respondents believe employers are disengaged with auto-enrolment, according to research conducted by financial research organisation Defaqto on behalf by Now: Pensions.The research, which surveyed 264 independent financial advisers, found that 89% of respondents are concerned that employers lack the knowledge to make informed decisions about the appropriate ...
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Article
Nissan UK appoints DB pension administrator
Nissan UK has appointed Capita Employee Benefits to provide pensions administration services to its defined benefit (DB) pension scheme.The services, which are part of a five-year contract, went live on 3 February 2014. Nick Burns, chief executive of Capita Employee Benefits, said: “Working with Nissan is a significant new contract ...
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AnalysisLanguage to avoid in pension communications
If you read nothing else, read this…Communication should be clear and straightforward, avoiding jargon where possible.Messages could be tailored for different age groups and industry sectors.Jargon can put employees off saving for retirement.A National Employment Savings Trust (Nest)/YouGov survey, published in 2012, which polled nearly 2,000 UK adults, revealed that ...
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ArticleLinks of London sees 0.8% auto-enrolment opt out
EXCLUSIVE: Links of London has seen 0.8% of its auto-enrolled employees opt out of its new group personal pension (GPP) plan since its staging date on 1 November 2013.The British jeweler, which is part of the Folli Follie Group, has 75 outlets across the UK and employs around 500 employees.It ...
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ArticleAverage defined contribution pension charge is 0.75%
The average annual management charge (AMC) for trust-based defined contribution (DC) pension schemes is currently 0.75% of the fund per year, according to research by the Department for Work and Pensions.Its Landscape and charges survey 2013: charges and quality in defined contribution pension schemes comprised a combination of quantitative research ...
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Article
10% of Bayer pension members increased contributions
EXCLUSIVE: One in 10 (10%) of Bayer’s 9,000 pension scheme members have increased their pension contributions since the organisation re-branded its pension communications in 2013.More than 800 employees are members of the pharmaceutical organisation’s trust-based defined contribution (DC) pension, while 7,000 employees are members of its defined benefit (DB) pension, ...
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ArticleAverage combined DC pension contribution is 10%
The average combined employer and employee contribution to a defined contribution (DC) pension scheme now totals 10%, according to research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).Its Employee outlook: focus on employee attitudes to pay and pensions survey, which surveyed nearly 2,700 employees, found that, on average, respondents ...
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Article
Benefits packages cost more than 20% of salary
More than a third of respondents said their overall benefits package costs more than 20% of salary, according to research by Towers Watson.Its Benefits health check survey, which questioned employers with between 500 and 2,000 employees, found that 60% of respondents have a consistent philosophy and strategy across their benefits, ...
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Article81% concerned pensions change could impact service levels
More than three-quarters (81%) of respondents said the volume of change in the pensions sector in the next 12 months will adversely affect the level of services provided, according to research by the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF).The survey, which questioned 108 respondents, found that 87% of employer respondents ...
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ArticleGovernment to add charges disclosure to Pensions Bill
The government has tabled an amendment to the Pensions Bill to require pension providers to disclose all transaction costs in workplace defined contribution (DC) pension schemes.This extra information is aimed at enabling employers to see exactly how much they are paying for asset management services to get the best value ...
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ArticleMultinationals most likely to provide DC pensions for staff
Nine out of 10 (90%) global respondents provide employees with a defined contribution (DC) pension scheme as their main form of workplace retirement provision, according to research by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC).Its research, which surveyed 114 multinational employers, found that the same percentage (90%) still want to play a significant role in ...
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ArticleEValue enhances financial planning products
EXCLUSIVE: EValue has enhanced its suite of financial planning and forecasting products, Moneybee.The products can be used as standalone financial planning and forecasting tools, or can be integrated into a portal that employers provide for staff.The updates include:A corporate individual savings account (Isa) fund picker. This provides the ability to ...