Industry news and views from Panacea and our partners.
Pensions_
FundsNetwork: The annual allowance: key considerations for pension contributions
FundsNetwork look at the key considerations around the annual allowance what it is and how it works. He explores the following in detail
Auto-enrolment, the cost of non- compliance
The Pensions Regulator is getting tougher on auto-enrolment compliance.
Prudential: The evolution of age 75
Your 75th birthday is fixed when youre born. But in the pensions world its changed a lot.
FundsNetwork: The State Pension the new vs. the old
The State Pension is an important consideration when managing a clients overall income in retirement. Here FundsNetwork examine the differences between the old and new State Pensions and the options open to clients should they wish to boost their entitlement by deferring their State Pension.
Aegon: How can you protect your clients from pension scams?
The FCA and the Pensions Regulator have published research suggesting five million people are at risk from pension scammers find out how you can protect your clients from pension scams
FundsNetwork: Taking pension exams next month?
With over five hours of content, broken down in short chapters, FundsNetwork's library of retirement technical videos can help you prepare for CII pension exams. Their video focusing on exam techniques is particularly popular at this time of year. Topics include, defined benefit transfer advice, death benefits, lifetime and annual allowances and pension protection.
Aegon: The latest FCA clampdown on unsuitable transfer advice
Aegon considers what the FCAs latest pensions transfer advice consultation paper could mean for firms offering advice to DB scheme members.
Aegon sponsors Pensions Awareness Campaign 2019
Aegon are joining Pension Geeks this week to kick off the Pension Awareness Campaign Tour this week - the annual campaign aims to help the nation get to grips with their retirement savings.
Prudential: Death benefit nominations
Its all over the media that we need to talk more about uncomfortable subjects, eg organ donation, mental health, funeral plans etc. In the pensions world, this includes death benefit nominations.
FundsNetwork: Retirement Outcomes Review PS19/21
The FCA has now issued their final rules on a second tranche of remedies PS19/21. One of the key points is that pension providers must give consumers in decumulation annual information on costs and charges. Here FundsNetwork briefly summarised the main areas from the Policy Statement.
Royal London: Weve enhanced our mobile app
Depending on what kind of phone they have, customers will now be able to use fingerprint or face recognition to login quickly and easily.
Royal London: Children's pension
Steve Webb writes about the potential benefits of contributing into an adult son or daughters pension.
Zurich: What if clients exploited all their allowances?
Exploiting all available allowances could, theoretically, and for clients with plenty of capital, net tens of thousands of tax-free money, writes Zurichs Andy Woollon
Aegon: Living and dying with the lifetime allowance webinar. Earn CPD time
Join Aegon's webinar on Tuesday 23 July to hear Martin Haggart, Aegon's Technical Pensions Manager, and Elaine Cruickshank, Aegon's Tax and Trusts Manager, discuss the various opportunities to consider with the lifetime allowance
Defaqto: Professionals guide to drawdown 2019/20
Pension freedoms has brought drawdown to the masses, and moved existing pension savings from a source of income in retirement to a financial planning vehicle.
FundsNetwork: The lifetime allowance: the devils in the detail
Even though the lifetime allowance (LTA) may have been introduced as part of pension simplification', back on A-Day in April 2006, given the constant tinkering it has seen over the years, LTA planning can be far from simple. In his latest article, Paul Squirrell, FundsNetworks National Pensions Sales Manager, covers the principles of the lifetime allowance, the protections available and the tax charges.
FundsNetwork: The State Pension: two separate systems
The State Pension is an important consideration when managing a clients overall income in retirement. Here FundsNetwork examine the differences between the old and new State Pensions and the options open to clients should they wish to boost their entitlement by deferring their State Pension.
Aegon: DB transfer advice FCAs next steps
On 19 June, the FCA published some new data on the defined benefit transfers market. This was accompanied by a strongly worded media comment with the FCA saying it was deeply concerning and disappointing to see the high proportion of recommendations to transfer, bearing in mind it has repeatedly said advisers should start from the position that a transfer is not suitable. Here we summarise the FCA findings and key points for advisers.
Defaqto: Pension service review shows mixed bag with the performance of providers
Since 2005 we've been conducting service satisfaction surveys across different product areas to collate advisers views on the service they receive from product providers.
Aegon: Trends in investment strategies and portfolio building uncovered
Were seeing significant changes in how people invest: auto-enrolment has created millions of new savers; theres an increasing reliance on defined contribution pensions; and pension freedoms legislation means many more remain invested during retirement.
Defined benefit hub
Take a look at our new dedicated DB hub to see how our DB support material can help you. Weve developed and adapted our support material to highlight the important areas to consider before deciding if a transfer may be suitable for your clients.
Defaqto: Master trusts have to shape up
Over 1m employers and 10m employees are now using workplace pension schemes. Opportunities for advisers have been created by the new standards for master trusts and the triennial re-declarations of compliance every employer must complete.
Royal London: Reaching age 75: our top five frequently asked questions
We look at reaching age 75 in the latest in our series of top five FAQs on pensions technical topics.
Royal London: Finances and finding the one later in life
We look at how a change in relationship status later in life can impact financial planning for your clients.
Aegon: Nervous investors need advice four years into pension freedoms
Our research finds 74% of retirees' assets are being invested in drawdown, but many worry about running out of money and are unsure how to navigate their retirement options.
FundsNetwork: The lifetime allowance: the devils in the detail
Even though the lifetime allowance (LTA) may have been introduced as part of pension simplification', back on A-Day in April 2006, given the constant tinkering it has seen over the years, LTA planning can be far from simple. In his latest article, Paul Squirrell, FundsNetworks National Pensions Sales Manager, covers the principles of the lifetime allowance, the protections available and the tax charges.
Aegon: Increase in the lifetime allowance - advice issues and opportunities
On 6 April 2019 the SLA increased from £1.03 million to £1.055 million. While this increase is small, it provides a large number of advice issues to discuss with impacted clients.
Aegons IGC publish its 2019 annual report delivering for Aegons workplace pension customers
Our Independent Governance Committee (IGC) have just published their fourth annual report. As the needs of customers evolve our IGC continues to set challenges to make sure we maintain a complete picture of performance in all the key areas of value for money. The report summarises what the IGC have investigated and found, their recommendations, how we responded and, importantly, what this means for customers.
FundsNetwork: The State Pension the new vs. the old
The State Pension is an important consideration when managing a clients overall income in retirement. Here FundsNetwork examine the differences between the old and new State Pensions and the options open to clients should they wish to boost their entitlement by deferring their State Pension.
FundsNetwork: The annual allowance charge Scheme Pays
In his new postcard, Paul Squirrell of FundsNetwork provides a step-by-step approach to calculating clients annual allowance charges, including two case studies. He also explains the two types of Scheme Pays, mandatory and voluntary and the process and deadlines for Voluntary Scheme Payments which are available with the FundsNetwork Pension.
Prudential: Did you know ?
When inheriting pension death benefits could be better planned. Jacqueline Clezy, Technical Manager at Prudential goes into more detail.
Aegon: FCA increase FOS compensation limit to £350,000
Steven Cameron, Pensions Director at Aegon, shares his thoughts on the implications for advice on defined benefit (DB) transfers.
Prudential: Are Doctors in the NHS pension scheme misdiagnosing their pension?
The press is having a minor epidemic of commentary about doctors retiring early to avoid Lifetime Allowance (LTA) and/or Annual Allowance (AA) charges but, the thing that concerns me about this is, are they diagnosing the problem correctly?
FundsNetwork: Pension lifetime allowance
FundsNetworks guide covers the key aspects of the pension lifetime allowance
FundsNetworks technical content all in one place
This toolkit brings together a range of topical areas which have been popular with advisers and paraplanners in recent months. The electronic document has been set up to allow you to easily navigate to the content of most interest to you.
Prudential CPD Compilation Lifetime Allowance
A top reason advisers use Prudentials website is to find information about Lifetime Allowance (LTA). Although the LTA has increased to £1,055,000 from 6 April 2019, many members have pension funds above this level and could be subject to LTA excess tax charges. Here's a quick reminder on LTA while earning structured CPD.
Legal & General - A guaranteed income with flexibility?
How can you help your clients achieve financial security while adapting to their changing needs and goals in retirement? Our latest article discusses this challenge, and how the new partial withdrawal feature on our Fixed Term Retirement Plan could help.
Royal London: Weve launched our Pension CPD hub
To help you meet the challenges of the Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD) - which requires everyone selling insurance to do at least 15 CPD hours per year - weve created a CPD hub.
Royal London: British Steel Pension Scheme independent review
Justin Corliss looks at the recent independent review of the British Steel Pension Scheme restructure.
Defaqto: Pension service review 2019
This independent publication provides financial advisers with insight to help them benchmark their own personal experiences of individual pensions providers with those of their peers, enabling them to select partners based on service criteria.