Industry news and views from Panacea and our partners.
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The Pension Regulator: New employers have immediate duties, even for staff under probation
A new employer has duties effective from the contract start date of their first worker - their duties start date. They must automatically enrol any eligible staff, including any staff serving their probation period, and immediately start deducting contributions from their pay.
The Pension Regulator: Tax relief on contributions are you getting it right?
Recent data from HMRC shows that many employers are using the wrong method to calculate pension contributions.
New HMRC figures show cause of women's pension equality 'set back a generation' - Royal London
New figures published today (Wednesday 28th February) by HMRC suggest that tens of thousands of mothers with young children could face a permanently reduced state pension because of changes to the Child Benefit system introduced in 2013 for higher income couples. Those affected are families who either opted out of Child Benefit when the rules changed or who have started a new family since 2013 and decided not to claim Child Benefit in the first place. Todays figures show that the number of families receiving child benefit is 7.38 million compared with 7.92 million in 2012, just before the rules changed.
Prudential: Pensions Tax Relief A reliable source of free money
Discover how pensions tax relief works to help with planning for clients.
The Pension Regulator: When are directors exempt from automatic enrolment duties?
Many directors wonder if theyre exempt from automatic enrolment and when legal duties apply to them. There are some circumstances where directors dont have any duties.
FundsNetwork: Tapered annual allowance and utilising carry forward
To help your clients understand the importance of maximising their pension contributions, check our factsheets on annual allowances and the carry forward rules. You'll also find information for clients who are affected by the tapered annual allowance, explaining how this is calculated and what happens if the allowance is exceeded.
The Pension Regulator: Help your clients get their new business ready for automatic enrolment
If your clients have set up a new business, they need to start thinking about automatic enrolment. Theyll probably be aware they have certain responsibilities as part of starting a business, like registering it with HMRC - and automatic enrolment is another important task. As a legal duty, whether they have to set up a workplace pension needs to be one of the first things they consider.
FundsNetwork: important pension considerations at the tax year end
Calculating pension allowances for your clients, particularly at this time of the year, can be highly complex. FundsNetworks tax and pension experts, Paul Kennedy and Paul Squirrell, discuss how taking a step-by-step approach to identifying different client circumstances can help to highlight important considerations.
The Pension Regulator: Free seminars for business advisers
Join us for a free, interactive half-day seminar where our team of AE experts will take you through the latest on AE for 2018, covering topics including.
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.
FundsNetwork: Pension and ISA marketing campaign support
Create your own marketing campaigns with FundsNetworks sample letter templates, which highlight the benefits of investing in pensions and ISAs. Then using our MI reports you can identify clients to target, produce a mailing or email, together with our guides. Youll find all the resources in the 'Tax year end support' zone.
FundsNetwork: Help your client reap the benefits of tax efficient savings
FundsNetworks guide to pension and ISA allowances provides your clients with the key tax information they need so they can make the most of their annual allowances. To assist them in maximising their savings, you can find this guide in both the pension and ISA sections of our tax year end support zone.
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: Ill think about my pension next year
If you have clients who want to make large contributions then its important that they are always scooping up Annual Allowance from the earliest years possible.
Royal London: 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. Back in 1961 we saw the creation of the graduated retirement benefit which was followed in 1978 by the much more generous state earnings related pension scheme (SERPS) and then in 2002 by the state second pension which focused more help on lower earners. Finally, in 2016, the whole thing was consolidated back into a single tier flat rate pension, similar in many respects to the original Beveridge vision back in 1948.
The Pension Regulator: Employers need to keep paying into workplace pensions
Automatic enrolment (AE) duties continue after eligible staff have been put into a workplace pension employers shouldnt think that their responsibilities stop there. They have ongoing legal duties to comply with, one of which is to pay employer contributions into the scheme every time they run payroll. Contributions must be at least the legal minimum of 1% of their staffs qualifying earnings (rising to 2% in April 2018). We can be notified by scheme providers if contributions arent regularly made, so if employers neglect their responsibilities, well find out.
Aviva: How API technology is changing the SME workplace pensions market
Back in 2014 all the talk in the DC pensions market was of a looming capacity crunch. The number of SMEs who needed to set up a new workplace pension scheme to meet their obligations under Automatic Enrolment (AE) from mid 2015 onwards was in the tens of thousands each month. That this predicted crunch never happened is testament to the way workplace pension providers adapted, from mostly paper based propositions, to online journeys that went straight through into their back office systems.
Prudential: Planning Matters delivering your clients income needs
Prudential are running 22 seminars across the UK between 24 January and 22 March 2018. Prudentials Pensions and Investment experts are giving a holistic view on the needs and aspirations of clients with an emphasis on optimising customer outcomes.
New FOI reply reveals 97% of eligible carers do not claim 'carer's credit' - Royal London
A scheme designed to help carers of disabled people build better state pension entitlement has failed to reach 97% of its target group, according to a new Freedom of Information reply from DWP obtained by mutual insurer Royal London. The FOI reply indicates that just 3,524 people claimed the national insurance credit in 2016/17, compared with an earlier DWP estimate when the scheme was introduced that 160,000 carers could benefit.
The Pension Regulator: Spot checks showing if employers need help with their duties
Weve been making a series of spot-checks at more than 200 businesses across the south east. The inspections are making sure that employers are complying with their duties, allowing TPR to provide help where needed - but they will also highlight where enforcement action needs to be taken.
Just: Behavioural economics the results so far
Our latest campaign based on behavioural economics has proven to be very popular - the launch date, 18 September 2017, saw the most users on justadviser.com so far this year.
Prudential: Run for cover
For many small businesses surplus cash is a nice problem to have. Or more precisely, what to do with that cash sitting on the Balance Sheet which is surplus to business needs - cash which is surplus to normal working capital requirements. Graeme Robb, Senior Technical Manager at Prudential explores some options.
FundsNetwork: A better pension by design
The FundsNetwork Pension offers investment choice, flexibility and value for money no set up or administration charges, just a 0.25% Service Fee, plus an Investor Fee of £45 a year
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.
Prudential: In the words of Bananarama it aint what you do (its the way that you do it)
As a result of gradual reductions to the standard Lifetime Allowance (LTA) over the last few years, more and more clients are now subject to a LTA excess. Sam Niblo, Prudential Technical Specialist explores.
Prudential: You do the hokey cokey and the Money Purchase Annual Allowance is £4,000
The Government announced their intention for the Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA) to reduce, to £4,000 from 6 April 2017, in their final spring budget on 8 March 2017. Jacqueline Clezy, Prudential Technical Specialist goes into more detail.
Just: It aint what you say, its the way that you say it
FCA research revealed that when presented as a form of insurance, 66% of consumers preferred an annuity to a savings account. In contrast, when presented as an investment product only 17% chose an annuity. How something is described matters. Take a look at our Think article and find out how behavioural economics could help you
Royal London: Minister urged to allow low-paid to share in benefits of salary exchange for pensions
Mutual insurer Royal London and Southampton-based IFA firm Radcliffe & Co have joined forces to call for changes to the rules around salary exchange for pensions to the benefit of low-paid workers.
The Pensions Regulator - Industry update November 2017
Welcome to your November update bringing you our latest automatic enrolment (AE) and pensions news and tips for your sector. If youve been sent this email by a colleague, just email me with the word subscribe in the subject title and well add you to our mailing list.
Royal London: Why we think pensions dashboard is good for advisers
Last week the government announced the pensions dashboard project will go ahead under the DWP. With this move comes new momentum, making the idea of your clients being able to view all their pension savings in one place feel closer to reality.
Prudential: Vulnerable clients and the pension journey
Failure to consider the needs of vulnerable clients could clearly result in poor client outcomes and it also constitutes non-compliance with the FCAs principles, rules and expectations. Clare Moffat, Senior Technical Manager at Prudential explores.
Royal London: Pensions Through the Ages - The Millennial Mosaic
The Millennial Mosaic Pensions Through The Ages 2 For the report,Pensions Through the Ages: The Millennial Mosaic, Royal London conducted research among 1,500 millennials (aged 25 - 34) to understand the key influences on millennials future long-term pension savings. For many in this group the introduction of automatic enrolment in the last five years would be potentially the first time they have secured a pension through employment. The research identifies some of the lifestyles, life stages and issues millennials face and the impact of government pension policy on their engagement with pension planning.
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.
Just: Should we always look on the bright side of life?
The average American withdraws 8% a year from their pension pot and nearly 40% of Australians have run out of money by age 75. Is this optimism bias at work?
The Pensions Regulator - Industry update October 2017
Welcome to your October update this regular e-newsletter brings you TPRs latest automatic enrolment (AE) and pensions news and tips for your sector.
The Pensions Regulator - Industry update October 2017
Welcome to your October update this regular e-newsletter brings you TPRs latest automatic enrolment (AE) and pensions news and tips for your sector.
Royal London: 65,000 pensioners face losing mortgage help unless they take out second mortgage with the government
Thousands of low income pensioners and working age benefit claimants have started to receive official letters warning that the help they receive with their mortgages will end in April 2018 unless they sign up to a second mortgage with the government. But the letters are not clear about the interest rate on the loan and recipients are getting little help with this decision according to mutual insurer, Royal London. If they fail to comply they will lose help with their mortgage and could face repossession if they get into arrears as a result.
FundsNetwork: Taking CII exams this October?
With pension exams fast approaching, why not take a look at our library of 36 pension technical videos to help you prepare? Topics range from defined benefit transfer issues to tax relief and lifetime allowance considerations. We also have a video on exam techniques, touching on strategies around the marking scheme and the best ways to approach your answers.
Prudential: Pension Commencement Lump Sum recycling
When does the Pension Commencement Lump Sum recycling apply?
FundsNetwork: A guide to pensions and divorce
After the matrimonial home, the pension fund is often the most substantial financial investment in divorce settlements. It requires expertise and a crystal ball to assess, as the ultimate pension value at retirement is unlikely to be known at the point of divorce. Our latest guide covers the many technical aspects that should be taken into account, from earmarking to pension sharing and lifetime allowance considerations.