How can contract based pensions work effectively for employers?
Many employers are attracted to contract-based plans because of their lower governance requirements compared with alternatives Contract-based options can vary from simple, low cost stakeholder plans
Issue: July 2009 Author: Phil Percival

Tax changes for high earners
From April 2011, tax relief on pension contributions is to be restricted for those with incomes of £150,000 a year or more Until then, a new 20% tax charge will be introduced to discourage members
Issue: July 2009 Author: Richard Kandler

Professional independent trustees – the employer’s perspective
Joanna Matthews, an independent Chairman of Trustees, offers a viewpoint on independent trusteeship. She considers whether, and how, professional independent trustees can represent good value for
Issue: July 2009 Author: Joanna Matthews

Fiduciary management - the governance solution for your pension scheme?
The current investment governance process for UK pension schemes has significant limitations Fiduciary management: has the potential to correct some of the areas of greatest weakness in the current
Issue: July 2009 Author: Colin English and Gwion Moore

How to cope with redundancy
Over 140,000 people have been made redundant by British companies since October 2008 Don’t blame yourself and don’t be bitter: it will show up at interviews Pause for breath, draw a line under it
Issue: July 2009 Author: Jim Lawson

Scheme specific funding in the economic downturn
This summer, we at the Pensions Regulator have been running a series of workshops around the UK. Well over 1,000 people have registered and we have valued this further opportunity to make our
Issue: July 2009 Author: Tony Hobman

Ask the Expert – Accounting
“The Budget included measures to restrict higher rate tax relief on contributions to registered pension schemes. How are they expected to affect schemes and
Issue: July 2009 Author: David Heaton

PMI Trustee Support – Derisking during the downturn – the options and outlook for 2009
In this article Andrew Stoker, Lucida’s Chief Actuary, provides some questions and answers to address a number of the key topics he thinks trustees will be thinking
Issue: July 2009 Author: Andrew Stoker

Actuarial and Investment Matters
What are the challenges facing employers from 2012? Watson Wyatt recently held some seminars with employers of all sizes to understand how they are facing up to the challenges being presented by
Issue: July 2009 Author: Saqib Hussain

Legal Update
Amendments to the trivial commutation rules which extend the circumstances when small pots can be paid out as a lump sum have at last been finalised, but the changes only apply to occupational
Issue: July 2009 Author: Nicola Bumpus

Consultancy and Administration Issues
Earlier in the year (February issue) we looked at the Board for Actuarial Standards (BAS) proposed changes to Technical Memorandum 1 (TM1) which sets out the requirements for producing Statutory
Issue: July 2009 Author: Paul Niblett