The gap between the best and worst performing pension schemes could cost a saver with a £10,000 pot over £5,000 across just five years. But reforms in the pipeline could give savers the transparency they need to switch to schemes on top of their game. A timetable to implement the biggest pension reforms in a generation has been […]

The inclusion of unused defined contribution pensions in estates for inheritance tax purposes as from next April is having a major impact on retirement planning, new research shows… with many people turning to gifting to reduce their inheritance tax liability. Before the change was announced, many people had planned to spend down their other assets […]

Big changes on Inheritance Tax are looming. But, according to new research, the biggest concern right now for over-55s when it comes to passing on their wealth is paying for their care in later life. Landmark legislation now coming down the road means that long-standing reliefs on Inheritance Tax (IHT) are disappearing. Not least, unused […]

  Billions in pension surpluses “to be unlocked” – but what are the upsides and downsides for savers? June saw new proposals from the Government setting out how tens of billions of pounds in DB pension scheme surpluses could be released. But – if the plans do go ahead – how well will savers be protected? […]

Big shifts in the pensions landscape are underway following the Pension Schemes Act – and one possible outcome is the emergence of “megafunds” which could deliver stronger outcomes for savers and a boost to the broader UK economy. New research from Standard Life, in partnership with WPI Economics, published in the wake of the Pension Schemes Act, shows that […]

Startling new research shows that the number of people who believe they will never be able to afford to retire is soaring, thanks to ongoing concerns around the rising cost of living relative to earnings. Cost of living pressures are leading to many employees failing to put enough into their savings. Four out of five […]

  Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) pensions could be available as soon as 2027, and a new paper from Aon suggests CDC could deliver around 30% better retirement outcomes than traditional DC lifestyling into an annuity, and up to 50% higher pension than an inflation-linked annuity when used at retirement. CDC schemes effectively act as a […]

If you’re part of the so‑called Generation X – born between 1965 and 1980 – then you might want to check whether you are one of those who are deemed “property rich, pension poor”… and risk “sleepwalking” into an inadequate retirement. “Generation X” – the 14-million strong cohort born between 1965 and 1980 – may not necessarily […]

Towards the end of May, the government’s Pensions Commission published an interim report – the headline message being that 15 million people are undersaving for their retirement. Here we look at some of the smaller print in what was a truly comprehensive document… a chance for you to check whether you need to adjust your […]

New legislation which received Royal Assent on Wednesday 29 April should mean over 20 million pension savers getting better value from their providers to the tune of an average £29,000. The Pension Schemes Bill has had a bumpy ride through the parliamentary process – not least over the controversial “mandation” reserve that allows the government […]