Workplace Pensions are actually quite simple and they apply to you if you are employed, are between certain ages (currently 22 and State Pension Age) and earn above a certain amount of money (currently £10,000 for the 17/18 tax year). Every time you pay into a pension, so does your employer, and so does the Government … Continued
Quite simply, pensions are payments that you might get after a certain age. Claiming a pension used to depend on you giving up work, but with new rules introduced over the past few years you don’t have to finish work to draw a pension and you can even finish work and keep saving! But of course, … Continued
Ah, the State Pension. Never has any payment from the Government been shrouded in as much myth and misunderstanding. To be fair, this is due to the complexity of the whole thing and I completely sympathise with everyone who has ever uttered the words “I won’t be getting anything when I retire”, “It’s unfair that … Continued
It’s always nice to attend a client’s governance meeting when markets are up. Not only is the meeting shorter (less questions about good investment news than bad) but the meeting normally has that lovely upbeat feel that rarely happens in financial services – honestly I know – I joined an investment bank as a Client Service Director at the tail … Continued
The first thing to say about “Gold Plated Pensions” is that they are not as glamorous as they sound. They are not adorned with Swarovski crystals, or gilded in glitter but are simply one of the oldest ways of a company giving a pension to its workers. “Gold Plated Pensions” are also called Final Salary, or … Continued
So, apparently, 1 in 6 people are planning to take their pension as a single cash lump sum. In case you don’t know, if you are over age 55 on 6 April 2015 you could draw out your whole pension pot as cash. Tempting? Yes. Especially as the average UK pension pot is worth around … Continued
Money equals freedom Wallis Simpson once said, “You can never be too rich or too thin”. I’m not convinced that Wallis was right; however I do know that money can buy freedom and a little freedom is a good thing, especially after many years of working hard to pay the bills and feed the children. … Continued
Exciting news, we’re going to have another King George, the 7th in fact. I have to admit I was slightly disappointed that they didn’t call him Arthur, Arthur Lancelot to be precise, but then King George is a good solid “King” name so on balance I’m happy and naming our King after Graham Chapman was always … Continued
5 April 2013, It’s been quite a week. At 8.45am on Monday morning I arrived at White City for the second BBC women’s’ expert training day. No pressure, just a full day training culminating in a pitch to some very senior programme commissioners and a crash course in interviewing, Question Time style. On Tuesday we … Continued
I have spent a lot of time recently considering the question of what is a balanced trustee body. As an actuary at Mazars I am privileged to work with individuals across a number of disciplines, including those of behavioural science, accountancy, tax, insolvency and the making of great coffee (do not underestimate the skill of my colleagues … Continued