October 2024
10Oct

UK. People have less than six months to make a vital pension change

People have less than six months left to fill gaps in their national insurance (NI) record from 2006 to maximise their state pension. More than 10,000 payments worth £12.5 million have already been made through a new digital service to boost people’s state pensions since it launched in April, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has revealed. The service lets people check for gaps in their NI record, calculate if making a payment would increase their state pension, and then make...

October 10, 2024
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09Oct

UK. DWP suggests clearer communication and tech to boost pension engagement

There is a need for clearer communication, improved information and greater use of technology to boost public engagement with private pensions in the UK, according to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The report, titled “Lessons on Pensions Engagement”, explores how to encourage greater participation in private pension schemes. It finds that “Pension engagement is a key departmental and governmental priority, but evidence shows engagement is low.” The analysis defines engagement in three ways: cognitive, emotional, and behavioural. It highlights...

October 9, 2024
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08Oct

Regulators increase scrutiny on funded reinsurance amid pension de-risking surge

The growing use of innovative “funded” or “asset-intensive” reinsurance structures by life insurance companies has attracted regulatory attention, particularly in light of the expanding pension de-risking market. These transactions, which involve transferring corporate pension scheme liabilities to life insurers, have led to an increase in reinsurance activity where both investment and longevity risks are passed to reinsurers. In its latest report, Hogan Lovells notes that while regulators recognize the strategic role of reinsurance in managing risk and capital, the rising volume of...

October 8, 2024
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08Oct

Australia. Pension exit improvements proposed

A government proposal to allow SMSF members to exit legacy pensions could be improved through the removal of the five-year timeframe, allowing partial commutations and exempting all reserve allocations from any form of contribution caps, the Institute of Financial Professionals Australia (IFPA) has stated. In its submission to Treasury regarding the draft regulations released in mid-September, IFPA welcomed the proposed changes, but added minor amendments to the regulations would ensure they were more effective and flexible in allowing people to exit...

October 8, 2024
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September 2024
27Sep

UK. FCA data reveals surge in pension access without advice

The latest FCA retirement income data for 2023/24 reveals a significant shift in pension access and withdrawals, reflecting ongoing economic pressures and evolving strategies within retirement planning. The total number of pension plans accessed for the first time surged by 19.7%, reaching 885,455 compared to 739,652 in 2022/23. This substantial increase indicates that more individuals are turning to their pensions to manage their financial needs, likely influenced by the cost-of-living crisis forcing people to dip into their pension pots to...

September 27, 2024
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26Sep

UK. Industry weighs in on government’s pension investment review

Industry experts have stressed the need to put member security at the forefront of any changes to the pension market, cautioning the government against potential mandating or legislating for particular investment allocations. The government recently launched a call for evidence to help inform the first phase of its pension investment review, which will aim to boost investment, increase pension pots and tackle waste in the pensions system. In its response to the consutlation, the Society of Pension Professionals (SPP) agreed that scale can deliver...

September 26, 2024
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25Sep

US. 5 Ways a Kamala Harris Presidency Could Impact Retirees

Vice President Kamala Harris wasn’t even a contender for the White House earlier this year, but she is now the Democratic nominee for the presidency and running neck and neck with her Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump. If she wins, she is expected to promote policies that could affect the bottom line of millions of retirees. “There’s been nothing that she’s said that would lead me to believe she’s a negative to retirees,” says Chris Orestis, president of Retirement Genius,...

September 25, 2024
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25Sep

UK. TPR data shows improvements in DB pension funding

The statistics show that overall, 47% of schemes reported a surplus on the Technical Provision (TP) funding basis in tranche 17 – schemes with effective valuation dates from 22 September 2021 to and inclusive of 21 September 2022 – a significant increase on the 32% in surplus in their previous valuation cycle (tranche 14). The average funding level had increased by 5% (97% in tranche 17 (median: 99%), compared to 92% in tranche 14 (median: 93%)) and recovery plan lengths...

September 25, 2024
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24Sep

US. DOL vs. IRS rules: Courts asked to decide how 401(k) plans can use forfeiture assets

What started as a small law firm filing a handful of suits against 401(k) plans' use of forfeited funds has metastasized into a broad attack on sponsors that raises questions about reducing participants' expenses. It's a trend of more law firms filing more lawsuits seeking to use Department of Labor regulations regarding fiduciary duty to supersede IRS rules. Although there are differences among the various sponsor-defendants, the general theme is the same: What can sponsors do with company contributions to a...

September 24, 2024
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24Sep

UK. Pension schemes should not ignore SDR

With the rollout of the FCA’s Sustainability Disclosure Regulations (SDR) now well underway, pension schemes should consider how their ESG and sustainability objectives could be impacted by the regime in the long-term, according to AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM). One of the key components of SDR is fund labelling, with qualifying asset managers having been able to use the four new sustainability labels for asset managers – Focus, Improvers, Impact and Mixed Goals – from 31 July 2024. Being a voluntary...

September 24, 2024
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