Retirement

Advisers are being invited to sign up to a free-to-view public directory which aims to connect pre-retirees with brokers to help them secure a better pension income.

Alan Higham considers the potential alternatives to annuities in a retirement income strategy

In this week's quick-fire poll we ask: Should Flexible Drawdown be scrapped?

Retirement Planner's round-up of the top pension stories this week.

Two-thirds of advisers think the annuity system is "failing consumers" which is leading many to consider drawdown as an alternative route for clients, according to Skandia's latest adviser poll.

Pension transfers should take no longer than six working days, according to the the Tax Incentivised Savings Association (TISA) which is set to launch a service facilitating quicker switches.

CASUALTY

Friends Life has reported a 41% increase in the value of new business for the first nine months of 2013, rising from £94m during the same period last year to reach £133m.

Shares in Just Retirement have been priced at 225p each ahead of its initial public offering (IPO), based on a market capitalisation of £1.1bn.

Phoenix clients with low paying annuities can switch out for a cash lump sum under a recently launched pilot project.