Retirement

The FSA needs to do its own work to ensure clients receive good pensions advice following its criticism of adviser firms last week, Skandia says.

Defined benefit pension scheme deficits have more than doubled over the past year, with a shortfall of £155bn in November, according to figures from the Pension Protection Fund (PPF).

The Government's decision to cut VAT and then raise it again could add around £3bn to defined benefit pension liabilities, Watson Wyatt warns.

Alliance Trust will no longer accept new business for its Full SIPP from 12 December, due to concerns over poor administration.

UK taxpayers waste more on Inheritance Tax (IHT) payments than any other duty as a result of poor financial planning, research suggests.

More small businesses are turning to small self administered schemes (SSAS) in order to borrow money from their employees' pensions, according to provider Hornbuckle Mitchell.

Pensions campaigner Dr Ros Altmann has called for the introduction of a National Wealth Service with free financial advice health checks to keep savers on the right track.

The Financial Services Authority has uncovered inconsistent levels of advice given to members switching into personal pensions or self-invested personal pensions from existing arrangements.

Deep interest rate cuts act like a tax increase on the incomes of retired people, according to independent pensions adviser Dr Ros Altmann.

Life Trust Insurance has launched a modelling tool to help advisers calculate projected income drawdown streams for their clients.