Stephen Lowe: How consumer inertia can save pension freedom

Is there smoke without fire? When it comes to the success of pension freedom, we can all smell the fumes but are divided about the intensity of the blaze. The smoke is the evidence that pension savers - perhaps in significant numbers - are not acting in their own long-term interests by taking cash early. Ultimately, poor outcomes and the effects on taxpayers pose a risk to the long-term viability of pension freedom. The potential pitfalls were recognised from the off with the creation of the government guidance guarantee. Although provided free at the point of use, it turns out most p...