David Simpson: Why technology is key to making pensions truly free

Until recently, retirement was generally a shift from working full-time to not working at all and needing a complete replacement income. Except for the very wealthy, an annuity which gave a guaranteed level of income in retirement met most people's needs. But client needs are changing. Nowadays, retirements are often stepped, with a gradual move from full-time to part-time work or a later life career change which may result in a lower salary, which may need topping up with income from a pension. The decline of lucrative defined benefit pensions schemes is likely to fuel the trend f...