pensions

COMPENSATION COSTS to employees who lost their retirement funds in failed company pensions could be much lower than expected, according to comments from the Association of Corporate Trustees in this morning's Daily Telegraph.

Pensioners still risk breaking pensions legislation if they decide to invest their pension pots into residential property, once simplification rules come into force in April 2006, warns a pension expert.

The Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority has for the first time since stakeholder pensions were introduced three years ago fined an employer for failing to provide its employees with access to a stakeholder pension scheme.

The Department of Work and Pensions' Employers' Pension Provision survey 2003 released today paints a distinctly mixed picture of the state of workplace pension provision.

Some UK employers are already preparing to take advantage of the proposed Pension Protection Fund by winding up schemes as soon as it comes into force next April, warns Stewart Ritchie.

Mortgages could become the new asset class for annuity liabilities when the shortfall in long-term gilts becomes more apparent, suggests the Actuarial Profession.

The government's proposed Pension Protection Fund (PPF) suffers from fundamental flaws and could go the same way as the pension schemes it is supposed to protect, leading actuaries warn.

IFAs should be extremely cautious when promoting government plans to allow people to invest their pension pot into residential property as they could be putting themselves at risk, warns pensions expert Stewart Ritchie.

The government's objective of getting more people to put off retirement to a later date has taken a knock with research showing most people over the age of 50 are subject to age discrimination when looking for new jobs.

Independent Financial Advisers may pick up new business after the chancellor this week revealed advisers will be able to provide employees with tax-free advice worth up to £150 per year.