Standard Life

‘If it ain't broke, don't fix it' - this well known saying sums up all there is to say about the direction of the latest paper aimed at making the open market option work better.

Standard Life has added eight new external funds to its life and pensions range, including propositions from Macquarie, Investec and JP Morgan.

Government amendments to the Pensions Bill requiring protected rights to purchase a 50% spouses pension is a 'second-guesisng' exercise which is sending out a confused message to the market, claims Aegon Scottish Equitable.

An amendment made to the Pensions Bill by Baroness Hollis, ahead of its first debate in the House of Lords, could help ease the impact of means-testing on personal accounts, says Standard Life.

New amendments to the Pensions Bill 2007 mean protected rights will still be treated separately from existing savings through the requirement to purchase a 50% spouses pension, claims Standard Life.

Advisory firm Montfort International has attacked some Australian financial advisers and pension funds for using "scare tactics" to encourage pension transfers from the UK ahead of the changes to the Australian system on 1 July.

HM Revenue & Customs has confirmed it will make changes to current legislation to allow Australian schemes to continue to be included as Qualified Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes (QROPS) where appropriate.

Advisers should be aware trusts can be used to minimise the effects of IHT through a ‘dripfeed' approach as well as large one-off gifts, Standard Life says.

Although more than half of parents are prepared to financially help their children buy their first home, many could be risking their offspring's property by failing to consider Inheritance Tax.

Standard Life's first annual general meeting since its listing on the London Stock Exchange in July last year has seen shareholders pass all proposed resolutions including agreeing a first dividend of 5.4p a share.