Rachel Vahey

Let's face it - advising someone on whether they should transfer their deferred benefits out of a final salary scheme is one of the trickiest things for pensions advisers.

I am beginning to dread the use of the words 'simplify' and 'simplification' by the government. Often, it leaves me feeling more confused than ever.

It's shaping up to be an autumn crammed full of government announcements on pensions reform, including personal accounts.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Just think about the better decisions we could all make if we knew exactly how things would turn out in the end - decisions on careers, houses, fashion styles!

I like working in pensions. This completely amazes people who are not connected with the industry, but it's true. Part of what I like is that things are constantly changing and there's always something different to talk about.

Pension officials say current government proposals for pension personal accounts auto-enrolment are likely to increase administration costs but still will not reach the main target market.

Despite over 60% of advisers believing transfer penalties are the biggest obstacle to pension asset consolidation, transfer business is on the increase.

Sometimes, it feels as though there are no surprises in pensions anymore.

Winterthur Life believes a comprehensive employee communication programme is required in order for automatic enrolment to be effectively implemented.

Women put pensions low on their list of priorities, believing it is the job of their partner to provide for retirement, while they worry instead about the needs of their family, suggests new research.