• PENSIONSANDSAVINGS.COM

    From Ros Altmann:economist and pensions,
    investment and retirement policy expert

  • pensionsandsavings.com

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    Category: Savers and Savings Policy

    Chancellor should think again on Lifetime ISA before the next mis-selling scandal happens

    Chancellor should think again on Lifetime ISA before the next mis-selling scandal happens

    14 November 2016 LIFETIME ISA TO BE NEXT BIG MIS-SELLING SCANDAL – CHANCELLOR MUST THINK AGAIN Providers beware – don’t sell this product carelessly, it could come back to bite you! FCA rules should require advice, suitability checks and risk warnings before providers sell this Pensions are best for retirement saving – right behavioural incentives to keep money for old age Lifetime ISA could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory as pension coverage rises Lifetime ISA won’t last a…

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    Time for a national inquiry into the impact of lower interest rates.

    Time for a national inquiry into the impact of lower interest rates.

    13 September 2016 Time for a proper national debate about the impacts of Monetary Policy Government should launch an inquiry into the effects of lower interest rates  Main points: QE was an emergency policy to stave off depression – it is a huge monetary experiment which must not be considered as ‘normal’ policymaking The latest round of rate cuts and QE may well have been a mistake – in August 2016 we were not facing economic collapse and the negative…

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    Ten reasons why investing in a pension fund can be better than investing in property

    Ten reasons why investing in a pension fund can be better than investing in property

    4 September 2016   PENSION PROPERTY 1 You get free money from employer – often a matching contribution to double your money No employer help with your property purchase 2 You get extra from tax relief – on top of an employer contribution can more than double your money No tax relief on money you use to buy property 3 No income tax to pay on income earned in a pension fund All rental income taxed 4 No capital gains…

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    Government must help savers – bring back guaranteed high interest bonds

    Government must help savers – bring back guaranteed high interest bonds

    9 August 2016 Monetary policy is not helping ordinary people and low rates may be doing more harm than good Ordinary savers are being hung out to dry and pension problems have worsened Government should issue more high interest 65+ guaranteed growth bonds – but for all age groups The latest decision by the Bank of England to cut base rate from 0.5% to 0.25%, as well as expanding Quantitative Easing by £60billion, is supposedly designed to boost the economy. …

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    An opportunity for me to help millions of ordinary British savers

    An opportunity for me to help millions of ordinary British savers

    19 April 2015 Review of financial fairness and extending financial guidance to younger savers Minister for financial consumer protection and financial education For so many years I have been an independent consumer champion, working on making finance work better for customers, exposing injustice and helping ordinary savers understand finance.  I have focused on policy, rather than politics, trying to make finance work well for the many, not just the few.  I have worked with all the major political parties and…

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    A Savings Revolution to follow the Pensions Revolution

    A Savings Revolution to follow the Pensions Revolution

    18 March 2015 We had the Pensions Revolution last year, now comes the Savings Revolution 95% of savers will pay no tax on their savings – will be popular 5m will be allowed to sell their annuity – that’s great news But cutting Lifetime Allowance for pensions is really bad policy Lifetime limit should only apply to DB, but abolished for DC So there we have it.  The last Budget before the General Election.  A mix of moves to please…

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    The pensions revolution – what does it mean?

    The pensions revolution – what does it mean?

    30 September 2014 So many people have been asking me about the new pension changes and what they might mean, I have put together a quick Q&A to address some of these with my comments.  Hope you find it of interest.  There are profound implications for pension products and pension savers – as well as for regulators of course, to make sure people understand what this all means for them. If in good health, perhaps you shouldn’t buy an annuity…

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    Do we need a Lifetime ISA now that pensions coverage is set to rise?

    Do we need a Lifetime ISA now that pensions coverage is set to rise?

    Lifetime ISA might have been useful in the past but is not necessary now Pensions auto-enrolment and flexibility will increase pension coverage New ‘Lifetime ISA’ product proposed, to replace pensions and ISAs:  The Centre for Policy Studies is calling for a new savings approach – the Lifetime ISA – to be introduced in the UK.  This would replace the separate ISA and pension systems we currently have.  The idea is unveiled in this paper http://www.cps.org.uk/publications/reports/introducing-the-lifetime-isa/?utm_source=Michael+Johnson+contacts&utm_campaign=1f6f756838-FTT_chown_lawson&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d781b4fd08-1f6f756838-303592833 by Michael Johnson, whose ideas…

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    Budget ISA moves – ISA savings for care

    Budget ISA moves – ISA savings for care

    21 March 2014 Nicer ISA savings – what could be NISA! And how about a Care ISA? As the dust starts to settle a little following the sudden Budget improvements to Individual Savings Accounts (ISA) rules, I thought it might be helpful to note down some more thoughts.  Wouldn’t it be great if the new found freedoms could be used to help fund social care. An ISA tax free savings account, designated to pay for care costs, could help with the…

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    Pensions and savings revolution! My wishlist comes true

    Pensions and savings revolution! My wishlist comes true

    19 March 2014 Unbelievable news – pensions and savings revolution So much of what I’ve been calling for is suddenly happening – exciting or what? Pensions and ISAs more flexible, limits more generous – a Tory votewinner After so many years of waiting for good news, suddenly so much comes at once.  Like the proverbial Number 13 buses, a whole raft of policies has all come at once – and they are good news. It’s also a brilliant Budget for Tory election prospects of…

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