Popular News
-
Specialist expat SIPP adviser declared in default
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme has declared financial adviser AXG Advice Ltd (FRN: 450813) as failed.
-
Trust in pensions sector drops for first time in 5 years
Public trust in the pensions industry has dropped for the first time in five years, according to an annual survey.
-
Hundreds face huge tax bill after cashing in pension
Almost 300 people fully encashed a pension of more than £250,000 after tax-free cash between October 2023 and March 2024, paying a minimum £98,700 each in tax in the process, according to new analysis of FCA figures by Standard Life.
Latest Blog
-
James Jones-Tinsley: Aiming for an advice-guidance sweetspot
As Nikhil Rathi is reappointed as CEO of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for another five years, the FCA has set out its strategic direction for 2025/26, with important implications for financial advisers.
-
Lisa Webster: Over-taxation of pensions remains an issue
HMRC’s January pension schemes newsletter announced changes to tax codes for pensions, and a few headlines followed proclaiming HMRC had finally fixed the over-taxation issue. It would be fantastic if that was the case, but despite nearly 10 years of getting it wrong, the problem isn’t resolved yet.
-
Lisa Webster: Divorce impact on lump sums raises question
The lifetime allowance may have been consigned to the annals of history but the various forms of protection are still relevant in the new world, especially when it comes to the amount of pension commencement lump sum (PCLS) that can be taken.
-
Martin Tilley: How education can tackle pension scams
The dark reality of pension scams is that we don’t really know how common they are. Fraud is a crime which tends to have low reporting events and with pension scams, it’s no different. The emotional toll can be as large as the financial, with some people being too embarrassed to report that they have been the victim of a scam.
-
Lisa Webster: Maximising protected tax-free cash
While 2024 ended with a lot of doom and gloom in the pension world following the big announcement on inheritance tax (IHT), there was some good news that may have slipped under the radar of some advisers.
The Association of Member-Directed Pension Schemes (AMPS), the industry body for SIPP and SSAS providers, has voiced “deep concerns” about a big proposed rise in a DWP pension scheme levy which could hit SSAS providers and other small pension scheme in the pocket.
Wealth manager and SIPP provider Mattioli Woods has appointed a new chair to help steer the company as its advice business continues to grow.
DB transfer values have fallen by a third since June 2018, according to the latest data from XPS’s Transfer Value Index.
AJ Bell has promoted Ryan Hughes to be its new investments director to lead its range of multi-assets funds and the managed portfolio service for financial advisers.
Industry colleagues, friends and family are mourning the death of consumer champion Caroline Rookes, chair of The Pensions Ombudsman.
The FSCS, the government-backed financial safety net scheme, has published a series of case studies to warn consumers about the potential risks of consolidating pensions into one plan.