Positive news for some savers this month: the aggregate surplus of the 5,215 defined benefit schemes in the Pension Protection Fund (PFF) 7800 Index increased from £133.6bn in February to £176.4bn at the end of last month: an increase of £42.8bn. This means that Section 179 liabilities (the level of assets needed to secure PPF-level benefits […]

New research amongst financial advisers, conducted by Aegon in conjunction with Next Wealth, shows that the number one priority for people planning for retirement is to keep up their current standard of living once they leave the workplace. The survey quizzed 212 financial advisers about the hopes and fears of their retirement clients and found […]

New research from Aviva shows that the majority of people heading towards retirement (64%) regret not saving more at an earlier stage in their working lives. Many, understandably, prioritised raising children (42%) and paying off their mortgages (40%) before putting any surplus cash into their pension.  However, a third put leisure / holidays (32%); clothing […]

Anyone planning to retire during the next few years faces a “financial rollercoaster” according to LCP partner Steve Webb, based on the latest forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. In particular, he says, those who rely on the state pension for a large part of their income who really will see it rise by […]

Pension experts are warning that those planning for retirement will need to significantly increase their pension pots to keep up with soaring inflation. Key points include: Current CPI inflation is at a 30-year high of 6.2% and the Bank of England expects it to increase further in the coming months. Someone retiring at the end […]

Inflation is on the rise, bringing with it major concerns for anyone planning their retirement finances. Here, Mark Soper ACII offers ways to help you factor the risks of continuing inflationary pressures into your plans. RetireEasy’s LifePlans enable users to plan over 40 years of retirement and provide for an average annual inflation rate. But, […]

Mark Soper ACII looks at the potential fallout from the war being waged upon the people of Ukraine as well as the other pressures upon the financial markets. The Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to dominate the news today, with cameras capturing the horror that its proud and independent people are experiencing, and the news […]

Are your old pension pots doing as well as they could? Do they still reflect your attitude to risk? Experts from the Institute for Fiscal Studies are offering their advice on how you can make sure they are still fit for purpose. New research shows that many people are holding their money in old DC […]

How are you responding to the recent spike in inflation? Anxious? Thinking about changing your holdings? Or are you more relaxed, believing that this is just a short-term blip which will even itself out…? Your response, according to new research, may well depend upon your age, your gender, how far you are from retirement and […]

Just how well have your investments fared recently; and, just as pertinently, how much are you paying for the privilege? Twice a year, online investment company BestInvest names and shames what it colourfully calls “dog funds” which, in its own words, are “the bad mutts of the fund management industry”. To make the list, a […]