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Historic Current Pensions Issues Seminars
Since 2002, Barnett Waddingham has been running a series of free seminars on current pension topics for its clients and friends.
Find below the list of topics which were covered in our 2004/5 seminar programme. The seminars took place in all six of our offices at the times shown.
Summaries of the seminars - 2004/05
September - Funding and investment issues for closed final salary pension schemes.
A large number of final salary pension schemes are closed to new entrants. This gives rise to particular issues affecting funding and investment strategies for these schemes. Will the last pensioner to leave the scheme please turn out the lights!
October - Communicating the value of employee benefits - financial advice and information in the workplace.
Independent financial advice is becoming an increasingly common employee benefit especially for employers offering defined contribution pension arrangements and/or flexible benefit packages. What's the difference between information and advice and how can employers help their employees without spending a fortune?
November - The Pension Protection Fund.
Is it a bird, is it a plane or is it a lifeboat? Will it fly or will it sink? How much is it going to cost? It will also be important for all concerned to understand exactly what the PPF does provide and what it doesn't provide in different circumstances.
January - The Pensions Act 2004.
The Pensions Act 2004 included proposals for a tougher pensions regulator, changes to statutory LPI pension increases and a requirement for pension scheme trustees to be knowledgeable. What exactly does "knowledgeable" mean and what should trustees be doing, apart from resigning?
February - Improving pensions administration and member communication.
Telephone helplines, internet access and combined benefit statements are all helping to provide members with more and more information about their pension arrangements. However, quality is often better than quantity and careful thought needs to be given to the amount and type of communication in different circumstances.
March - Scheme-specific funding.
MFR was to be replaced by a scheme-specific funding requirement. Should pension scheme trustees and sponsoring employers be celebrating or will it be a case of "out of the frying pan and into the fire"?
April - State pension benefits.
Everyone agrees that the current State pension system is far too complicated. Everyone except HM Government. It also acts as a disincentive to save in certain circumstances. Our seminar tried to shed some light on the current system and suggest improvements (if the Government is prepared to listen).
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Barnett Waddingham LLP, June 2004.