Sold a Malta or Gibraltar QROPS pup – deal with it before it bites

Posted on January 25, 2019February 17, 2019 by simon

Over the years, but far more regularly lately we’ve come across many people who have been sold a “pup” by slick overseas advisers and moved their UK pensions to Malta or Gibraltar whilst living pernamently in Australia or New Zealand.   Advisers from firms like Holborn and Global Eye, fly...Read More

Defined benefit FCA advisers a shrinking pool – with real consequences

Posted on January 15, 2019June 24, 2019 by simon

  If you want to transfer a UK defined benefit pension the UK regulator (the FCA) has made it really blinking hard. If your pension has a transfer value of over GBP30k, which is not a lot really, you need a UK regulated FCA adviser to give you FCA advice. ...Read More

£15bn sexism case puts UK pension transfers on hold

Posted on November 27, 2018November 27, 2018 by simon

  OK so there’s been a big and boring legal stoush going on in the UK... the upshot of which is that UK pension schemes trustees are now in a quandary and stopping lots of pension transfers. That can suck if you, through no fault of your own, are caught...Read More

Exchange rate spikes and how to take advantage

Posted on November 20, 2018June 14, 2019 by simon

Brexit, Trump and so much more, it seems that everyday is a rollercoaster on the exchange rate front. With so much uncertainty there is always a temptation to wait things out until calmness prevails, see what things will look like after Brexit or once Trump losses control of the house...Read More

FCA advice for final salary pension transfers to QROPS

Posted on September 13, 2018June 14, 2019 by simon

Every final salary pension transfer over £30,000 needs FCA advice [su_dropcap style="default" size="3" class=""]B[/su_dropcap]ack in 2016 the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) made it complusory for anyone wishing to transfer a final salary pension scheme where the transfer value was over £30,000 to obtain FCA advice. Over time the FCA have...Read More

Siege mentality of UK pension providers making transfers hard

Posted on March 29, 2018October 1, 2018 by simon

UK pension providers appear to be grinding slowly to a halt on all pension transfers as walls go up and a seige mentality grips them. Emboldened by UK regulators effectively stating “that money in UK pensions should stay in UK pensions”, UK providers are throwing up as many roadblocks as...Read More

People vote for control: The Great British pensions cash out

Posted on March 12, 2018October 1, 2018 by simon

People of all ages are getting out of their final salary and defined benefit pensions in the UK, and the numbers are unprecedented. Spurred on by massive pension valuations, attractive incentives, failing companies and flexible access 80,000 people transferred last year, and 120,000 are estimated to follow this year.  ...Read More

Taking Control Part 1: A few numbers rule your retirement

Posted on February 28, 2018October 1, 2018 by simon

    We are writing about control, because we spend much of our lives faced with things that are out of our control. Governments make decisions we have no say in, traffic congestion, the cost of fuel, the weather…the list goes on and on.   Recently we’ve talked of the...Read More

UK expats and returning Kiwis advised to transfer personal pensions before Brexit

Posted on February 26, 2018October 1, 2018 by simon

British expats and Kiwis who’ve left their personal pension back in the UK are being advised to transfer it before Brexit kicks in.   The advice is aimed not just at UK expats already living in New Zealand, but also to those planning to emigrate in the near future.  ...Read More

Advisers scamming NZ and OZ based UK pension holders

Posted on February 22, 2018June 14, 2019 by simon

For years the New Zealand regulator has been building a strong regulatory regime to protect people from bad advice and worse investments. One of the first principles in this protection is a ban on cold calls selling financial services.   A second principle is giving a fair and balanced view...Read More