Wednesday, 14 May 2014 08:07
Annuities 'key part' of retirement planning despite reforms
A poll by Broadstone Corporate Benefits found nearly three quarters of its trustees and sponsoring employers expect annuities to remain a key part of retirement planning despite the Budget reforms.
The company's survey on the recent changes to pensions found 100% support for the government's decision to increase flexibility.
Some 73% expected annuities to remain a key part of retirement planning and
68% anticipated defined benefit members will be tempted to take their transfer.
Some 90% said that individuals will act prudently in retirement and 14% supported a government ban on transfer from defined benefit to defined contribution.
David Brooks, Broadstone's technical director, said: "The wide-ranging changes mean that trustees and sponsoring employers need to move from 'wait and see' to taking action.
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"Top of their list should be the need to review their default investment strategies to ensure that they remain relevant for the majority of their members. This is especially so when typically 96% of the members make use of the default strategies.
"We found that trustees were happy to facilitate extra flexibilities, but did not want to end up running drawdown facilities during the retirement/ decumulation phase of savings."
He said sponsoring employers should also review the benefit structures in their defined benefit schemes to ensure they remain fit for purpose in the changing world.
He added: "By reviewing the schemes' benefits employers could realise long-term cost savings as members have access to the fullest range of options possible.
"In many cases rules will need to be changed and this work should begin sooner rather than later."
The company's survey on the recent changes to pensions found 100% support for the government's decision to increase flexibility.
Some 73% expected annuities to remain a key part of retirement planning and
68% anticipated defined benefit members will be tempted to take their transfer.
Some 90% said that individuals will act prudently in retirement and 14% supported a government ban on transfer from defined benefit to defined contribution.
David Brooks, Broadstone's technical director, said: "The wide-ranging changes mean that trustees and sponsoring employers need to move from 'wait and see' to taking action.
{desktop}{/desktop}{mobile}{/mobile}
"Top of their list should be the need to review their default investment strategies to ensure that they remain relevant for the majority of their members. This is especially so when typically 96% of the members make use of the default strategies.
"We found that trustees were happy to facilitate extra flexibilities, but did not want to end up running drawdown facilities during the retirement/ decumulation phase of savings."
He said sponsoring employers should also review the benefit structures in their defined benefit schemes to ensure they remain fit for purpose in the changing world.
He added: "By reviewing the schemes' benefits employers could realise long-term cost savings as members have access to the fullest range of options possible.
"In many cases rules will need to be changed and this work should begin sooner rather than later."
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