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When SIPPs were created in Chancellor Lawson’s Budget speech back in 1989, the world was a different place. We were pre-financial crisis, pre-simplification, pre-freedom and choice and less engaged with saving for the long term, in part due to the pensions industry having been dominated by DB schemes.
A tsunami is usually defined as a natural disaster. By contrast, the tsunami of tributes and messages of condolence that has engulfed the world of financial services this week, in response to the passing of Mike Morrison on 6 November, is a natural expectation.
One thing that makes my blood boil is the blame SIPPs get every time there is a release of information on complaints.
Recently there was a consumer programme on Radio 4 at lunchtime which reignited in my mind the need for a permitted investment list for SIPPs.
In August, HM Treasury and the Department for Work & Pensions finally released their response to the ‘Pension Scams’ consultation.
It’s that time of year again when pension savings statements are being issued. They should have been issued by 6 October following the end of the relevant tax year, so will be sent out about now for the 2016/17 tax year.

Crypto currency may sound like something from a science fiction movie or Series 11 of Doctor Who, which will see Jodie Whittaker become the first female Doctor, but the reality is investors are piling a lot of money into these vehicles.
In the run-up to pension freedoms people seemed to be speaking about pensions in a different way. There was new excitement over the removal of the need to buy an annuity (even though this had been the case for some time already).
Regular readers may recall my Blog from last October, entitled “Cart before horse nonsense has to stop”, in which I berated the time it was taking to get legislation through Parliament, ratifying pension-related changes that had, in effect, already come into force (for example, applying for Fixed Protection 2016).

Many years ago (as some of the best stories begin) when I was working for Winterthur Life, I undertook a series of talks around the UK.
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