by Colin Baines | Jun 2016 | Comments
For over 20 years, Australia has been the most popular destination for British retirees seeking sunshine in the twilight of their years. However, a recent change in Australian legislation means that there is a significant cut to the amount of pension money that they...
by Colin Baines | May 2016 | Comments
Last month the government announced the closure of the MAS thus bringing an end to one of the more disgraceful and cack-handed episodes of government supposedly trying to help the public. The Treasury said ‘The name ‘Money Advice Service’ has always been misleading as...
by Colin Baines | Apr 2016 | Comments
With effect from Monday 8th March a new regulatory regime came into force which holds top executives responsible for failures in banks. There is even a new criminal offence ‘of failure to prevent a bank collapse’. That said the scheme has been watered down since it...
by Colin Baines | Mar 2016 | Comments
Time should not let us forget the damage that Gordon Brown did to our previously sacrosanct private pension system when in 1997 he imposed a tax on pension funds. This in spite of the long recognised problem of an aging population. What was possibly not anticipated at...
by Colin Baines | Feb 2016 | Comments
Tracy McDermott, the former head of enforcement at the FCA, who was made stand in CEO when Martin Wheatley was unceremoniously given the heave-ho, let it be known that she did not want the top job permanently. There were sighs of relief in some quarters, including...
