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Two things have happened at the beginning of this month that will have a major impact on my life.

Back in 2001 - when we almost succeeded with a MBO of the Sipp provider I was running (Personal Pension Management Ltd long since defunct) – I was questioned by the VC who was backing us about the sustainability of the interest “turn” that we derived from the pooling of bank accounts.

Now nominations are nothing new, members have been able to nominate dependants to receive pension death benefits and beneficiaries to receive a lump sum.

I was at my daughter’s birthday party last Sunday afternoon doing that bit where you hang around while all the kids have fun.

In an alternative world to the UK Budget, The European Insurance and Occupational Pension Authority published a consultation paper on the creation of a standardised Pan-European Personal Pension product on 3 July.

I would recommend that everyone takes time to read the Green Paper called 'strengthening the incentive to save' – a consultation on pension tax relief.

I guess by now I shouldn’t be surprised at anything that emerges from the regulator on the subject of Sipps. There have been numerous well documented failures in the advice regime governing Sipps that it’s hard to believe that worse could follow.

A couple of Saturdays ago, and in a break from having a full weekend, I was asked to speak at the Retirement Money Show in London. 

The Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) has recently issued its annual Fiscal Sustainability Report. This report looks at how government spending and revenues may evolve over the next 50 years and how this will impact on public sector net debt.

We live in an instantaneous world – if I go on Amazon I can have my purchase with me the next day, banking can be done at the click of a mouse and bills can be paid without even getting up in the morning.

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