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  • Friday Five Focus on Pensions – 5 Questions in 5 Minutes – 21 Mar 2025

    Each week, we ask questions relating to one of these topics: Investments, Taxation, Pensions, Protection, or Regulation. This week, our Friday Five is relevant to Pensions; this is useful as you prepare for the CII's R04, AF7, or J05 exams. The challenge is for you to answer them in 5 minutes. Try the new interactive format and get your results and feedback instantly!

  • Friday Five Focus on Pensions – 5 Questions in 5 Minutes – 14 Feb 2025

    Each week, we ask questions relating to one of these topics: Investments, Taxation, Pensions, Protection, or Regulation. This week, our Friday Five is relevant to Pensions; this is useful as you prepare for the CII's R04, AF7, or J05 exams. The challenge is for you to answer them in 5 minutes. Try the new interactive format and get your results and feedback instantly!

  • Safe Withdrawal Rate Explained

    Financial advisers have a crucial role in developing a sustainable withdrawal strategy (i.e., a ‘safe withdrawal rate’ ) for retired clients that ensures their pension fund lasts for their lifetime while accounting for inflation. This article is particularly relevant to the CII R04, J05, AF7, and AF8 units.

  • A Triple-Locked Secured Income… But For How Long?

    There hasn’t been much good news around for pensioners over the last couple of years, but the State Pension has been one rare bright spot. In this article, we focus on the escalation of State Pensions and the much talked about ‘triple lock’. This article is relevant for anyone studying for their R04, J05 or AF7 exams.

  • Friday Five Focus on Pensions – 5 Questions in 5 Minutes – 10 Jan 2025

    Each week, we ask questions relating to one of these topics: Investments, Taxation, Pensions, Protection, or Regulation. This week, our Friday Five is relevant to Pensions; this is useful as you prepare for the CII's R04, AF7, or J05 exams. The challenge is for you to answer them in 5 minutes. Try the new interactive format and get your results and feedback instantly!

  • Navigating Recent Changes to the Lifetime Allowance, PCLS, and Death Benefits

    The legislation to abolish the lifetime allowance has now been formally passed through Parliament. That’s one headache gone… isn’t it? Unfortunately not, whilst there will no longer be a punitive tax charge for exceeding a nominal limit, we are still going to have to bear that figure in mind because individuals will now be subject to a lump sum allowance and a lump sum and death benefits allowance. The upshot is that for exam candidates, a lifetime pension allowance remains very firmly part of the syllabus for the pensions exams. This article is relevant for candidates who are studying towards the CII R04, FA2, J05 and AF7 exams.

  • Friday Five Focus on Pensions – 5 Questions in 5 Minutes – 6 Dec 2024

    Each week, we ask questions relating to one of these topics: Investments, Taxation, Pensions, Protection, or Regulation. This week, our Friday Five is relevant to Pensions; this is useful as you prepare for the CII's R04, AF7, or J05 exams. The challenge is for you to answer them in 5 minutes. Try the new interactive format and get your results and feedback instantly!

  • The CII AF7 July 2020 Exam in Review

    We have been reviewing the CII exam papers from the July 2020 sitting and this time, it’s the turn of the AF7 Pension Transfer exam.

  • Friday Five Focus on Pensions – 5 Questions in 5 Minutes – 1 Nov 2024

    Each week, we ask questions relating to one of these topics: Investments, Taxation, Pensions, Protection, or Regulation. This week, our Friday Five is relevant to Pensions; this is useful as you prepare for the CII's R04, AF7, or J05 exams. The challenge is for you to answer them in 5 minutes. Try the new interactive format and get your results and feedback instantly!

  • Drawdown Investment Pathways Explained: Essential Knowledge for CII Pensions Exams

    Here, we delve into the intricacies of the investment pathways introduced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) within recent years. We provide clear explanations of the four different options available and how they match specific retirement goals. Whether you're preparing for a CII pensions-related exam, such as AF7, AF8, R04, or J05, or seeking a better understanding of these pathways, read on as we explore their significance, requirements, and implications on pension investments.

  • Friday Five Focus on Pensions – 5 Questions in 5 Minutes – 27 Sep 2024

    Each week, we ask questions relating to one of these topics: Investments, Taxation, Pensions, Protection, or Regulation. This week, our Friday Five is relevant to Pensions; this is useful as you prepare for the CII's R04, AF7, or J05 exams. The challenge is for you to answer them in 5 minutes. Try the new interactive format and get your results and feedback instantly!

  • Pensions Tax Relief: What are you being asked?

    Those candidates studying towards the CII R04 exam may have noticed the rather prominent ‘be aware’ box in Chapter 2B of the study text regarding the annual allowance and money purchase annual allowance. This points out the importance of reading an exam question carefully particularly when it comes to tax relief on pension contributions. This article is relevant for anyone studying for the AF5, AF7, AF8, R04, or R06 exams.

  • Current CII Exams Pass Rates – as at May 2023

    The CII has now released their pass rates for 2022.  Here, we discuss the pass rates and what we can learn from them.

  • Brand Bitesize: Defined Benefit Commutation Factor

    For those who are studying for any of the CII's R04, J05, or AF7 exams, this might be a useful reminder for you! We look at the Defined Benefit Commutation Factor in this ‘Bitesize’ video.

  • What big pensions shake-up was announced in Spring Budget ’23?

    During the spring budget 2023, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced the biggest shake-up to the pensions system since the freedoms in 2015. Here, we look at exactly what was announced and the crucial planning points to look out for. This will be key knowledge for anyone studying for their CII R04, J05, or AF7 pension papers, or the wider financial planning papers, R06 and AF5.