Category: Corinthian News

3 February 2017

Corinthian Group has been shortlisted for the prestigious Corporate Adviser Awards 2017 in association with Scottish Widows.

We are delighted to announce that we are in the running for the ‘Best Adviser Auto-Enrolment Proposition’ title in the prestigious Corporate Adviser Awards.

Winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony on 28 February, at the Grange St Paul’s Hotel, London.

Lee French, Director, Corinthian Affinity Solutions Limited, commented. He said, “These awards aim to celebrate the brightest and the best in workplace financial services, and we are delighted to have been named among them.

“We work hard to understand our clients’ needs, offering pensions solutions in a transparent, cost-effective way which adds value for employers. This award nomination validates everything we try to achieve.”

Are you one of the 800,000 small businesses reaching their pensions auto-enrolment staging date this year? Why not have an informal chat with us?

We offer:

• A fully compliant auto-enrolment service,
• Comprehensive UK based implementation support,
• To reduce your employees’ net costs by 12%,
• Presentations and individual consultations,
• 5* Defaqto rating and Master Trust accredited Qualifying Workplace Pension Scheme with a wide range of investment options.

Contact us today at [email protected] or call us on 020 3668 3999.

31 January 2017

Auto-enrolment is a bit of pension, but a lot of pensions admin

According to research carried out by the Pensions Regulator (tPR) 49% of employers have consulted an external adviser – usually their accountant or financial adviser – for auto-enrolment advice and 60% intend to. Of those, 31% will rely on their external adviser completely for advice and actions.

If you are one of these advisers, will you be able to cope? Are you confident that you will be able to guide your clients through the process every step of the way? Do you have enough manpower and time to cope with all the extra pensions admin?

Corinthian appreciates that pensions aren’t necessarily part of your core business, so we will offer as much support as you need, to solve all of yours and your clients’ AE problems.

You will benefit from one simple, all-inclusive, end-to-end solution to auto-enrolment including:

• A Market-leading Qualifying Workplace Pension Scheme
• Training and support at the outset and ongoing – both face to face and via a UK based helpline
• Simplified bulk scheme registration and set-up
• Payroll data integration support
• One simple online process for assessment, communications and pension scheme reporting
• Automated direct debit facility for collection of contributions
• Declaration of compliance support and commitment to good governance
• Advisor toolkit: once registered you will have access to all the materials you need to advise and educate your clients and their employees.

We improve people’s lives by making the complicated simple. E-mail us at [email protected] or call 020 3668 3999.4

26 January 2017

You’ve probably found that auto-enrolment has little to do with pensions and lots to do with administration, documentation, HR and payroll.

There are plenty of pitfalls along the way too, so you might need to ask yourself if you’re happy with the support you’re receiving from your adviser and your pensions provider, and how the auto-enrolment process itself is panning out.

What if you could have a FREE upgrade which could save you time, money and stress, while ensuring your staff can better plan for retirement?

We will provide our service at NO extra cost, and often with substantial savings over your current plan.

We also pledge

• A fully compliant auto-enrolment service
• To reduce your employees net costs by 12%
• A massive improvement in your auto-enrolment pension and process
• Fully compliant and seamless integration – less than 5 minutes per month
• Comprehensive ongoing support with annual review
• Dedicated Client Manager and experienced UK based support team
• A 5* Defaqto rating and Master Trust accredited Qualifying Workplace Pension Scheme with a wide range of investment options
• Enhanced employee engagement and appreciation

It all starts with a no obligation chat to show you how all of this can be achieved. E-mail us at [email protected] or call 020 3668 3999.

20 January 2017

Are you among the 800,000 small businesses set to reach their auto-enrolment staging date in 2017?

One in five companies are now issued with compliance orders after missing their deadline – don’t be one of them!

Make it your New Year resolution to do it properly and on time. Our top three tips are: choose the right scheme, use the best technology and be prepared.

1. Choosing the right scheme is vital as 9 out of 10 workers stay in their default pension fund when auto-enrolled. However, it can be tricky to compare schemes. Impartial financial research group Defaqto have produced a report ‘How to analyse auto-enrolment default funds’. Click here.
2. Use the latest technology to make auto-enrolment easier, reduce processing time and cut down on the potential for error. Technology can now be used to complete routine processes and integrate pensions with your existing systems.
3. Be prepared. If you’re among the 83 percent of small employers who’ve never offered a company pension before, it doesn’t have to be challenging just because it’s unfamiliar. Make sure you know your staging date. Check the Pensions Regulator (TPR) website if you’re unsure.

Why not allow us to take some of the pressure off? We will help you choose the right package for your company which includes:

• A fully compliant auto-enrolment service
•  Comprehensive UK based implementation support
• To reduce your employees’ net costs by 12%
• Presentations and individual consultations
• 5* Defaqto rating and Master Trust accredited Qualifying Workplace Pension Scheme with a wide range of investment options

Why not see how you can benefit from the above with a free initial consultation?

Auto-enrolment doesn’t have to be daunting. Contact Corinthian Group Ltd on 020 3668 3999 or e-mail [email protected]

1 November 2016

Corinthian Group is the new group name for Beaufort Consulting, which has restructured its service offering as follows:

 

 

Corinthian Group Managing Director Robert MacGregor explained that the change was a result of a significant growth across all areas of its business over the first four years.

“The change is entirely based on our clients and what we do for them. Creating a more dedicated focus on each of our three main individual propositions. We want to deliver a more client-centred approach while improving and growing our whole business range more effectively.”

“Our mission is to improve people’s lives by making the complex simple. Applying this to ourselves, we have simplified our own structure to provide more dedicated support. Therefore businesses of all sizes can have confidence we will support employers and their staff every step of the way.”

Established in 2012, Robert aimed to build a company focused on transforming the way people engage with their retirement planning. He said, “We want to help real companies and real employees gain maximum value from their pensions and benefits.”

Robert previously headed Alexander Forbes and grew it into the UK’s largest Corporate IFA. This enabled him to bring together a group of hugely experienced directors, each of whom have more than 25 years in the sector. As a result, the company has grown rapidly, winning client and industry recognition for the quality of its services.

The Corinthian Group now consists of four companies, Corinthian Group, headed up by Robert who oversees its three subsidiaries:

Beaufort Consulting, led by Les Dolding. Beaufort provides companies and their employees with advice on making the right decisions to achieve their pension and benefits goals. It offers a range of dedicated market leading auto-enrolment packages, mainly for medium, small and micro firms, from a cost-effective ‘full compliance’ package through to bespoke employee benefits consultancy. It has just launched a ‘no cost’ switch deal for companies who have already staged but are looking for significant improvements in the administration, communication, investment and costs of their Workplace Pensions.

Corinthian Pensions, led by Tim Whiting. Corinthian has one of the most experienced pensions’ teams in the UK. It helps companies and their staff navigate the complexities of pension investments, transfers and retirement options. This makes it simple and easy for them to make the right choices for their futures.

Corinthian Affinity, headed up by Lee French. Affinity enables accountants, payroll providers and other ‘affinity’ groups to deliver a simple, all-inclusive and easy to understand auto-enrolment solution for their clients which saves them money, time and stress.

15 May 2016

Beaufort Consulting is delighted that its efforts to improve pensions for workers have been recognised in new regulations announced in the Queen’s Speech

Beaufort is one of few to have its Salvus Master Trust achieve the Master Trust Assurance Framework (MAF) kite mark. This is the Pensions Regulator’s new standard, highlighted in the Queen’s speech announcing the forthcoming Pensions Bill.

Beaufort Consulting’s Salvus Master Trust has also received a five-star rating from Defaqto, the independent financial products’ researcher. Few schemes have both. The three big supertrusts – the Government’s NEST, Now: Pensions and The People’s Pension are not among them.

Beaufort managing director Robert MacGregor said: “Master trusts are perceived as having less governance than other pension plans and low entry barriers. This means anyone can set one up for a low capital cost. However, Salvus challenges the unfair reputation created for this type of pension. It also demonstrates that choosing the right master trust scheme is an excellent investment for your retirement plans. Savers can place their trust in us.”

The Pensions Bill will also allow the Regulator to step in and protect the cash of people who pay into master trust auto-enrolment schemes should they collapse.

And it will cap early exit fees for those trying to withdraw money from their pension funds, a move welcomed by Beaufort Consulting.

“Exit penalties bring echoes of initial units and pensions that we got rid of in the 1990s,” Mr MacGregor said.

We think it should go further

However, Beaufort Consulting would like to see the Pensions Bill go further. We want to see even stricter regulation protecting workers who pay into a master trust through their auto-enrolment pension.  Beaufort believes all such trusts should declare their default fund performance. We also believe they should have a list providers open to all employers. And finally, we believe a priority list for new stagers, should be made available.

MacGregor said: “Protection and regulation is essential to protect your retirement plans and those of your employees.  However, we need to strike a balance and ensure the pensions sector is not so regulated that barriers prevent business innovation. We also need room for new players and developments rather than just protecting all the same old faces.”

For information and advice on company pensions and benefits, call 020 3668 3999 or email [email protected].