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Navigating the charity pensions maze

Charity Finance Group has launched the latest edition of Navigating the Charity Pensions Maze - the definitive guide to charity pensions.

Navigating the Charity Pensions Maze has something for every charity. Split into three sections, it guides charities through:

Defined benefits (DB) schemes: with historic liabilities continuing to pose a significant challenge to the sector, Pensions Maze helps charities navigate the DB landscape. This includes insight into how charities can actively navigate the risks and costs associated with the schemes, how they can navigate the complex relationship between scheme trustees and a charity as an employer, and how to navigate the challenges posed by section 75 in non-associated multi-employer defined benefit schemes.

The world of defined contributions (DC) schemes: with the introduction of auto-enrolment, DC schemes have now become the norm and Pensions Maze guides charities through the key issues that they will need to consider, including the role of Master Trusts, the changes introduced by the Government’s Freedom and Choice legislation, and auto-enrolment.

Planning and Reporting: the final section of Pensions Maze provides details of how charities should include pensions in their accounts, as well as guidance on complex regulations such as TUPE and moral hazard.

New to this edition of Navigating the Charity Pension Maze:

• A section on the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). Charities will be taken through entering the LGPS as a third party employer, managing and monitoring the scheme, and how to mitigate the challenges around exiting the scheme.

• An update from The Pensions Regulator to provide small charities yet to auto-enrol top tips on how to comply on time and what they can expect from the regulator.
Commenting on the launch of the guide, Chief Executive, Caron Bradshaw said:

“Charities want to get their pension provision right – not just to do right by their employees, but to also ensure that they are not putting the organisation’s reputation at risk. And we have some significant challenges facing us as a sector.
Whilst the latest data shows that the pension deficit has fallen in the year between 2012/13 and 2013/14, the biggest pensions challenge facing charities continue to be historic liabilities of defined benefit schemes. And looking ahead, charities will need to have plans in place for the increase in their auto enrolment contributions from April 2018.
Charity Finance Group is committed to supporting charities to confidently navigate the ever complex world of pensions, and I am pleased that we have been able to work with the leading pensions experts to provide a bespoke guide for the sector.”

Navigating the Charity Pensions Maze is free to download.

Sponsors and contributors to the guide:
The Cheviot Trust
JLT
Punter Southall
SecondSight
Spence & Partners
Charles Russell Speechlys
MHA
Mills & Reeve

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