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    A pioneering think tank with a bold ambition to help everyone achieve long-term financial security.

    Thinking Forward

    Insights, debate and bold thinking to help make financial security in retirement more achievable and widespread

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Thinking Forward

Insights, debate and bold thinking to help make financial security in retirement more achievable and widespread.

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    Defined benefit

    BPA transactions: will insurers accept illiquid assets?

    How an insurer values an illiquid asset as part of a bulk annuity transaction might differ greatly from a trustee’s valuation.

    August 28, 2024

    3 mins read
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    Defined benefit

    Managing illiquids during a BPA transaction: what are your options?

    From deferring premium, making a secondary market sale through to delaying the time of a buy-out, there are many ways to remove illiquid assets before completing a buy-in or buy-out. But there is no perfect solution for all schemes.
    featued article author
    Rhian Littlewood

    July 25, 2024

    3 mins read
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    Defined benefit

    Illiquid assets: what trustees should consider ahead of a bulk purchase annuity transaction

    Trustees need to plan carefully for dealing with their illiquid assets before approaching the insurance market.
    featued article author
    Kunal Sood

    April 18, 2024

    4 mins read
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    Defined benefit

    Managing illiquid assets during bulk purchase annuity transaction

    In the realms of bulk purchase annuities (BPA), managing illiquid assets was the hottest topic of 2023.

    March 14, 2024

    2 mins read
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The aims of Thinking Forward

We want to make financial security in retirement more achievable and widespread, and generally fairer. It's how we believe we can best support the long-term and diverse needs of savers, as well as supporting employers, advisers and trustees.

This is why we launched our thought leadership programme, Thinking Forward.

Through regular events and insights, we want to:

  • Support our customers with innovative retirement income solutions
  • Deliver better data- and insight-driven customer engagement and service
  • Build propositions with financial inclusion in mind
  • Invest responsibly
  • Champion financial wellness

As well as conducting our own research, we will work with industry experts worldwide to ensure we bring a global perspective to help drive and develop solutions based on research and best practice.

Standard Life's brand promise is to help people secure a life of possibilities.

Our brand ambition is to be a leader in the markets of which we operate by putting customers at the heart of everything we do.

Amoungst other things, this means being a thought leader, pushing debate on the topics that really matter to our. customers, our clients and their advisors.

Providing insightful views and making policy recommendations.

And if we do this well, we get the chance to broaden our influence base and impact across a wider set of channels.

Our joint research initiative with the OECD

We’re excited to have embarked on a three-year joint research initiative with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Find out more

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This website describes products and services provided by Phoenix Life Limited, trading as Standard Life, and members of the Phoenix Group. 

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