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New investment options
You can find a link to the Act Now section here. ...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/1038/new-investment-options" title="New investment options

MND Election 2012
We're looking for three Trustee Directors to join the Trustee Board in May this year.  If you're interested in standing for election you must submit your Nomination form to Electoral Reform Services by 5.00pm on Monday 30 January 2012.  You can ...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/1035/mnd-election-2012" title="MND Election 2012

Trustee Board Announcement
To the members of the IBM Pension Plan and the IBM IT Solutions Pension Scheme Dear Member, I am disappointed to tell you that from 1st May 2012 IBM will reduce the number of Member Nominated Directors from four to three and the number of Trustee Direct...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/995/trustee-board-announcement" title="Trustee Board Announcement

Trustee Update on the Court proceedings
7 December 2011 Trustee Update on the Court proceedings I advised in November that it was possible that the Court would decide that the C Plan claim should be adjourned to February 2013 so that it could be heard at the same time as the Good Faith c...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/984/trustee-update-on-the-court-proceedings" title="Trustee Update on the Court proceedings

Equitable Life and Friends Provident update
Equitable Life Following the release of the Preliminary results for 2010 on 28 March 2011, Equitable Life has provided an update on the With-Profit Fund's financial position, investment strategy and the resultant bonus declarations.  As part of thi...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/982/equitable-life-and-friends-provident-update" title="Equitable Life and Friends Provident update

Pensions Trust Management Change
Dear Member, I would like to inform you that Adrian Spann has been appointed as Pensions Trust Manager, replacing myself.  Adrian has been the Pensions Finance Manager since February 2011 and a replacement for him in this role will be made in due co...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/988/pensions-trust-management-change" title="Pensions Trust Management Change

Fixed Protection
Background The Lifetime Allowance (LTA) is the maximum capital amount of tax-relievable pension savings that any one individual can accumulate in all pension arrangements. From April 2012, the Standard LTA is reducing from £1.8 million to £1....

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/978/fixed-protection" title="Fixed Protection

Time to go paperless
IBM Retirees, Spouses and Deferred members can now sign up to our 'Time to go paperless' initiative. When you sign up, you will receive electronic versions of documents such as Members' Reports, Summary Funding Statements and ad-h...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/966/time-to-go-paperless" title="Time to go paperless

Important news about your BlackRock investments
The Trustee has announced that the three BlackRock investment funds will close on 30 September 2011.  The three existing BlackRock funds will be replaced with three corresponding Legal & General (L&G) funds which will be available from 1 Oc...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/960/important-news-about-your-blackrock-investments" title="Important news about your BlackRock investments

Actuarial Factors
The factors used in pension calculations are regularly reviewed by the Trustee’s advisers. They make certain assumptions about the future, particularly in relation to longevity and investment returns to assess how long a pension may be payable and t...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/971/actuarial-factors" title="Actuarial Factors

Annual Allowance and Pension Input Period
The assessment of your IBM pension benefits against the Annual Allowance (AA) for the period 6th April 2010 to 5th April 2011 is now available on request from IBM Pensions.   The AA is the maximum amount of pension savings an individual can mak...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/970/annual-allowance-and-pension-input-period" title="Annual Allowance and Pension Input Period

Changes to pensions tax relief from 6 April 2011
Annual Allowance From 6 April 2011, the Annual Allowance (AA) for tax-privileged pension savings reduced from £255,000 to £50,000. If you exceed the new AA you may be subject to a tax charge. In order to establish whether you have exceeded t...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/981/changes-to-pensions-tax-relief-from-6-april-2011" title="Changes to pensions tax relief from 6 April 2011

Summary Funding Statements 2010
The latest Summary Funding Statements are now available to be viewed or downloaded.  Please click here to view them....

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/968/summary-funding-statements-2010" title="Summary Funding Statements 2010

Equitable Life Update - June 2011
The Treasury has published more details of the Equitable Life Payment Scheme ("the Scheme") that will commence in June 2011. In the case of group arrangements (such as IBM's), the Scheme will take on the job of producing a schedule of eligible members, co...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/957/equitable-life-update-june-2011" title="Equitable Life Update - June 2011

European Court Ruling on Insurance Contracts
On 1 March 2011, the European Court of Justice ruled that it was illegal for insurance companies to use different premium ratings for men and women.  This has a major impact on annuity rates (the rates used to buy an income from a pension fund at re...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/922/european-court-ruling-on-insurance-contracts" title="European Court Ruling on Insurance Contracts

Trustee Update on the Court Proceedings
I would like to update you on the status of the Good Faith and 1983 C Plan court proceedings. It is now confirmed that: • The 1983 C Plan issue is a proper matter to be considered by the court and that the Trustee will take the lead in pursuing...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/913/trustee-update-on-the-court-proceedings" title="Trustee Update on the Court Proceedings

Actuarial Valuation
The 2009 Actuarial Valuations of the IBM Pension Plan and IT Solutions Pension Scheme are complete and a summary from the Chairman for each plan is available below: IBM Pension Plan IT Solutions Pension Scheme A hard copy version will be post...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/912/actuarial-valuation" title="Actuarial Valuation

Pension Increases 2011
Details of the pension increases in April 2011 can be found here...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/903/pension-increases-2011" title="Pension Increases 2011

Protected Pension Ages
The Company will shortly be announcing an Early Retirement Policy which clarifies the terms for early retirement for the various IBM pension plans; how to apply for early retirement and, if Company consent for early retirement is required, the factor...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/826/protected-pension-ages" title="Protected Pension Ages

M Plan Modelling Tool
A new modelling tool for members of the M Plan (excluding enhanced M Plan) is now available and includes the effect of electing Matched Contributions as part of your You* elections. You will need your Pensions Benefit Statement, which will be i...

http://www.smartpensionsuk.co.uk/index.php/139/753/m-plan-modelling-tool" title="M Plan Modelling Tool

Last Updated: 29/03/2011