Michael Collins

Partner, Gateley

Michael advises employers and trustees of occupational pension schemes on all aspects of pensions law as well as dealing with pensions issues on corporate transactions. He also provides legal advice to executive pension providers and other pension professionals.

Michael is well placed to advise on all pensions-related issues, having advised clients ranging from owner-managed businesses in relation to their executive pensions to the multi-billion-pound pension funds of major international companies, including putting in place contingent assets (such as parent company guarantees or charges over property) in order to improve the security of pension scheme benefits and reduce levies payable to the Pension Protection Fund.

Contributed to

2

Cash balance schemes

Practice notes

This Practice Note explains what cash balance schemes are, their benefit structures, how risk is shared between the sponsor and members and the statutory regime applicable to such schemes, both before and after 24 July 2014 (being the date on which the statutory definition of ‘money purchase benefits’ was amended).

Pensions

Hybrid pension schemes

Practice notes

This Practice Note looks at the statutory definitions of hybrid schemes (also known as mixed benefit schemes), how benefits are provided in a hybrid pension scheme, how legislation applies to the two main categories of hybrid scheme (one with separate DB and money purchase sections, the other providing underpin or top-up benefits), how automatic enrolment applies to hybrid schemes, the effect of the Pension Schemes Act 2015 on hybrid schemes, and the Pensions Regulator’s guidance to trustees of hybrid pension schemes.

Pensions