Comprehensive Training Course for Pension Scheme Trustees - and a Foundation Course for New Administrators

The knowledge and understanding of pension scheme trustees is increasingly in the spotlight. Training is essential - that's easy. Organising it is another matter. A shortage of experienced pension administrators means that many companies need to offer in-house or external training for new recruits. Pressure of work makes it increasingly difficult for trustees or administrators to spend periods out of the office to attend expensive training courses. Aries has a unique, flexible and very cost-effective solution. The Aries Training System for Pensions Trustees and Administrators (Aries TRT) is an interactive CD-Rom course, developed in conjunction with experienced trustees and pensions experts from over 30 companies. Aries TRT provides a very comprehensive pensions overview - covering benefits and contributions, the legal basis of trusteeship, scheme management, investment, financial control, accountability & compliance, the FA 2004 tax regime and actuarial issues. It also covers situations, such as bulk transfers and winding up. For more details, see below. The course is divided into 11 Units, each with a number of Parts (accessed via the main screen), which further sub-divide into a list of Headings. You can work through daily, weekly or monthly, at your own pace, saving and picking up where you left off. This is made easy through a system of progress bars, ticks and the progress screen which also tracks previous test performances. Aries TRT also contains plenty of self-test questions which help to reinforce learning. These occur at intervals within the text units to test ongoing understanding; you can easily return to material if required. Each of the 11 Units concludes with a 10 question test, the scores for which are recorded by the system. These questions come in a variety of flavours: free text, which allow the answer to be typed in (predictable spelling errors are tolerated!); simple yes/no; and multiple choice. This unique expert system allows self-testing; corrects misunderstandings; monitors progress; and builds to an overall assessment. As an interactive CD-ROM course, Aries TRT offers consistency as well as covering all material to help trustees knowledge & understanding. What's in Aries TRT? Unit 1 - The Pensions Trustee at Work This Unit aims to grasp the problems facing trustees and the decisions required; including a look at future developments. Contents Six Aspects of Pensions Pension Benefits & Contributions Legal Basis of Trusteeship Basic Scheme Management Investment of the Assets Long Term Financial Control Accountability & Compliance The Future for Pensions Unit 2 - Pension Benefits & Contributions The aim is to understand the different forms of occupational pension scheme (OPS); appreciate the main patterns for benefits, contributions and rules of membership; and gain knowledge of state retirement provision and its interaction with occupational scheme provision. Contents OPS: Defined Benefit v Money Purchase Membership, Benefits & Contributions Contrasting Types of OPS State Pensions Contraction Out Pension Credit Personal & Stakeholder Pensions (brief introduction) Unit 3 - Legal Basis of Trusteeship This Unit gives understanding of the legal basis of trusts; the advantages; principal trustee duties, powers and discretions; and the different forms of trusteeship. Contents Basic Concepts of a Trust Duties of Trustees Powers & Discretions of Trustees Different Forms of Trusteeship Independence of the Trustee's role Member-nominated Trustees Unit 4 - Basic Scheme Management This gives an understanding of the requirements for collecting contributions; investment duties; administration, including: keeping records, calculating benefits and basic checks for accuracy; and the conduct of trustee meetings. Contents Contributions to the Scheme Trustee Investment Duties Keeping of Records Benefit Administration Accounting & Security Checks Trustee Meetings Unit 5 - Investment of the Assets Develops knowledge of investment objectives, classes and strategies. Contents The Investment Objectives of Trustees Different Classes of Investment Investing via an Insurance Company Investment in Practice The Myners Review Unit 6 - Long-term Financial Control Understand the actuary's role in pension work and the tasks undertaken. Contents The Actuary's Main Role Actuarial Valuations in Defined Benefits Schemes The Framework for Defined Benefit Funding The Actuary's Other Jobs Actuarial Involvement in Money Purchase Schemes Unit 7 - Accountability & Compliance Appreciate the authorities and procedures to be followed in order to maintain scheme compliance. Contents Trustees' Annual Report & Accounts Disclosure of Information to Members The Pensions Regulator - Purposes & Powers Trustees' Responsibilities to Other Authorities Dispute Resolution Unit 8 - The FA 2004 Tax Regime Understand the main principles of the pensions tax regime under FA 2004. Contents Introducing the FA 2004 Tax Regime Benefits at Retirement Methods of Protection Death Benefits Complying with the FA 2004 Tax Regime Unit 9 - More on Benefits & Contributions Understand Personal Pensions & Stakeholders in their own right and as an OPS alternative; understand the trustees' liability to provide a deferred pension; understand pension transfers; appreciate the equal treatment requirements. Contents Introduction Personal Pensions & Retirement Annuities Stakeholder Pensions Requirements for Preservation Pension Transfers Equal Treatment Unit 10 - Investment Organisation & Practice Considers investment organisation including: primary objectives; asset allocation & stock selection; manager selection; investment agreement; principal forms of custody arrangement. Contents Introduction Investment Organisation Role of the Custodian Setting the Investment Objectives Techniques for Achievement Measuring & Monitoring the Performance Unit 11 - Actuarial Valuations, Wind Ups & Bulk Transfers A more in-depth look at actuarial valuations; the role of trustees in scheme wind up and bulk transfers. Contents Purposes of an Actuarial Valuation Actuarial Methods & Techniques The Actuarial Valuation Report Winding up a Scheme Mergers & Bulk Transfer In summary, Aries TRT is the expert pension system for trustee training: the most convenient, flexible and cost-effective way of bringing trustees - and new administrators - up to speed on what they need to know. Price Details Aries TRT is attractively priced at just £195 (+ VAT) for a single named user on one computer. The pack includes: full CD-ROM printed user manual If you require multiple copies, contact us to discuss a discount. Alternatively, if you would prefer to network Aries TRT, making it available to all site employees, we offer an unlimited user licence for £1,500 (+ VAT). Trainee progress can be monitored through a central 'trainer' I.D.