BOV Asset Management Limited extends its licence to provide investment management to pension schemes and pension funds

BOV Asset Management Limited (BOVAM) has been granted the licence to provide investment management for Personal Retirement Schemes, Occupational Retirement Schemes and Retirement Funds in terms of the Retirement Pension Act. BOV Asset Management Limited requested the extension of the licence following the legal notice that was issued last year intended to promote Voluntary Occupational Pension Schemes in Malta.

In the 2017 budget, the government announced the introduction of various fiscal incentives to encourage employers to set up Voluntary Occupational Pension Schemes for their employees. Occupational retirement schemes may be established for or by an employer/s or an association of employers, whose principal purpose is the provision of retirement benefits to employees.

These new schemes allow employers and employees to make regular savings with the intention of accessing such accumulated wealth during their retirement years and thus help maintain their standard of living during retirement.

Both employers and employees contributing to such schemes will benefit from favourable tax treatment on their contributions when saving for their retirement. Employers who adopt the Second Pillar Voluntary Occupational Pension Scheme will benefit from various tax incentives, as contributions are tax deductible as a business expense. Furthermore, the employer will receive a tax credit on contributions paid on behalf of every employee. Self-employed individuals are eligible for these schemes. Similar tax incentives apply to the employees who engage in this scheme. Contributions will not be taxed since income is in the form of fringe benefits. They would be eligible for a tax credit, depending on the amount contributed per year by the employee.

BOV Asset Management Limited will make use of its legacy experience and expertise in investment management to provide life-long investment solutions to occupational pension schemes. Furthermore, BOV Asset Management Limited can tailor investment solutions in accordance with the requirements of the Scheme while offering cost-effective investment solutions to the beneficiaries.

Mark Agius, Executive Head at BOV Asset Management Limited stated: “Acquiring this licence is another important milestone for BOV Asset Management Limited.” In addition, “BOV Asset Management Limited has over 20 years’ experience in the field, managing close to one billion in assets.” The company also manages a number of ‘life-cycle’ investment funds that could be a perfect fit with Voluntary Occupational Pension Schemes. Although the scheme is not mandatory, it can be used as a great tool to enhance employee loyalty and retention.”

For further details about BOV Asset Management Limited and its suite of investment options, call 2122 7311 or send an email to infoassetmanagement@bov.com