In 1911, American union leaders including Samuel Gompers of the American Federation of Labor expressed opposition to lump sums being awarded to their members pursuant to a new workers compensation law by saying that when they received lump sums rather than periodic payments, the risk of them squandering the money was greater.[6]
The Financial Times reported in July 2011 that research by Prudential had found that 79% of polled pensioners in the UK collecting a company or private pension that year took a tax-free lump sum as part of their retirement benefits, as compared to 76% in 2008.[7] Prudential was of the view that for many retirees, a lump sum at the time of retirement was the most tax efficient option.[7] However, Prudential's head of business development, Vince Smith Hughes, said that "some pensioners are beginning to regret the way they used the tax-free cash. The days of buying a shiny new car or going on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday may be gone."[7]
