Taking money from your pension as and when you need it You can use your existing pension pot to take cash as and when you need it and leave the rest untouched where it can continue to grow tax-free. For each cash withdrawal, normally the first 25% (quarter) is tax-free, and the rest counts as … Continue reading “Small cash sums from your pot”

Without very careful planning, you could run out of money and have nothing to live on You could close your pension pot and take the entire amount as cash in one go if you wish. Normally, the first 25% (quarter) will be tax-free, and the rest will be taxed at your highest tax rate by … Continue reading “Cashing in your entire pension pot”

Reaching those milestones starts with setting clear financial goals We all have dreams for the future, and many of those dreams require money and planning to make them become a reality. Reaching those milestones starts with setting clear financial goals. Making decisions with a clear endpoint in mind can make it easier to achieve financial … Continue reading “What’s important to you?”

Winners and losers under the new State Pension The figures for people qualifying for the full new State Pension following its introduction in April 2016 reveal almost two in five pensioners (365,290 people, or 38% of claimants) receive less than £150 a week, while a further 314,290 people (33% of claimants) receive more than £150 … Continue reading “What you need to know”

Almost half of UK employees expect to work beyond the age of 65 When you picture yourself in your golden years, are you sitting on a beach, hitting the golf course or working behind a desk? Not ready to give up working and retire? For those who find adjusting to retirement difficult, the transition can … Continue reading “Not ready to give up working and retire?”

Taking the reins and having more control over your pension pot Saving for retirement is one of our greatest financial priorities, especially as life expectancy is growing and retirements are likely to last longer. It may be the case that you’d prefer to take the reins and have more control over your pension pot. For … Continue reading “Retirement resilience”

Pension changes brought a whole new range of options to consider Unadvised retirees who are now able to dip into their pension are having to return to work to cope with juggling their finances, according to a new report[1]. Pension freedoms have given individuals control over how to spend their retirement savings, but a number … Continue reading “Cashing out”

How much should you try to save to have a comfortable retirement? The number of people saving enough for a comfortable retirement has hit its highest ever level, with almost three in five Britons (59%) now saving adequately for the future[1]. This is a significant improvement from the 55% proportion recorded 12 months ago, suggesting … Continue reading “Saving adequately for the future”

Don’t lose your life savings or be persuaded to invest in high-risk schemes Don’t let scammers enjoy your hard-earned pension proceeds. Anyone can be the victim of a pension scam, no matter how savvy they think they are. It’s important that everyone can spot the warning signs.

Make sure your pension savings don’t get left behind The employment landscape has evolved significantly over the last few decades, and changing jobs multiple times before retirement is now very much the norm. Even if you have not had that many jobs, you may still have a number of different pensions to keep track of.