Nearly twice as many people are seeking pension drawdown advice as pension withdrawals hit a new high in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. But those acting without independent advice risk making some big mistakes. The UK has seen a rapid rise in the…
There’s more than one nasty disease out there. The social and economic effects of COVID-19 have created openings for pension fraudsters to exploit – so retirees need to be on their guard. Just as the coronavirus crisis has brought out the best in hum…
People who divorce may face an ongoing financial hit from it throughout their retirement, according to new research by Prudential. Younger divorcees and women especially are making potentially very costly mistakes by under-valuing their pensions. The…
You may be well on the way to middle age, but some of life’s most important mysteries still remain unexplored. It’s natural to be shy about discussing it in public – but in this new era of pension freedom, practically everyone’s doing it. Shouldn’t y…
Do you know your defined contribution pension from your money purchase pension? Wait – aren’t they the same thing? Here’s a pension primer with a difference, as we tell you what all those confusing terms really mean. Reading about pensions is enough …
They say ‘Don’t ignore the workplace pension’ – but that’s exactly what many self-employed people are doing. If you are your own boss, saving into a pension is easy to forget about – but if anything, it’s even more important to remember. Thanks to a…
UK workers have lost track of up to 1.6 million workplace pension pots, according to the latest estimates. A lack of understanding of how to manage pension savings could result in many people being substantially worse off in retirement. Failure to ke…
For the truly patient parent, there’s a little-known trick for setting your child up for life – later life, that is. A Junior SIPP may offer the most affordable long-term route to a millionaire’s retirement for your daughter or son. Starting a pensio…
The mandatory minimum contribution into workplace pensions is set to increase in April, as part of the government’s bid to prevent a future pensions crisis. Consequently, millions of workers who are paying the current minimum will see their take-home…
Many people approaching retirement may be unwittingly naming an ex-spouse or ex-partner as their pension beneficiary upon their death. According to a Royal London study, out-of-date paperwork may put current partners at risk of missing out. Over thre..
Poor stock market performance has hit investments hard over recent months. This can be a real problem if your pension is in a drawdown scheme. Find out how the market might affect your retirement income – and what you can do about it. When you retire…
What will happen to pensions when we leave the EU? With the possibility of a no-deal Brexit, there is even more uncertainty over retirement funds. We look at how your pension could be affected – whether you have dreams of retiring abroad or staying i…
Nearly half of the UK’s self-employed workers may have to rely on just the State Pension in retirement – which a recent report has found to be the ‘least generous’ in the developed world. As the gig economy grows, a potential pensions time bomb is gr…
Pension scams come in lots of shapes and sizes, but they all have the same effect – you lose your life savings. Victims of pension scams on average lost £91,000 each, according to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Don’t let others enjoy your ret…
A teenager wins a fortune with her first ever lottery scratch card, and must make a life-changing choice. But anyone saving up a pension pot may face a similarly big decision. What would YOU do? If someone offered you a million pounds now, or a thous…
For some time now the government has been promising an online ‘pensions dashboard’ that will let savers view and manage all their pension arrangements in one place. Meanwhile, private pension providers are competing to deliver a similar service to co…
There’s no longer such a thing as ‘retirement age’ – you’re simply free to access most pensions from the age of 55. But what if you actually did want to retire at 55? We take a look at what you’d need to make that dream a reality. There’s an old joke…
One of the key services we provide our clients is investment management. As well as helping our clients protect the wealth they have already accumulated, it’s also crucial to help them grow their wealth over time. We have developed a unique investmen…
Pensions have always been complicated, but these days there is much more information to get your head around. Because of the radical changes in 2015, much of what you have previously assumed may turn out not to be true after all. How many of these pe…
More than £17 billion has been withdrawn legitimately from pensions in the form of cash lump-sums and annuities since the new freedoms were introduced in 2015. But the new freedoms have brought new dangers. Some companies are now specifically targeti…
Research for Channel 4’s Dispatches suggests that the government has seriously underestimated how people will use their new pension freedoms. Big dangers face an ageing population that may have lots of ready cash, but less awareness of where to find…
We can spoil our retirement years by the slip-ups we make today. These pension planning errors prove that forgetfulness is a young person’s problem, too. We know about the really huge pension mistakes: not starting one, or starting one too late. Thes…
Millions of employees have started enjoying the benefits of workplace pensions since automatic enrolment was introduced six years ago in 2012. These findings from The Pensions Regulator come as thousands of smaller employers are finalising the enrolm…
From the age of 55 you now have full control of your pension. But has anyone told you how to drive it? Taking wrong turnings now could limit your options later on – so make sure you arrive safely in your chosen retirement by taking our quick pension …
A decision on your pension can take only a moment, but you might have three decades to regret it. New market figures suggest that many people just aren’t giving this process the necessary attention, and could be damaging their retirement prospects. Y…
You can now draw out your whole pension pot in one go – at least in theory. But, like drinking a whole bottle of champagne, what might sound fun can end up being a headache. If you don’t want a tax-induced hangover, it pays to know your limits. A pensio…
The collapse of Carillion has once again drawn attention to the pension schemes of companies that go into administration. Following similar cases at BHS and Tata Steel, members of the Carillion scheme will need to be moved into the Pension Protection…
Annuities have made a comeback. Having gone from being compulsory to being as fashionable as chintz, they’ve seen a surge in popularity since last year. But why? Some are suggesting it boils down to one word: certainty.Think about the past 30 years…
New research suggests that homeowners are saving less into pensions than people who rent their properties. Some are clearly banking on their house as a source of money in later life – but when it comes to retirement, is property or a pension your bes…
Welcome to the world of extreme financial planning. If you can’t imagine starting a pension pot for a baby, you’re not alone. But thanks to their ultra-forward thinking parents, some toddlers might be growing up on a gold mine. Picture the scene at p…
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