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…
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 According to a Royal London study, out-of-date paperwork may put current partners at risk of missing out.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…
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…
The little ones have Father Christmas. What do we have? We make lists of what we’d like to do when we retire – but the only person who’ll deliver those gifts is us. Better start your tax wrapping now. Being retired is a bit like being a kid again – y
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…
What’s better than growing old gracefully? Staying comfortable and solvent as you do so. There’s an art to getting the later years spot-on, but with our quick list of things to remember you’ll have time to draw breath while you’re drawing your pensio…
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…
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…
Ready to set sail for pension freedom? Then watch out for those rocks. There are more ways than ever to get the kind of retirement you dream of – but for a whole generation these are uncharted waters. Here are seven reasons why you may need an expert…
In the blue corner, the long-reigning champion of retirement planning: the annuity! In the red corner, the challenger for the pension freedom crown: drawdown! But which is better? There’s only one way to find out. Some people enjoy a flutter now and…
We’re now more than a year into so-called ‘pension freedom’, and the UK is starting to get a feel for the new way in which pensions work. If you plan to take your pension within the next five to ten years, make your choices easier with these tips and rules…
As people live ever longer lives, we look at the financial challenges this might present in future. We also consider what action we can take today to ensure we can all afford to live a long, happy and fulfilling life. People are living longer – much lon…
What is it about pensioners and parachutes? We turn 55 and feel suddenly compelled to fling ourselves from high places strapped to an outsized duvet cover. But by a neat coincidence, skydiving can teach us a crucial lesson about retirement. Picture the sc…
Pension annuity rates have been falling for some time – and the Brexit vote sent them tumbling still further. Can an annuity still provide could value for you in retirement, or should you explore other options? We take you through some ‘what if?’ scenarios…
Annuity rates are at record lows and long-term uncertainty looms in the wake of the Brexit vote. We look at how can you plan your retirement income under these conditions. Since the country voted for Brexit on 23 June there has been both good and bad news…
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