Saving adequately for the future
How much should you try to save to have a comfortable retirement? The good news is that 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 […]
Tax relief and pensions
Annual and lifetime limits When it comes to managing money, one of the things some people find most difficult to understand is the tax relief they receive on payments into their pension. Tax relief means some of your money that would have gone to the Government as tax goes into your pension instead. You can […]
Pension lifetime allowance
Putting a value on your pension savings in the future The pension lifetime allowance is a limit on the value of payouts from your pension schemes – whether lump sums or retirement income – that can be made without triggering an extra tax charge. The lifetime allowance for most people is £1,055,000 in the tax […]
State Pension
The foundation of most people’s retirement plans Data for people qualifying for the full new State Pension following its introduction in April 2016 reveals that 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 a […]
Women’s State Pension age changes
Government’s bid to ensure ‘pension age equalisation’ On 3 October, campaigners lost a significant legal battle against the Government’s handling of the rise in women’s State Pension age. Up until 2010, women received their State Pensions at the age of 60, but that has been increasing since then.
Defined contribution pension schemes
Building up a pot of money to provide an income in retirement With a defined contribution pension, you build up a pot of money that you can then use to provide an income in retirement. Unlike defined benefit schemes, which promise a specific income, the income you might get from a defined contribution scheme depends […]
Defined benefit pension schemes
Paying out a secure income for life which increases each year A defined benefit pension scheme is one where the amount paid to you is set using a formula based on how many years you’ve worked for your employer and the salary you’ve earned, rather than the value of your investments. If you work or […]
Personal pensions
Saving tax-efficiently for retirement A personal pension is a type of defined contribution pension. You choose the provider and make arrangements for your contributions to be paid. If you haven’t got a workplace pension, getting a personal pension could be a good way of saving for retirement.
Self-invested personal pensions
Providing greater flexibility with the investments you can choose A self-invested personal pension (SIPP) is a pension ‘wrapper’ that holds investments until you retire and start to draw a retirement income. It is a type of personal pension and works in a similar way to a standard personal pension. The main difference is that with […]
Freedoms to turn pensions into money you can use
One of the most important decisions you will make for your future Under the pension freedoms rules introduced in April 2015, once you reach the age of 55, you can now take your entire pension pot as cash in one go if you wish. However, if you do this, you could end up with a […]
