News

Millions Relying On Just £7k In Retirement

According to research carried out for the Pensions Policy Institute, many pensioners are relying on their state pension for three-quarters of their income. It can come as a shock to many that their state pension entitlement increased to £164.35 per week from April 2018, but only for those who have a complete record of National […]

Nearly one-third of Britons at risk of falling for pension scams

Millions of Britons are unable to spot even the most obvious pension scams, according to new research that calls for stronger checks to help people avoid them. The study from the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) found that 29% of the 2,000 people surveyed, equating to 14.8 million UK adults, were unable to spot […]

Older workers facing the pressure of intergenerational needs

It’s estimated that around 1.9 million workers aged over 50 find themselves juggling the competing needs of the younger and older generations, sometimes overlooking their own financial planning requirements. As a result, many feel under pressure to go on working for longer; others sacrifice saving for their retirement to help other family members.

Taking 25% out of your pension pot may seem attractive

Since Pension Freedoms were introduced in April 2015, people are now able to access their pension funds more flexibly and can take up to 25% of their pension as a tax-free lump sum, at age 55 or above. Pension drawdown, also known as income drawdown allows you to access a quarter of your private pension […]

Top tips to spring clean your pension

The nights may still be long but the end of the tax year is fast approaching – so now is the ideal time to think about your pension. Here are six things you need to do to refresh your pension. Step one: Forward planning The most effective way to plan for your retirement is to […]

Pensioners in drawdown fear running out of money

Since the introduction of the new pension freedoms in April 2015, more and more retirees have opted to take flexible withdrawals from their pension funds by going into what’s referred to as drawdown. The Financial Conduct Authority recently reported that drawdown has become much more popular, with twice as many pots moving into drawdown than […]

Pensions: where every little helps (a lot)

There is an assumption that unless you’re going big and starting early, saving is a waste of time. That couldn’t be more wrong. Here are three reasons why even modest saving and small tweaks can make a huge difference.

High time: Fees, funds and how a little time looking at your pension costs could save you thousands

From energy tariffs to mortgages, people who stick with the same pension provider year-in, year-out are at the greatest risk of losing out. The leading rates or most competitive prices are often reserved for those who compare the market, so the only way to cut your bills—or increase returns—is to look for a better deal. […]

How to avoid pension scams

Before you fall foul of a scam, make sure you educate yourself on how to keep safe. An increasing number of fraudulent companies and cold callers are targeting savers with pension scams, claiming they can liberate pensions for lucrative investments, only to make off with your hard-earned cash. it’s a problem we hear about often […]

Pension freedoms: making saving for retirement more appealing

Politicians, consumer groups and the investment industry, in general, welcomed the pension freedoms introduced by the government in April 2015. The changes gave people more choice and flexibility in how they funded their retirements. However, the sweeping nature of the reforms has caused one or two problems. Earlier this summer, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) […]