We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

Pensions, annuities & retirement planning

For help with everything to do with pensions and retirement.

Pension Query: I know nothing!
I have been paying into a police pension for just under 2 years but am looking at leaving the service and moving abroad (viva espana!). Colleagues are under the impression that i will not receive my contributions back as i have paid these for over 3 months? Its not much (£8000?) but i could do with the cash to put towards…
Stakeholder [et al] pensions financial protection - capped?
[Taken from the 'key features' document for a CIS Limited Stakeholder Pension] So does this mean that there a capped level of protection [like that covering savings held with banks etc] of £48,000 per £50,000 held? Unlikely as it is that Stakeholder [and similar] pension providers would 'lose' the money [its in your own…
Standard Life Pension - Help!
Hi, I was hoping to get some help for my mam, she's just received all her forcasts through for her Standard Life pension. She is 59, and due to retire february next year. She has been paying £10 a week for 22 years (doesn't sound a lot today, but suppose it was 20 yrs ago). Whilst the money in the pension pot is around…
Pension contribs to reduce business profit
My other half and I have a fairly new small business and have made more profit than we thought so our working and family tax credit estimate was out by quite a long way. Would it make sense to invest the right amount of money in a pension so as to take us to the level of profit we thought we would be at and therefore not…
AVC vs Student Loan Payment
I'm 26 nad have a pretty lousy group personal pension through my work. My employer pays 3% of my salary and I also pay 3%. I owe about £9k to the student loan company, but don't earn enough to have to pay it back (£20K in salary and bonus) Is it beeter for me to pay spare cash as an AVC into my pension, or to pay off the…
Pensions Shortfall
Hi all I work for a major IT company and have a contributary pension through them. I recently read a little bit in all the bumph they send me every so often that there is a big shortfall. I don't really understand what this means. Does this mean that the company hasn't been paying into the funds what it should have? Does…
Occupational pension question
I am starting a new job very soon and one of my first tasks, no my first task as I will be losing out otherwise, will be to help the Director set up a penison scheme for the company. I have been researching a little and am getting more and more confused the more I read. Can anyone tell me what the first place of contact…
New job - new final salary pension
I'm about to start a new job that offers a fianl salary pension just as my old employer (BBC) does. Should I ask to transfer the funds to my new scheme or leave them where they are? Last time I moved jobs I lost out on years of pension in the transfer. Any advice?
SHP Trivialty Rules
I have a number of one-off minimum SHP's with various providers (taken out for 'bagging purposes ;) ). Eventally I will want to either: (a) amalgamate all these with one provider or (b) cash them in - which I believe can be done under the "Triviality Rule" - rather than having to purchase an annuity :confused: Would…
Pre retirement courses
Has anybody been on one of these courses and would they recommend it?
Serps/Protected Rights Query
Hi all, I am 34 and have been opted out of SERPS for most of my working life... during that time I paid into...then exited and then rejoined the NHS pension scheme (and have around 6 years of contributions there). After leaving the NHS I joint a company with no occupational scheme so I started a Friends Provident…
Government admits Residential Property SIPPs only for the rich
There has been a lot of discussion over the residential property changes come A-day, so I thought this might be of interest. In a statement to Radio 4's Inside Money (to be broadcast tomorrow) the Government has said that putting a residential property into your pension would be inappropriate for all but the rich.…
deferring state pension.....question
if you defer your state pension by a year but lets say you fall ill within that 1st year and you need your money because you cannot work could you then ask to get your state pension. I am told you would lose your right. any tips appreciated. thanks in advance.
Home Responsibilities - My Partner
Looking on the pensionsadvice website I stumbled across the Home Responsibilities page and thought about my partner. She has not worked for 7 years whilst looking after our two children (6 and 4), she does have a frozen occupational pension scheme with around 7 years paid in I believe and was opted out of serps when she…
Advice on Britannic Personal Pension Plan? Am I Stuck with Nothing?
resolved the problem =) contacted britannic who will allow us to put the account in holiday, indefinetly. meaning no money will be lost and the balance will be allowed 2 gain any interest & bonuses untill the i reach the retirement age. thanks for all the help people!
Pension Lost?
Hi, I was made redundant 20 years ago and have never had my pension value given to me, each company that has bought my pension just send me letters to say they are unable at the moment to give me any idea of value this is a long time and I have tried OPAS and they traced the pension to a company that I never knew had taken…
State pension query
Hi, I received a letter from the Inland revenue, stating that from the Tax years 1996-97 I had a short fall of my National Insurance - £273.70 I have no knowledge what so ever on state pensions and national insurance and i would appreciate a help in hand on this Background During this time i was in my last year in…
Receive reduced pension - would you appeal?
Hi, I currently get a small reduced pension (£80pm) when I was pensioned off through ill health. Originally they awarded it for 2 years as they said the illness might not be permanent. Well they are still paying the pension 4 years later. And my health is still not wonderful. In fact other conditions have developed. Should…
Thrown in at the pension deep end!
Hi folks, I'm hoping for a little help... I recently left employment at Cambridge University where I was part of the University Pension Scheme. Obviously now I'm not working there I can no longer use it and I've received a letter telling me that I can either withdraw the money minus Income tax and minus 'member's share of…
State Pension Question
Would some kind person, who is knowledgeable about the state pension please read and comment on the following - My wife is foreign born and has only worked part time, for low pay, in the UK for the last few years. We have a child born in 1985 in the UK. My wife has been awarded 15 years Home Responsibilities Protection.…

★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Popular Tags

MSE News

NS&I launches new British Savings Bonds – but how do they stack up?
NS&I has refreshed its range of fixed-term 'British Savings Bonds' by adding a two-year and a five-year option, alongside its existing three-year bond. However, you can still earn more from the top-paying accounts elsewhere.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to close 292 branches in 2024/25 – here's the full list, plus alternatives
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, which are all part of the Lloyds Banking Group, will shut at least 292 of their bank branches in 2024 and 2025, the Group has confirmed.
Martin Lewis: We need financial education in EVERY school for EVERY child
Universal financial education – providing young people with the knowledge and experience to thrive in our highly competitive consumer economy – is vital for the future of our society, MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis has warned. Addressing an all-party group of MPs and peers at Parliament, Martin told them, loudly and plainly: we need financial education in EVERY school, for EVERY child.
State pension set to rise by up to £460 a year – but Martin Lewis warns it won't help pensioners this winter and most won't get the maximum
The state pension is set to rise by up to £460 a year (£8.80 a week) from 6 April 2025 under what's known as the 'triple lock' guarantee. But MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) founder Martin Lewis has warned that any rise will come too late to help pensioners set to lose their Winter Fuel Payments this winter, while most won't get the maximum increase. Here's what you need to know.
The Body Shop administration latest – here's what you need to know
Cosmetics retailer The Body Shop has fallen into administration, resulting in almost half of its 198 stores shutting their doors for good and hundreds of staff facing redundancy. Below we round up all you need to know.
Martin Lewis warns council tax debt collection is 'so aggressive it'd make banks blush' – change is needed
Aggressive council tax debt collection practices – even after missing just ONE payment – are putting up to two million people at risk of serious harm, new research from charity the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) has found. The charity's chair and founder Martin Lewis has called for Government action and urged local authorities to look at their methods in the meantime.
First-class stamp prices to rise by an inflation-busting 22% from 7 October – here's how to beat the hikes
The cost of standard first-class stamps will rise by an inflation-busting 22% from Monday 7 October, Royal Mail has confirmed – but if you buy some now, you'll still be able to use them after prices go up.
Nationwide to hike FlexPlus packaged account fee by £60 a year – should you ditch and switch?
Nationwide will raise the fee on its popular FlexPlus packaged bank account from £13 a month to £18 a month in December, the building society has announced. If you've got the account, it's likely worth sticking with for now – though you should diarise to look at alternatives when the new fee kicks in. Here's what you need to know.
FREE visits to 5,000+ UK historic buildings & heritage sites in September
You can get FREE access to many historical sites and tourist attractions this month including National Trust sites, castles, locations used for TV and film including Pride and Prejudice , The King's Speech , and Bridgerton, and more. It's all part of heritage open days across the UK.

View All

Pensions, annuities & retirement planning

Categories

Popular Tags

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free

Pensions, annuities & retirement planning

Category List

Discussion List

Categories

Popular Tags

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free