Pensions, annuities & retirement planning

TL:DR - Mum passed away at 61, left a pension with PPF. Seems she was already eligible for various options including a £12K lump sum. PPF tell me we have no claim to this upon mums passing. Anything I can do? I also think they've provided misleading financial information discussed below. Looking for any help, guidance and…

Hi, quick question to do with early retirement. If I go for early retirement in 2026-27 taking reduced Classic and Alpha/added pension, what happens to my Alpha added pension monthly contributions via salary for 26-27? The application deadline is 6/3/26 for contributions to start on 1/4/26 and I still want to do this to…

Sorry if this is a dithering question but I often read that actuarial reduction for taking Classic before 60, and Alpha before 67 (SPA), is a big hit (4-5% reduction per year before NPA). Therefore many people defer taking them until NPA, using ISAs etc to bridge the gap. Coming up to 56 and am considering the reduction…

Hello I am a Civil Service pensioner with a McCloud Remedy Immediate Choice Remediable Service Statement (RSS) from MyCSP that I can’t do anything about now that pensions administration has passed to Capita. I was unable to read or understand the RSS until recently because of health scares (and I still have an eyesight…

hi, I`m self employed and 4 years away from state pension age, 67, and would like to take my Reassure pension pot and open a draw down pension, which some firms are calling Sipps. I`ve spoken to a couple of financial advisers, but it seems like their fees can vary quite a lot, one even asking for 4.5% of my pot, which I…

Hi, [First world problem post alert….] For a top rate taxpayer at what point do people think its worth focusing on ISAs at the expense of the SIPP. Generally I think SIPP is no brainer when saving tax of 47% so I have focused all my efforts there. Today I have a SIPP of 970k [contributing 3k / month] and ISA of 30k…

Hello, Anyone else experiencing long delays for responses? I got a letter responding to a complaint I raised at the start of December about my Prudential pension. The letter (dated 31 Dec) from the person (mandg email address) handling it stated… "WHEN YOU CAN EXPECT TO HEAR FROM ME? I will contact you again as soon as I…

Hi I do not know if this is something people here could help me with or if I need to pay for advice. If so how do I go about finding someone I was recently made redundant (aged 59). Decided that in todays job market, for an IT job and at my age. I will just take early retirement. I have two work pensions, both index linked…

Hi I have a practical question regarding reinvesting tax relief back into my SIPP. Grateful for any help, as I can't find the answer elsewhere on-line. Apologies in advance if this has already been answered elsewhere. My situation is this: I am a higher-rate (40%) tax payer who contributes regularly into a SIPP. Via my…

Hi there, I am a bit in the unknown about all things pensions and looking for some pointers and help. From a previous employer I have a pension pot with ca 45k in it just now. It's not invested, just a cash pot. Every year the pot is increasing by inflation, up to a maximum of 5% so unless inflation sits above 5% spending…

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I have a deferred defined benefit scheme (final salary) which I have been receiving annual retirement quotations from on retirement income. So that I can plan my retirement accordingly. I have noticed that over the past 8 years, the value of my 25% tax free lump sum plus income, and 100% income option has gone up and down…

For attention of anyone with an Aegon pension plan I have today received notice from Aegon that, from June 2020, Aegon took more than the 1% charge my plan was meant to be billed at every year. I do not know if this is a problem specific to my account, or everyone with the same plan. (I don't recall doing anything around…

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Hi, I have recently given up work at 55 and will start taking my DB pension from April 26. This will provide some of my monthly income and I will then need to top up from savings (this includes my TFLS from the DB pension) or one of 2 DC pensions I have. These have not yet been touched. The DB pension will not use all of…

Hi. On the back of the Martin Lewis Money Show, I helped my 82 year old Mum, who is being treated for multiple myeloma, to apply for missing HRP in July 2025. Despite a number of calls to HMRC, initially confirming in the first call the application had been received (albeit she received an auto email confirming this) and,…

Me and the missus are retiring in two years time aged 57. She will have an index linked DB pension paying £20k gross. I hope to have my DC pension up to approx. £300k and we will have "cash" (ISA etc.) savings of approx £150k. We also have a rental house in my name and a house in her name (its actually 2 houses each which…

Hello I see there's a few USS queries on here but none addressing my concern - which is what happens to the Investment Builder pot when you die? From what I can work out, it's not directly inheritable - which is surely a big downside of keeping funds in there after you've retired? My situation is that I have (been) retired…

I sincerely hope that this is the correct forum, if not please let me know and will move it. My son received a payment from the CICA and a part of this is in a Discretionary trust which was an insistance from the authority. My son is now 41 and his award was made in 2021 following the incident in 2009 when he was 25. There…

My daughter is 24 and in her first year as a qualified teacher. I don't know much about student loans, but they are in the news much more. She is not thinking about her pension at her young age, but I believe she earns around £35k. Would someone earning £35k be paying off a student loan and would it make sense to increase…