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Pension fund £16000 to pay just £480 per yr

245

Comments

  • EdInvestor
    EdInvestor Posts: 15,749 Forumite
    You need to inquire further into the rules of the scheme itself, all options are theoretically possible.
    Trying to keep it simple...;)
  • jamesd
    jamesd Posts: 26,103 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    philng, she should be able to transfer both the money from this scheme and from all past money purchase schemes into a single pension pot. It sounds as though a visit to an IFA from unbiased.co.uk would be useful since an IFA should be able to get straight answers from this work pension's administrators and arrange transfer or give a clear and legal reason why not. The rest can be taken care of at the same time.

    Once they are transferred the best option is likely to be to take 25% tax free lump sum now and leave the rest invested until later. Then the 25% into investments in a stocks and shares ISA. This way she'll be able to draw on it before age 55 after the rule change next April since she'll have taken benefits (the 25%) already.
  • jamesd
    jamesd Posts: 26,103 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    marklv wrote: »
    Pension funds are not designed to provide a living for middle aged people who fancy dropping out of the labour market.
    It's also a fact that one of my parents died of a heart attack in their early 40s. I'll need to outlive that parent by 13 years even if I retire at 55. To even reach state retirement age I'll need to outlive that parent by more than half of their life, 24 years older than their age of death.

    It is a fact that it'll be expensive but since I'm contributing more than 60% of my income to saving and investing it's entirely doable to retire only ten years after the age of death of that parent and have a fair chance of some retirement years.
  • TMFTP
    TMFTP Posts: 195 Forumite
    Ignore the troll, james.
  • bendix
    bendix Posts: 5,499 Forumite
    marklv wrote: »
    Pension funds are not designed to provide a living for middle aged people who fancy dropping out of the labour market. Taking retirement before at least age 60 is likely to be very expensive - this is a fact.


    On the contrary, that is not a fact. That is a high subjective and relative concept.

    I am finding it relatively easy to plan to do exactly that. Of course, it requires discipline and focus - two characteristics sadly lacking in modern society - but it can be done without breaking into a sweat.
  • marklv
    marklv Posts: 1,768 Forumite
    jamesd wrote: »
    It's also a fact that one of my parents died of a heart attack in their early 40s. I'll need to outlive that parent by 13 years even if I retire at 55. To even reach state retirement age I'll need to outlive that parent by more than half of their life, 24 years older than their age of death.

    It is a fact that it'll be expensive but since I'm contributing more than 60% of my income to saving and investing it's entirely doable to retire only ten years after the age of death of that parent and have a fair chance of some retirement years.

    If you are willing to put a huge portion of your income into various investments then you may be able to retire early, but bear in mind that the minimum age of retirement will soon rise to 55. Most people cannot afford to save such large amounts of money.

    It's sad that your parent died so early, but it doesn't necessarily follow that you will as well.
  • marklv
    marklv Posts: 1,768 Forumite
    bendix wrote: »
    On the contrary, that is not a fact. That is a high subjective and relative concept.

    I am finding it relatively easy to plan to do exactly that. Of course, it requires discipline and focus - two characteristics sadly lacking in modern society - but it can be done without breaking into a sweat.

    One certain fact is that most people cannot afford to pour 50-60% of income into pensions and savings. Most people have mortgages to pay and lives to lead. In order to have a balanced lifestyle you need to balance your savings throughout your life. You can't just plan for the future without ever enjoying the present.
  • jamesd
    jamesd Posts: 26,103 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 23 September 2009 at 10:58PM
    marklv, many people can't, like many on means-tested benefits. More could but choose not to, though few would choose to be as active as I'm being about it. As you imply, there's a trade-off to be made between lifestyle and having to work and not having to work sooner, with the lifestyle that delivers.

    "the minimum age of retirement will soon rise to 55" isn't quite true, though for those who are content to do little to retire it is. Only the minimum age for most people to take pension benefits is increasing, not the minimum age at which you can retire if you have sufficient income from other sources outside pensions.
  • marklv
    marklv Posts: 1,768 Forumite
    jamesd wrote: »
    "the minimum age of retirement will soon rise to 55" isn't quite true, though for those who are content to do little to retire it is. Only the minimum age for most people to take pension benefits is increasing, not the minimum age at which you can retire if you have sufficient income from other sources outside pensions.

    Other sources outside pensions? To me that means either winning the lottery jackpot or inheriting a £1M mansion from the long lost uncle.

    Sorry - I live in the real world.
  • marklv wrote: »
    Other sources outside pensions? To me that means either winning the lottery jackpot or inheriting a £1M mansion from the long lost uncle.

    Sorry - I live in the real world.

    Lots of people plan for their retirement without using pensions. Pensions are just one tool for retirement planning; others may be:

    Selling businesses / taking a backseat
    ISAs
    Direct Shares
    Buy to Let Property
    Equity Release

    etc etc. Pensions are just a tax wrapper to hold your investments in.
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