📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Is it worth it

Options
sukh38
sukh38 Posts: 115 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
Ive got a private pension where i pay 6% and my employer adds 20%

Should i stick with that or sign up for the new opt in pension?

i.e the opt in pension its free money i dont have to contribute anything?

whats the flaws of the new opt in pension ?

please advice colleagues at work think I have made the wrong decision

Comments

  • GhIFA
    GhIFA Posts: 619 Forumite
    It's not a case of "signing up" - if you meet the criteria, your employer will have to enrol you automatically. You will still have to contribute, although not at the level you do now, but then if you reduce your contributions then the employer is likely to reduce theirs.

    If your employer is happy to carry on with your current arrangement, then take it - a 20% contribution is not to be sniffed at. However, even if is the case, they will still need to auto-enrol you in their designated qualifying arrangement, and you will need to opt out of that.
    I am an IFA. Any comments made on this forum are provided for information only and should not be construed as advice. Should you need advice on a specific area then please consult a local IFA.
  • dunstonh
    dunstonh Posts: 119,756 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Already commented on your misunderstanding of the auto enrolment rules on your other thread. So, wont repeat that here.
    please advice colleagues at work think I have made the wrong decision

    20% is a massive employer contribution. Are you sure that is right? If it is then it would be unbelievably stupid to not take advantage of that. If you have work colleagues that cannot see that then they are silly ones. Not you.
    I am an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA). The comments I make are just my opinion and are for discussion purposes only. They are not financial advice and you should not treat them as such. If you feel an area discussed may be relevant to you, then please seek advice from an Independent Financial Adviser local to you.
  • elantan
    elantan Posts: 21,022 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    sigh a 20% employer contribution is the stuff of dreams for me, even 5% would be amazing ... i only get 1%

    if your employer is paying 20% into your pension grab it with both hands
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 2,175 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Name Dropper
    As others have said, 20% is massive. Turning that down would be like ripping up the winning lotto ticket.
  • JoeCrystal
    JoeCrystal Posts: 3,334 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    20%? That is wonderful! My employer do not even contribute anything at all! You are not making a mistake. You compared to your work colleagues will be much better off as a result. Think of it as part of your remuneration. If you do not use it, then your remuneration will suffer.

    Cheers,
    Joe
  • No need to repeat what seem to have been quite consistent views.
    What I would suggest you do, however, is compare the costs on both plan i.e. the one you have the auto enrolment one. You may find that one provides a lower cost alternative and you may be able to persuade your employer to put the 20% into the one that is better value for you at little or no cost to the employer.
    In summary - keep the 20% but make sure it goes into the better plan cost-wise.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 351.1K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.2K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 244.1K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 599.2K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177K Life & Family
  • 257.5K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.