Withdraw my pension contributions - Is it forbidden by law?

PensionTech

The OP doesn't mention anything about being a deferred member.

You're quite right - I made that assumption because that's the usual time at which people realise that they can't get a refund. On reading it again, it sounds like they are active. In which case, OP, unless you're really hard up and can't possibly afford it in any way, don't opt out!!

Surprising??? Oh, come on!

I was about to say "come on yourself!" but realised that was probably the wrong phrase.

Yes, surprising; I've seen dafter mistakes, and people saying that they didn't realise they couldn't get money back out of their pension is not that rare. Whether the OP should have been aware is of scant relevance really, although I agree (and have said) that they should have been. Clearly, one way or another, they weren't aware, and what they need now is information, not humiliation.

If the OP rejoins following these comments with a tirade of abuse against me or the USS or the pensions industry in general then I might be a little less tolerant. But at the moment I think this is just a case of someone being caught out because they weren't entirely financially literate (or, as mentioned above, perhaps even used to a different country's pension regime - which is not so unlikely in USS), and they should be given a chance to understand and be treated with politeness.

xylophone

And that's just the four I thought to check.

Fair enough that such arrangements are fluid in the countries you mention but that does not prevent the fact that a pension as commonly understood is retirement provision.

Blaming the (potential) victim

"Victim" - of what or whom? His own failure to read the information provided about his pension scheme?

http://www.uss.co.uk/SCHEMEGUIDE/FINALSALARYBENEFITSSECTION/LEAVINGTHESCHEME/Pages/default.aspx

atush

The OP certainly is not a victim. Poor choice of words.

EdSwippet

Okay, (potential) ingenue, then. Either way I doubt the OP will return -- I wouldn't if it were me -- and that's a sad reflection on the forum.

atush

The OP was on a bit of a rant, and did get good information.

EdSwippet

I don't really see a rant. There is certain level of frustration, but that could be understandable depending on the (not revealed) circumstances. The OP received some useful information, but outweighed by hostile put-downs and discourteous and condescending mockery.

Yeah, we all know this because we have been hanging around either this forum or one like it forever. But that doesn't mean everyone knows it, and nobody is born knowing it. Do you read every line of the T&Cs of everything you sign up to?

We should be ashamed. This is not the right way to treat newcomers.