State Pension Query

seven-day-weekend

evergreen wrote: »

I got married in April 1978 and remember moaning my head off as I didn't have the option of the 'small stamp'. How glad am I now that choice was not given to me!!!!

I got married in 1971 and paid small stamp for about a year, then thought I may as well build up a pension for myself seeing as I had the opportunity. I'm SO glad I changed!

margaretclare

Yes, I think that those of us who changed for a short while - because 'everyone else did it, it was what you did' - and then changed back again to full contributions, are really pleased about it now.

Women could have changed back at any time, but many preferred the money in their pocket then. Whatever the money was spent on at the time is now long gone and forgotten, and those women - some only just coming up to retirement - are now regretting it. We're hearing it 'I worked all those years and now don't get a pension, it's not fair, the government should do something about it...' Well, you may have worked all those years, but if you didn't pay NI contributions you don't get your own pension, simple as that!

Margaret

seven-day-weekend

Yes, I agree Margaret, those women made that choice at the time. Some say they didn't know they had a choice and that's a shame, but I believe these are in the minority. I always knew I had a choice and that if I elected for married womens' stamp I wopuld be building up no pension for myself and would have to rely on my husband's contributions at tretirement age.

One reson why I changed (If I remember accurately after all these years!) was I felt that me having my own pension provision would give us both (myself and my husband) more choice in life later. I've always been a believer in keeping your options open if you can.

The other thing was I didn't know if , horrible thought but had to be faced, whether my husband would die before he had made enough provision for me! It seemed a bit parasitic to be relying on someone else for such an important thing, even my own much-loved husband (who I'm glad to say is still here with me after 36 years of marriage). We don't have control over those sort of things so I thought I'd better not bank on someone else providing a pension for me.

Anyway, roll on 2010 and nearly £90 a week!

notahopeinhell

And there was I just thinking it was quite simple really!

Anyway I guess the best thing is to get an estimate and see what that brings we don't have a clue as to what contributions she has paid to be honest.

Thanks again folks for all your advice and information.