Pension advice

blinko

Hi all

Please can I ask for your advice on my pension, i have two different funds from previous employers (no personal pension)

SW Sch UK Mid 250
Fidelity blackrock long term fund class 5

https://www.trustnet.com/factsheets/n/yx84/sw-schroder-uk-mid-250

unable to find information about the fidelity fund.

Are these funds any good?
Expensive ?
Should I consolidate into one fund ?

I have about 25 years till I retire (unfortunately lol)

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated

Thank you

campbell19925

Past 5 years performance have been good for both - just under market benchmark for SW Sch UK and over for Blackrock. You are sitting at a 10/10 risk level on your fidelity pension as it is 100% invested in equities. Sch is more balanced but still quite a risky investment. If you were still employed by the companies you used to work or you enjoy a risky investmen this would be ok - but if you are relitively risk averse you need to think about xferring out unless you are privy to volitility and potentially large losses (and gains).

You need to understand that because your ATR would help determine any suitable further investment.

To be able to give any more information on your pension + alternatives we would need to see how particularly suitable they are to you - since I assume you are not anywhere near 55 and therefore not looking to access cash in the next 5 year you need to think - can I get anything more suitable and cheaper?

So I would need to know;

Charges + fees you are paying for these funds
Does it have fad enabled? Many old workplace ones don't - is FAD important to you?
Do you have any particular guarantees in these pensions? What would you lose by xferring out?

blinko

Hi

Thanks for your reply

what is ATR

expense
Fidelity fund 0.35%
SW mid 250 1%

I'm not sure what FAD is either these are both old work place pensions that they contributed too and I did too

Im not sure what it might cost me to transfer out , how can I find out ?

Thanks

Marcon

blinko wrote: »

what is ATR
I'm not sure what FAD is either these are both old work place pensions that they contributed too and I did too

Im not sure what it might cost me to transfer out , how can I find out ?

ATR = attitude to risk
FAD = Flexi access drawdown

Cost of transferring out - you need to ask your pension provider.

Prism

The performance of the Schroder 250 fund has been poor. It is using the wrong benchmark. Rather than UK all companies it should be using the FTSE 250. Over 5 years the FTSE 250 is up 57% compared to Schroders 35%. It has failed over 10 years too. I would avoid.

blinko

Thanks I only have 450 in that fund the schroders and yes that is poor if its supposed to track the FTSE 250 !

Ok will talk to my fund providers and find out

dunstonh

Thanks I only have 450 in that fund the schroders and yes that is poor if its supposed to track the FTSE 250 !

Its doesn't.

Transfer the pension out and dont limit yourself to those available on SW. If you want 250 tracking then HSBC250 does the job.

blinko

How does the blackrock Long fund rate in your opinion guys ? there doesn't seem to be that much information out there about it ? it has expenses of 0.35%

Also does anyone rate the vanguard funds ?
Lastly is berkshire hathaway any good - warren has done an amazing job over the years but i don't see it being mentioned much on here or other forums.....

xylophone

Are you able to transfer into your current employer's scheme?

dunstonh

How does the blackrock Long fund rate in your opinion guys ? there doesn't seem to be that much information out there about it ? it has expenses of 0.35%

Consistent underperformer with much better options available that do a similar thing.

Also does anyone rate the vanguard funds ?

Those that pray to the Church of Vanguard do. They do have some good funds in some areas but others can be better in other areas. No one fund house is the best in every area.

Lastly is berkshire hathaway any good - warren has done an amazing job over the years but i don't see it being mentioned much on here or other forums.....

You wouldn't do. It isnt something someone in the UK would generally use. It was possible pre MiFID. Not sure if it still is post MiFID.

Be wary of looking up fashions and picking investments on that basis.

blinko

xylophone wrote: »

Are you able to transfer into your current employer's scheme?

i am pretty sure I am but if i do transfer it I don't know what to transfer it to, i have about 20 years investment time line so i am quite happy to go for something more risky that will grow over time. eg FTSE 350 tracker etc