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SIPP for Elderly person

Asking the question on behalf of an elderly person who for the first time in many years has just started paying tax, slightly under £1500 a year. Question is should she open a SIPP to pay into in-order to dissipate that tax liability or is the cost of doing so more than the saving available.

Personally I have little knowledge about SIPPs as I don't have one, I have chosen to use ISAs instead hence looking for advice from the forum.

Thanks,

Comments

  • BoGoF
    BoGoF Posts: 7,098 Forumite
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    Paying into a SIPP won't reduce their tax liability unless they are a 40% taxpayer which sounds unlikely if the tax is only £1500
  • bowlhead99
    bowlhead99 Posts: 12,295 Forumite
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    How old is 'elderly'? Generally only youngsters under 75 will benefit from being able to pay into a pension.

    And what are they paying tax on - employment or self employed business income (which could be put into a pension to avoid or defer paying tax on it), or savings/investment /pension income (which could not be put into a pension, other than the £3600 gross contributions which all of us under 75 can make)?
  • RomfordNavy
    RomfordNavy Posts: 792 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    bowlhead99 wrote: »
    How old is 'elderly'? Generally only youngsters under 75 will benefit from being able to pay into a pension.

    And what are they paying tax on - employment or self employed business income (which could be put into a pension to avoid or defer paying tax on it), or savings/investment /pension income (which could not be put into a pension, other than the £3600 gross contributions which all of us under 75 can make)?
    Elderly = nearly 90

    Income is Government Pension + deceased husbands Company Pension + Government 'Attendance Allowance'. Lower rate tax band, but now that her Married Couples Allowance has been taken away she is a bit over the tax allowance.
  • AnotherJoe
    AnotherJoe Posts: 19,622 Forumite
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    They are too old. 75 is the cut off point.
  • Elderly = nearly 90

    At this age the lady would not receive tax relief on a personal pension contribution, so there would be no immediate tax benefit in her paying into a SIPP - certainly not one that would reduce her income tax bill.
    Nobody is completely useless; they can always be used as a bad example
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