Transferring a pension (DC pot, not retired yet)

Snakey

I have always struggled to tell what the deal is with SL, the extra units were near-invisible to me even when I was still with my old employer and when I log in to their website I don't get the same information on charges as I do with my newer SL one.

The original deal - in about 2011 - was that it dropped to 0.54% when you left, but the IFA has confirmed directly with them that my current discount/rebate is 0.7% so - on the basis that, as specialist advisers, the IFA knew how to ask the questions and correctly understood what was said in response - I suppose my ex-employers must've renegotiated when the rules changed.

The things they are recommending I buy have a weighted charge of 0.85%, compared to the SL ones (incorporating the discount) of 0.687% which I assume to be for my current portfolio rather than any attempt to compare apples and apples. (My portfolio was done by an IFA, but the firm's changed hands, hence my current position of being the recipient of a sales pitch.)

It seems the consensus is that I shouldn't be paying a transfer fee, so that's useful to know and I'll bear that in mind especially if they try to use it as a negotiating tool as if I should normally expect to have to pay!

James, the whole "pre-55" side of things is a mess thanks to rules changes and me getting carried away with the tax-efficiency of pension contributions at the expense of balance. I've already breached the LTA, while having insufficient ISA/GIA to fund a long "gap", and can only wait and see whether it'll be made worse by a change to 57. That said, while I can't see under the hood of their cash flow planning, it doesn't appear to require me to touch my pension until 59 - I guess that's on the basis of spending all my non-pension capital until it's gone. I don't plan on making a decision about handing in my notice until a lot nearer the time!