Why do posters here have disproportionately higher than average pension funds...

Prism

doris540 said:

Yes of course The Public sector pay taxes however with their so called lower salaries etc they will pay less tax whilst us with our supposed bigger salaries will pay more helping boost their pension employer contributions..What many fail to appreciate is we had our Final salary schemes pulled from under our feet years ago throu no fault of our own. The Public sector ones were reformed yet they are still far ahead in relation to the private sector and yet still The Public sector kicked off big time..

So what is your contribution percentage to your company DC pension? 20%? 30%? Because thats what it takes to run a final salary scheme and its what you could choose to do yourself and end up with a very decent pot. 
Oh, and you mentioned earlier significant loses this year? You realise that the stock markets are up this year not down?

Pile_o_stone

cfw1994 said:

Pile_o_stone said:

couriervanman said:

OP I've always loved these posts as well your not the only one
Its always somebody who is mortgage free in a £500k house with £150k in isa,generous pension pot £350k increasing by £1k a month top up with a partner who has retired a few years earlier on £20k a year.+ £100k savings. And they always ask will i have enough to last for 20 years,plus they forget the £180 a week they will collect at 65. 

They also seem to have 8% growth year on year on year, and do not get hit with the Global financial crisis crash, the Corona virus crash or other corrections in the market. I also would take issue with the idea that if you are interested in pensions and save early then you will automatically get a £1m pot. As someone who has been a high rate taxpayer for over 20 years and who has been VERY interested in pensions over that time, who has consistently saved double digit percentages (I saved 15% when that used to be the maximum and I have been saving 20% over the last 7 years). I have always had DC pensions and when I move companies I have consolidated my pensions into a HL SIPP which gives me access to a large range of funds. I have no where near £1m saved in a pension plan. I'm currently 15% down on my pre-corona share values.

15% down?

Really?   Are you investing in super safe funds?
I took an overkeen interest this year in my main DC pot.  +4% since the Feb, +23% since the trough in March, and  +10% on start of year.    

I agree, 8% year after year gains would be unrealistic....but markets have broadly (& curiously, perhaps!) bounced back apace.

If I was invested in super safe funds, then I'd imagine they would not still be 15% down after the Corona crash. I assume you were in supersafe funds prior to the crash and then moved them all to riskier high-gain equities after the crash? 

Looking at your figures, you have made a 6% gain since the crash, so your shares must have fallen 17% in the crash (i.e. +4% - 17% + 23% = 10%). What funds/shares were you in prior to the crash for such a small drop from peak to trough?

Prism

Pile_o_stone said:

cfw1994 said:

Pile_o_stone said:

couriervanman said:

OP I've always loved these posts as well your not the only one
Its always somebody who is mortgage free in a £500k house with £150k in isa,generous pension pot £350k increasing by £1k a month top up with a partner who has retired a few years earlier on £20k a year.+ £100k savings. And they always ask will i have enough to last for 20 years,plus they forget the £180 a week they will collect at 65. 

They also seem to have 8% growth year on year on year, and do not get hit with the Global financial crisis crash, the Corona virus crash or other corrections in the market. I also would take issue with the idea that if you are interested in pensions and save early then you will automatically get a £1m pot. As someone who has been a high rate taxpayer for over 20 years and who has been VERY interested in pensions over that time, who has consistently saved double digit percentages (I saved 15% when that used to be the maximum and I have been saving 20% over the last 7 years). I have always had DC pensions and when I move companies I have consolidated my pensions into a HL SIPP which gives me access to a large range of funds. I have no where near £1m saved in a pension plan. I'm currently 15% down on my pre-corona share values.

15% down?

Really?   Are you investing in super safe funds?
I took an overkeen interest this year in my main DC pot.  +4% since the Feb, +23% since the trough in March, and  +10% on start of year.    

I agree, 8% year after year gains would be unrealistic....but markets have broadly (& curiously, perhaps!) bounced back apace.

If I was invested in super safe funds, then I'd imagine they would not still be 15% down after the Corona crash. I assume you were in supersafe funds prior to the crash and then moved them all to riskier high-gain equities after the crash? 

I have pretty similar figures in my SIPP which is 100% equities - about 9% up YTD. No buying or selling during the crash, just regular contributions.

Pile_o_stone

Prism said:

Pile_o_stone said:

cfw1994 said:

Pile_o_stone said:

couriervanman said:

OP I've always loved these posts as well your not the only one
Its always somebody who is mortgage free in a £500k house with £150k in isa,generous pension pot £350k increasing by £1k a month top up with a partner who has retired a few years earlier on £20k a year.+ £100k savings. And they always ask will i have enough to last for 20 years,plus they forget the £180 a week they will collect at 65. 

They also seem to have 8% growth year on year on year, and do not get hit with the Global financial crisis crash, the Corona virus crash or other corrections in the market. I also would take issue with the idea that if you are interested in pensions and save early then you will automatically get a £1m pot. As someone who has been a high rate taxpayer for over 20 years and who has been VERY interested in pensions over that time, who has consistently saved double digit percentages (I saved 15% when that used to be the maximum and I have been saving 20% over the last 7 years). I have always had DC pensions and when I move companies I have consolidated my pensions into a HL SIPP which gives me access to a large range of funds. I have no where near £1m saved in a pension plan. I'm currently 15% down on my pre-corona share values.

15% down?

Really?   Are you investing in super safe funds?
I took an overkeen interest this year in my main DC pot.  +4% since the Feb, +23% since the trough in March, and  +10% on start of year.    

I agree, 8% year after year gains would be unrealistic....but markets have broadly (& curiously, perhaps!) bounced back apace.

If I was invested in super safe funds, then I'd imagine they would not still be 15% down after the Corona crash. I assume you were in supersafe funds prior to the crash and then moved them all to riskier high-gain equities after the crash? 

I have pretty similar figures in my SIPP which is 100% equities - about 9% up YTD. No buying or selling during the crash, just regular contributions.

What shares/funds are you invested in?

Prism

Pile_o_stone said:

Prism said:

Pile_o_stone said:

cfw1994 said:

Pile_o_stone said:

couriervanman said:

OP I've always loved these posts as well your not the only one
Its always somebody who is mortgage free in a £500k house with £150k in isa,generous pension pot £350k increasing by £1k a month top up with a partner who has retired a few years earlier on £20k a year.+ £100k savings. And they always ask will i have enough to last for 20 years,plus they forget the £180 a week they will collect at 65. 

They also seem to have 8% growth year on year on year, and do not get hit with the Global financial crisis crash, the Corona virus crash or other corrections in the market. I also would take issue with the idea that if you are interested in pensions and save early then you will automatically get a £1m pot. As someone who has been a high rate taxpayer for over 20 years and who has been VERY interested in pensions over that time, who has consistently saved double digit percentages (I saved 15% when that used to be the maximum and I have been saving 20% over the last 7 years). I have always had DC pensions and when I move companies I have consolidated my pensions into a HL SIPP which gives me access to a large range of funds. I have no where near £1m saved in a pension plan. I'm currently 15% down on my pre-corona share values.

15% down?

Really?   Are you investing in super safe funds?
I took an overkeen interest this year in my main DC pot.  +4% since the Feb, +23% since the trough in March, and  +10% on start of year.    

I agree, 8% year after year gains would be unrealistic....but markets have broadly (& curiously, perhaps!) bounced back apace.

If I was invested in super safe funds, then I'd imagine they would not still be 15% down after the Corona crash. I assume you were in supersafe funds prior to the crash and then moved them all to riskier high-gain equities after the crash? 

I have pretty similar figures in my SIPP which is 100% equities - about 9% up YTD. No buying or selling during the crash, just regular contributions.

What shares/funds are you invested in?

This is from last October but its pretty much the same allocations. Smaller companies are at a slightly higher percentage due to growth.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/76369014/#Comment_76369014

cfw1994

Pile_o_stone said:

cfw1994 said:

Pile_o_stone said:

couriervanman said:

OP I've always loved these posts as well your not the only one
Its always somebody who is mortgage free in a £500k house with £150k in isa,generous pension pot £350k increasing by £1k a month top up with a partner who has retired a few years earlier on £20k a year.+ £100k savings. And they always ask will i have enough to last for 20 years,plus they forget the £180 a week they will collect at 65. 

They also seem to have 8% growth year on year on year, and do not get hit with the Global financial crisis crash, the Corona virus crash or other corrections in the market. I also would take issue with the idea that if you are interested in pensions and save early then you will automatically get a £1m pot. As someone who has been a high rate taxpayer for over 20 years and who has been VERY interested in pensions over that time, who has consistently saved double digit percentages (I saved 15% when that used to be the maximum and I have been saving 20% over the last 7 years). I have always had DC pensions and when I move companies I have consolidated my pensions into a HL SIPP which gives me access to a large range of funds. I have no where near £1m saved in a pension plan. I'm currently 15% down on my pre-corona share values.

15% down?

Really?   Are you investing in super safe funds?
I took an overkeen interest this year in my main DC pot.  +4% since the Feb, +23% since the trough in March, and  +10% on start of year.    

I agree, 8% year after year gains would be unrealistic....but markets have broadly (& curiously, perhaps!) bounced back apace.

If I was invested in super safe funds, then I'd imagine they would not still be 15% down after the Corona crash. I assume you were in supersafe funds prior to the crash and then moved them all to riskier high-gain equities after the crash? 

Looking at your figures, you have made a 6% gain since the crash, so your shares must have fallen 17% in the crash (i.e. +4% - 17% + 23% = 10%). What funds/shares were you in prior to the crash for such a small drop from peak to trough?

Super-safe? 
Not at all.   
My funds are currently split equally 4 ways: from "higher risk" to lower:

• Baillie Gifford American (moved from Aviva North American recently, but similar pref)
• Baillie Gifford International (moved from Blackrock World ex UK, but similar)
• BlackRock Over 15 Year Gilt Index Tracker
• Aviva Pre-retirement Fixed Interest

& sure, for the month from 21st Feb to 20th Mar (my peak to trough) they dipped almost 16%.....but given the DOW dropped 36%, the FTSE & S&P around 33%, I'm happy with the performance.    The first two show decent gains over 1/3/5/10 years, the latter two are okay, but it is always a balance, right?
Where are yours that are still 15% down?

randompenitent

Deleted_User said:

People who lose lots of money don’t tend to brag in chatrooms. Not sure why.

Part of me also wonders if the fish caught in anglers’ chatrooms was actually the size they tend to report. 

Well, I remember back in 1999-2000, investing in technology shares and thinking I was brilliant.  Everything just went up, until it didn't.
And working for companies that gave me share options. One unexpectedly worked out very well (paid off the mortgage and more) while another ended up worth precisely zero when the company was acquired for a smaller figure than the founders had hoped. Swings and roundabouts.
Fortunately I've saved into pensions throughout.

kinger101

jamjar92 said:

doris540 said:

 Agreed people could put more into their pensions in the private sector but very few if any companies will match an AVC by the employee.

You could always apply for a job in the public sector.  

AVC's are tied to the main scheme yes, that can be taken at the same time.  No local goverment employer pays anything into an AVC, never as, never will. The AVC's funds are not protected in anyway and are subject to market conditions, Capitial is at risk, whatever the value is at the time you take your main benefits could be used as part of the 25% lump sum. You can choose from a small list of funds by the Pru (in my case), from low risk to high risk.

Non-sequitur.  Doris frequently posts on the "pension apartheid" but never acknowledges the fact that she's free to apply of one of these cushy jobs in the public sector with their gold-plated pension schemes.

Unless of course, free will does not exist.  But if that's true, the same determinism controls those who decide what pensions we're entitled to. 

[Deleted User]

• “Baillie Gifford American (moved from Aviva North American recently, but similar pref)”

These funds are as different as it gets:
1. The Aviva’s fund is diversified and is basically a closet index fund with long term performance similar or a bit less than the index. 

2. BGA is a highly concentrated US tech fund with massive allocation to companies like Tesla, Shopifly and Netflix. If you wanted to bet on a pandemic in Dec 2019, you’d invest in these companies. BGA trounced the index YTD and has done well over the last ten years. 

Moving from the first fund to the second gives the appearance of performance chasing. 

Albermarle

If I was invested in super safe funds, then I'd imagine they would not still be 15% down after the Corona crash

Typical well known medium risk funds , such as Vanguard Life strategy 60 or HSBC global strategy balanced  are at almost exactly the same level as on Jan 1st ( minus 0.2% and minus 0.1 % respectively )

One with home bias and one without .