Pension benefits advice

Marcon

Brie said:

@Marcon
Canadian Pension Plan.  So a federal state pension (as in government but no provincial).  No idea what it is worth as that's difficult to find out from here - I expect I'll know maybe by the autumn which doesn't help with my current investigations.  They admit there's an extensive delay in dealing with correspondence.

Does this help: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/state-pension-if-youve-lived-in-australia-canada-or-new-zealand

It's the bit at the end which I hope might be relevant for you, viz:

Who the change does not affect

You are not affected by the change if you either:

• live in the UK, whatever your nationality
• are a UK national, EU or EEA citizen or Swiss national who was living it the EU, EEA or Switzerland by 31 December 2021

As long as you continue to live in the same country, you will still be able to count time living in Australia (before 1 March 2001), Canada or New Zealand to calculate your UK State Pension.

gm0

You have three basic options.  Forget the provider x3 other than scheme documents, values etc.  They are boxed in by rules and can't talk to you sensibly. They might introduce an adviser  by referral on but they may not be truly independent or the best route for you. Careful with that

Real options:

1.  Learn about it - here, at PensionWise, books, web.  Sort it out yourself. 
     Minimal up front and running costs. Your time. Risky/Costly if you screw it up. 
     Time consuming to learn. Choosing your own investments which can be choosing a risk level and packaged product or as complex as you choose to make it.

2.  RoboAdvice firm/platform - e.g. PensionBee. Or a transfer DC consolidation factory firm. 
     Choosing a risk level during fact finding to set your investments from their range. 
     This is cut down investment suitability advice.  Charges vary a lot.  % or fixed, capped.  One off, ongoing. They sort your admin for money

3. Find a genuinely independent practitioner IFA and sign up and let them work through the details. Then recommend Platform, Portfolio, sort it out, set it up. And guide you how your overall tax affairs work with it.  Up front cost. 
    Ongoing run cost ~0.5% pa - reviews, income setting, fund review, portfolio etc.  This is either a great bargain or a
    terrible deal depending upon how you view the amount and the complexity of the work done for it. 
    Hence wildly differing opinions here

You will need to do some of Option 1 anyway.  Just to make sense of what you are offered by 2, or 3.

Not preferred

4.  Wealth management tied advice - selling own brand products to you.  Usually the most expensive option. 
     Does essentially the same thing as 3 just more expensively

Brie

@Marcon
Again thanks - a very handy link.

But...do I have to count time working in Canada towards my UK SP?  A forecast says I'm near the max on the SP so don't need the extra years but potentially I might get a few $$$ from CPP.  OH may actually benefit by using the time served (so to speak) over there.

xylophone

You might try here for an IFA

https://adviserbook.co.uk/

Tick "confirmed independent" and whatever else is required.

Marcon

Brie said:

@Marcon
Again thanks - a very handy link.

But...do I have to count time working in Canada towards my UK SP?  A forecast says I'm near the max on the SP so don't need the extra years but potentially I might get a few $$$ from CPP.  OH may actually benefit by using the time served (so to speak) over there.

I don't know and a bit of diligent googling hasn't answered the question! I think that really is one you'll need to ask about here: https://www.gov.uk/international-pension-centre (you can make an online enquiry - you don't need to hold on the phone for ages in the hope you might get through eventually...).