USS - to TFLS or not, and tax implications

WillC999

Cobbler_tone said:

WillC999 said:

Further to my confusion above, a bit of simple maths tells me that after about 20ish years, the TFLS vs annual amount calculator comes to about the same. So the issue boils down to annual income and tax etc, i.e. having  an annual income which doesn't push you into the 40% tax band. 
Apologies if this is/was obvious, but it wasn't to me until now.

It's exactly what the forum is for, to increase understanding of how pensions and specific schemes work.
FWIW I will take some of my lump sum but not all of it (not USS). It is a balance of what you want/need, whilst securing the income you want, along with the relevant linked rises each year. 

I would say the 'general' feeling you get from the forum is to not take the tax free cash unless you need it....but it is a lot, lot more complicated than that and down to personal choice. I'm sure your overall financial plan and personal situation is different to the next person.

You haven't mentioned any investment builder and if you have that too would definitely head to the USS thread.

Thanks, I've done a lot of very helpful learning on this forum. No IB, just DB. 
The impact of my choices for my USS DB pot pension vs TFLS seem to boil down to 'not much' - if I take the middling TFLS (34k) the pension is 11.5k. I can live off the 34k for a year or so, and this means the SIPP remains untouched for that year and can accrue a bit more. 11.5k vs 13k forever are both fine*.
* assuming forever => about 20 years (75)