pension transfer question

hinchy

My companys pension scheme is offering to accept transfers in to the pension Plan benefits from other pension arrangements.( I neither knew or asked if this was available and only knew when a circular informed us that this facility will be withdrawn after 2009)
The Plan is in good health and is a defined benefits , career average scheme.
I have a Norwich Union stakeholder with a fund value approx £60k.
Can a stakeholder be transfered to an occupational scheme?
Is this worth serious consideration with an IFA?
or is it a case of not having all your eggs in one basket?

Retired_I.F.A.

Can a stakeholder be transfered to an occupational scheme?

Yes

Is this worth serious consideration with an IFA?

If you have what's on offer then yes a comparison can be made but your really just changing a money purchase plan worth £x for a defined benefit worth the same as your not going to get any employers contribution added are you? Plus once it's in you lose ownership, so as is the case and prospect for many a final salary scheme to not be able to sustain the level of benefits with the current market nothing's stopping them should they reduce the benefits. On the other hand should the investment returns increase in the future and the fund gets into a surplus stage your a ways off the top of the pile in seeing an improvement in benefits possibly below an employers contribution holiday for example.

Possibly worth it but I very much doubt it.