MSE News: Pension tracing service to shed light on long-lost savings – check online i

buglawton wrote: »

Well you do have a point, although obliquely put:
When I had to do my first self-assessment I planned to do it online. Was fairly relaxed about the deadline. Finally early last December I popped online with my numbers ready, expecting it to take an hour or so.

And... stopped dead by the Verify Account step. Which involved waiting for a piece of paper through the letterbox from HMRC, just to begin to get started. Mid January came, no bit of paper. Phoned HMRC (so much for online-government) and made a point that my deadline now needed extending, which they did. And managed to cajole the verification code out of them on the phone since I (and probably they too) didn't trust the postal method working in a timely way.

Poor service, but did you really have to wait for over eight months from the end of the tax year to start filling it in?

I've nearly completed mine for the last tax year, just suffering from some tardiness by my employer on gaining a P11D and confirmation from my sipp provider of actual contributions, though I have the latter and only need their info to double check.

mgdavid wrote: »

don't understand why you 'd want to be so negative.

I just like to moan. It's good therapy to release the frustration of dealing with bureaucracy. No doubt regression therapy can reveal the root cause, probably they lost a triplicate form three times, and I blocked it out.


That's another moan. If I needed NHS mental health therapy, I'll bet I won't get it. Call it being negative if you like.


Actually, I just remembered. I went through four passport application forms last time, just because my signature touched the edge of the box. Groan.

gadgetmind wrote: »

Why, out of interest? Most people do find some way of building up the years. My wife worked for about three years, had a twenty year break when offspring came along, but still has 30+ years already.

I don't have "earned" income, but if I really wanted to, I could make voluntary NI contributions.


Bizarrely, around fifteen years ago, the Job Centre said I could register as unemployed, and sign on every two weeks, but receive no Supplementary Benefit (= Job Seeker's Allowance), nor Housing Benefit, etc., because I had too much rental income (landlord). The plus side is, I would get full NI credits for all the time I was registered as unemployed. So, I could have 36 years of NI contributions by now through a technicality. Couldn't be bothered to sign on every two weeks, though.


The rental income was getting close to the higher rate tax band. If I let it carry on, all the pensions ( state, final salary and personal ) could push me over into the higher rate tax band when they kick in.


I am currently transforming (sold a house) rental income into future capital gains and dividend. This will free up some basic rate tax allowance so that all the pesky pension money won't make me pay higher rate tax.


Believe it or not, I keep an eye on the state pension statement to make sure there is not too much of it.


Ok, I can give it to charity if I really had to.


I am looking for one where they reduce the world population, by not saving children whenever possible.
Unsave the Children?