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Pension news and practical guidance

Clear thinking on the rules, the numbers and the decisions that affect UK savers — without the jargon.

Latest topics

The questions we get asked most often, and what our advisers say about them.

Retirement A peaceful woodland walk representing a comfortable retirement

How much do you actually need to retire in the UK?

Comfortable, moderate and minimum retirement standards are a useful yardstick — but your number depends on your mortgage, your health and the life you want. Here’s how to work it out.

Retirement planning
Transfers A financial adviser explaining pension transfer options

Five questions to ask before transferring a pension

Exit penalties, guaranteed annuity rates, protected tax-free cash, the charges on the receiving plan and who is actually giving you the advice.

Pension transfers
Tax Working through tax-efficient withdrawal figures on paper

Taking your 25% tax-free cash: timing matters

Withdrawing your lump sum the moment you turn 55 can quietly cost you years of tax-free growth. Sequencing pension, ISA and savings withdrawals is where real money is saved.

Tax planning
Consolidation Reviewing multiple pension statements together

Is consolidating your pensions always a good idea?

Fewer statements is not the same as more money. The pots worth keeping separate, and the ones costing you more than you realise.

Consolidation
Defined benefit A handshake concluding a final salary pension consultation

What a final salary transfer value really tells you

A six-figure CETV looks enormous next to an annual pension figure. Understanding what you’d be giving up puts that number in proper perspective.

Defined benefit
Business owners Company accounts and pension planning documents on a desk

Directors: paying yourself through a pension

Employer contributions are one of the most tax-efficient ways to extract profit from a limited company. Here’s how the allowances actually work.

SIPP & SSAS

Have a question about your own pension?

General guidance only goes so far. A free consultation gives you answers about your actual pensions.

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