Taking money from your pension as and when you need it
You can use your existing pension pot to take cash as and when you need it and leave the rest untouched where it can continue to grow tax-free. For each cash withdrawal, normally the first 25% (quarter) is tax-free, and the rest counts as taxable income. There might be charges each time you make a cash withdrawal and/or limits on how many withdrawals you can make each year.
Without very careful planning, you could run out of money and have nothing to live on
You could close your pension pot and take the entire amount as cash in one go if you wish. Normally, the first 25% (quarter) will be tax-free, and the rest will be taxed at your highest tax rate by adding it to the rest of your income. Once you’ve taken all the money, your pension will close and you won’t be able to make any further payments into it.
Balance of flexibility and security to suit your circumstances
If you are looking for a balance of flexibility and security to suit your circumstances, you could consider blending your retirement options. You don’t have to choose one option when deciding how to access your pension pot – you could set up a combination of options to suit you.
Pensioners ‘in the dark’ over how to protect their pots if markets tumble
Many retirees are at risk of overlooking their pension finances by falling into an avoidable trap, according to new research[1]. A third (36%) of people keeping their pension invested through retirement could be hit harder by falling markets, as they do not have a cash safety net to fall back on, research has found. And even though two thirds (64%) of retirees are holding cash in reserve, fewer than one in ten (8%) would think to use it if there was a ‘significant’ drop in the stock market.
Workers extend their careers for a multitude of reasons
When do you plan to retire? Saving for your retirement is a lifelong undertaking – and if you want to enjoy a comfortable retirement, you can’t start planning soon enough. The more you contribute to a pension now, the better chance you’ll have of that money growing and funding your retirement in later life.
Exactly how much you’ll need for a comfortable retirement will depend largely on your cost of living and lifestyle choices. For many people, retirement is about sun-soaked holidays, leisurely rounds of golf and that boat they’ve always coveted.
For most people over the age of 55, it is now possible to cash in or unlock all of your pension. How you take these benefits will depend on the type of scheme you have and how you want to take benefits. But concerns have been raised that some savers may risk running out of cash if they siphon too much out of their pension pots.
Families left in a precarious situation if the unforeseen were to happen
We all intend that our plans will come good. But making sure that you and your family can cope if you fall ill or die prematurely is something we can too easily put to one side. In particular, a recent study identified that financial protection is something that millions of fathers in the UK, and their families, could benefit from.
Whatever you want to do when you retire, the better prepared you are, the more rewarding it will be. It’s important to assess the key aspects that will influence your retirement, as the decisions you make can have a real impact on your savings. There are some important considerations to think about.
Taking the steps now to prepare yourself for retirement
With increasing numbers of people working past traditional retirement ages[1], stopping work can seem a long way off, especially for younger people. But it’s the dream of an early retirement that keeps many people going through the daily work grind.
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