Six years after the start of the financial crisis, what lessons should we have learnt? 1 Plan for the unexpected Many believe that markets are much safer today than they were six years ago, thanks in large part to the numerous regulations and safeguards put in place to avoid a repeat of the financial crisis.

It’s a fact THAT more of us will require specialist care in our later years Today, the cost of care is a major concern for many people, with the average level of pension savings unlikely to be enough to cover any long-term care requirements in addition to providing a retirement income.

Why the consequences could be far-reaching for you and your loved ones Significant changes to existing intestacy rules came into force on 1 October 2014 in England and Wales, with the aim of making things simpler and clearer. The consequences could be far-reaching for you and your loved ones, and while there are increasing entitlements […]

The numbers show a significant protection gap exists for families in the UK W e all want to safeguard our family’s lifestyle in case the worst should happen. But only a quarter (24%) of adults in the UK with children under 16 have any form of financial protection, a significant drop from 31% in 2013, […]

The best chance of being reunited with a lost scheme People change jobs and employers change their names, but, more importantly, we all forget things from time to time. With that in mind, it is easy to lose track of pensions that you have paid into over the years. If you do not actively look […]

Bringing your pensions under one roof Most people, during their career, accumulate a number of different pension plans. Keeping your pension savings in a number of different plans may result in lost investment opportunities and unnecessary exposure to risk. However, not all consolidation of pensions will be in your best interests. You should always look […]

Taking control of your money Some people don’t want a pension company deciding how their pension savings are invested – they want to control where their money goes and how it grows. In this scenario, a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) offers a solution. Very much a do-it-yourself pension, you choose what investments you want to […]

Saving for your retirement that’s arranged by your employer Millions of workers are being automatically enrolled into a workplace pension by their employer. A workplace pension is a way of saving for your retirement that’s arranged by your employer. A percentage of your pay is put into the pension scheme automatically every payday. In most cases, […]

There are two main types of schemes Defined contribution schemes A defined contribution (DC) or money-purchase pension scheme is one that invests the money you pay into it, together with any employer’s contribution, and gives you an accumulated sum on retirement with which you can secure a pension income, either by buying an annuity or […]

Limiting the amount of tax relief you’re allowed You can save as much as you like into a pension, but there is a limit on the amount of tax relief you’re allowed. The Lifetime Allowance for pensions is currently £1.25m (2014/15). In essence, the Lifetime Allowance is intended to cap the level of tax-advantaged pension funds that […]