Pension and retirement planning advice.
Whether you're building a pension, consolidating several, or planning your drawdown, you'll deal with a named adviser directly.
The three pension questions worth asking now
Am I contributing enough?
Am I in the right fund?
What's my drawdown plan?
Every kind of pension, in one place
Each one has its own page, with the contribution limits and tax relief set out in plain English.
Pension transfers
Occupational scheme consolidation
Deferred pension review
Your retirement options
At retirement your pension is usually split across three pots: a tax-free lump sum, and the balance as either an Annuity (also known as a pension for life) or an ARF (Approved Retirement Fund). Each has its trade-offs.
Tax-free cash
Suits you if
- Good to have cash at hand
- Especially for bigger life events
- Can be invested
Watch out for
- When you’ve spent it, it’s gone
- Cash may not grow much
- Inflation could mean it’s worth less
Pension income for life (Annuity)
Suits you if
- It’s simple
- It’s guaranteed
- Someone else takes the risk
Watch out for
- You might get less than you want
- You might get a better deal later
ARF (Approved Retirement Fund)
Suits you if
- It gives you options
- You might get more every month than with an annuity
- Your money might last longer than cash
Watch out for
- You might lose money
- It’s your job to make your money last
Whichever mix is right for you, we stay by your side throughout retirement, providing ongoing advice to make sure your ARF remains suited to your needs, risk appetite and changing circumstances.
Am I on track for the retirement income I want?
This gives you a quick read on whether your pension is heading where you need it to. Put in your age, what you have saved so far, what you pay in each month and the income you would like in retirement, and it shows the likely gap between the two. It takes a couple of minutes and the numbers are yours alone. A calculator can only ever give a rough picture, so the real value is talking the result through with an adviser who can factor in your tax relief, your other pensions and the State pension. Book a pension review with a member of the team and we will turn the estimate into a plan.
Pension need estimator
A rough projection of the fund you are on course for, against the fund your target income would need.
Fill in the fields above and press Calculate.
Pension questions, answered
Yes. Many people accumulate several pensions across different jobs. We can review them and tell you whether consolidating makes sense.
You get income tax relief on contributions, within age-related limits and an earnings cap. We show you the exact relief on your contributions.
Typically you can take a tax-free lump sum, then choose between an Annuity (also known as a pension for life) or an ARF (Approved Retirement Fund) for the balance. Each has pros and cons. An annuity is simple and guaranteed, and someone else takes the risk — but you might get less than you want, or a better deal later. An ARF gives you options: you might get more every month than with an annuity and your money might last longer than cash — but you might lose money, and it’s your job to make your money last. We model both for your situation.
It depends on your age, target income and existing funds. Our pension calculator gives a starting estimate, then we refine it with you.
An Approved Retirement Fund keeps your pension invested after retirement and lets you draw an income from it, rather than buying a fixed annuity.
Frequently, yes. We review charges, fund performance and exit penalties before recommending any consolidation.
A pension left behind in a former employer’s scheme. We review whether to leave it, transfer it to your new employer’s scheme or transfer it to a Personal Retirement Bond.
Book a pension review.
Twenty minutes on the phone is often all it takes to see where you stand.