If you decide that you’re not ready to convert your pension fund into retirement income by buying a lifetime annuity, but you do need funds, you have a few options. These are often known as ‘income drawdown options’.
Topic: Retirement
Enjoy the time of your life
HAVE YOU GIVEN FULL CONSIDERATION TO YOUR LONG-TERM PENSION INVESTMENT STRATEGY?
Retirement planning involves thinking about your plans for the future now – that means investing your money with the aim of maximising its value ready for when you retire. Careful financial planning, the right mix of assets and starting sooner rather than later could all help lead to the retirement you are looking for. Many years ago the traditional view of saving for retirement was to simply put your money into a pension, with few decisions to make in the run-up to your retirement date and no choice over how the pension was taken.
Pension schemes
Whether it’s a long way off or just around the corner, having a plan in place for your retirement can help you get the lifestyle that you want. The State pension alone won’t be enough to ensure a comfortable retirement so it’s important to review your options as soon as you can to make sure you can afford life’s little pleasures once you retire. When it comes to planning for retirement, time is your friend. The earlier you start, the longer your money has the potential to grow.
Flexible Income Drawdown
Annuities
You’ve spent years putting money aside into a pension scheme, but what actually happens once you retire? Sadly, it’s not as simple as just withdrawing the money. You must now convert your pension pot into an income that will last you for the rest of your life, which is typically done by buying an annuity.
Self-Invested Personal Pensions
Consolidating pensions
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 carefully into the possible benefits and drawbacks and if unsure seek professional advice.
Locating a lost pension
If you think you may have an old pension but are not sure of the details, the Pension Tracing Service may be able to help. They will try and match the information you give them to one of the schemes on their database and inform you of the results. If they have made a match they will provide you with the contact address of the scheme(s), and you can get in touch with them to see if you have any pension benefits.
What to consider if you are approaching your retirement
Make sure you have enough income to provide for your needs in the future
Sooner or later we will retire, and the decisions we make today are the ones that will determine the standard of living we will enjoy in the future. If you are approaching your retirement there are some very important choices you need to make that will determine how much income you live on once retired.
Enjoy the time of your life
Have you given full consideration to your long-term pension investment strategy?
Reviewing your
retirement planning
Having a pension today is recognised as just one important step along the path to achieving your dreams once you have stopped working. Now, not only must you carefully consider where you actually invest your pension money and how you are going to use your pension, but if appropriate you should also review other forms of retirement savings. Reviewing your retirement planning is critical, and probably the single most important decision you can make to help you realise your long-term goals.
