Retirement

Retiring Early

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Retiring early can give you that change of lifestyle you’ve been craving, but requires some careful planning. Financial Adviser, Andy King, discusses how he helped a client by discovering that they could retire early.

If you are unsure whether you can retire early, use our handy retirement age calculator to see how much you may need to save.

Worried about generating a retirement income?

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Worried about generating a retirement income? More over-50s returning to work amid cost of living crisis.

Older workers have been leaving the jobs market in their droves over the past two years, partly due to many re-evaluating what they want from their lives and careers during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, and also due to the devastating impact the pandemic had on the prospects for many older jobseekers, who felt they had no choice but to leave the workforce.

But the cost-of-living crisis is now affecting some pensioners drastically, with more older people starting to return to work amid the ongoing crisis, new research has highlighted[1]. The findings identified economic activity levels among the over-50s are now at their highest since the pandemic began.

Impacting pensions

Analysis of official statistics appears to show the first signs of a return to the long-term trend of more economically active people over the age of 50 – a decades-long trend which, it said, was reversed by the pandemic.

Spiralling inflation and turbulent financial markets impacting pension funds are causing some people to unretire and find work again. There has been an increase in economic activity (those in work or looking for work) of 116,000 among the over-50s in the past year. More than half of the increase is being driven by men over the age of 65.

Retiring comfortably

In some ways, the pandemic forced the hands of many and gave them an opportunity to trial retirement. An early retirement can often seem like a dream when you’re stuck in the thick of the daily grind but, for many, giving up work abruptly can also result in a loss of structure, social connections and purpose, which can leave people feeling lost at times.

The current economic climate means that some people who thought they could retire comfortably during the pandemic are now having to unretire and find work again to bring in some extra income and top up their pensions while they still can.

Want to discuss how to make your money work for you?

If you’re getting ready to retire, or maybe you’ve already retired, now may be a good time to think about professional financial advice. It can take some of the worries out of retirement planning and ensure your money will go further. So if you have any concerns about your retirement, we can help make your money work for you. To talk to us, please contact us – we look forward to hearing from you.

Source data: [1] Analysis by www.restless.co.uk – Economic activity levels amongst people over the age of 50 hit their peak of just over 11 million just before the pandemic in the three-month period from December 2019 – February 2020. Since then, we have seen a decades-long trend reverse, with economic activity levels of workers aged over 50 falling by as much as 223,000 during the pandemic.

Is your money working hard for you?

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Are you feeling uncertain on the way forward to your retirement?

We offer a range of retirement planning services, including a handy retirement calculator to see how much you need to save for retirement. Alternatively, find out more about how our cashflow modelling service can help you visualise your expenditure, income and preferred lifestyle in retirement.

Early Retirement

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Regional Manager and Financial Planner, Dax Bayley, shares how he enhanced someone’s life by using cashflow modelling to help them to retire earlier than they had planned.

Feeling uncertain on the way forward to your retirement?

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Funding the lifestyle you want – get your retirement plans in motion

One of the most common concerns among those approaching retirement is whether they will have enough money to last them. A new study[1] shows that only 25% of retirees feel very confident they’ve saved enough for retirement.

As food prices continue to soar and petrol costs reach an all-time high in the UK, the rising cost of living is without doubt having an impact on many people’s financial plans, both short and long term.

If you’re approaching retirement or have already started taking money from your pension or other retirement savings, you wouldn’t be alone in feeling a little anxious about the effect the cost-of-living crisis might have on your lifestyle in retirement.

While it’s impossible to predict the future with complete certainty, there are a few things you can do to feel more confident about spending your money in retirement.

Add up all your sources of income

Your main source of retirement income may well be your pension plan. But when it comes to planning your finances in retirement, it’s important to think beyond this. Consider other potential sources such as Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and other investments, as well as any rental income you receive from rental properties you let.

And don’t forget the State Pension, which is currently £185.15 a week (£9,628 a year) for a single person with a full entitlement. Although the State Pension’s annual increase is currently below inflation, every little helps and the total of all your savings and income might add up to more than you think.

Watch out for unnecessary tax bills

Paying too much tax in retirement is a common pitfall for some retirees, and one that could be potentially avoided with having the right plans in place.

If you’re already taking or plan to take income from multiple sources, you need to consider how that will be taxed. When and how you take your money can make a big difference to how much tax you pay and how long it will last. Taking money little and often could make all the difference when it comes to reducing your tax bill.

When it comes to your pension savings, you can typically take 25% tax-free from age 55 (age 57 in 2028), either in one go or spread out over a longer period. After this, any money you take from your pension savings, as well as your State Pension, is taxable just like any other income.

That means you’ll need to pay income tax on anything over your tax-free cash limit and any annual personal Income Tax allowance you get.

It’s likely that the more money you take, the more tax you’ll have to pay, although how much will depend on which tax band your income falls into. So if you take all of your pension savings at once, or in big lump sums, you could be paying more tax than you need to. But by taking your pension savings over a number of years and taking just enough to stay in the lowest tax band you can, you could keep more of your money overall.

Make the most of your Individual Savings Account (ISA)

Another way to avoid an unnecessary tax bill is to make the most of your ISA savings. You don’t pay tax on any investment growth or interest you earn, or on the proceeds you take from an ISA. So it’s a very tax-efficient way to save.

You could consider using any ISA savings you have first and delay accessing your pension savings, giving them more time to stay invested and potentially grow in value. Remember though, the value of all investments can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you paid in.

Or, if you’ve already started taking an income from your pension, you could use your ISA savings to supplement that income. This could allow you to take smaller payments from your pension and avoid overpaying Income Tax on them.

Getting to grips with tax implications can be a bit overwhelming as there’s a lot to consider. Tax rules and legislation can change, and personal circumstances and where you live in the UK also have an impact on your tax treatment. On top of that, tax varies for other sources of income like property, state benefits, or even your salary if you’re planning on working in some capacity for a little longer.

Keep track of your investments

Where your money is invested could have the biggest impact on how long it will last in retirement. It’s important to regularly review your investments to make sure they remain on track and remain aligned with your plans and attitude to investment risk.

For example, your pension savings may be invested in fairly high-risk funds that have the potential to grow significantly in value, but also are more likely to be impacted, particularly during periods of market volatility. Moving to lower-risk investments means that you’re less likely to see big ups and downs in the value of your pension savings.

However, if you’re relying on your pension savings to provide you with a comfortable income for the rest of your life, you also need to make sure that your investments will provide enough growth potential. This is particularly important in the current climate where your money faces the double challenge of rising inflation and potentially having to last for many years.

Want to review your retirement plans?

If you have specific questions about funding your retirement lifestyle, feeling anxious about spending money in retirement or asking yourself “how much do I need to retire?” then speak to us to discuss your retirement options.

Source data: [1] Class of 2022 UK retirement report consumer research of 2,000 UK adults for abrdn who were either planning to retire in the next 12 months, or who had retired in the 12 months prior. Research was conducted by Censuswide in late November / early December 2021.

A pension is a long-term investment not normally accessible until age 55 (57 from April 2028 unless plan has a protected pension age).

The value of your investments (and any income from them) can go down as well as up which would have an impact on the level of pension benefits available. Your pension income could also be affected by the interest rates at the time you take your benefits. Tax treatment varies according to individual circumstances and is subject to change.

Cost of living crisis

UK Cost of Living Crisis

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Cost of living crisisFunding the retirement lifestyle you want vs the cost of living: time to get your retirement plans in motion!

One of the most common concerns among those approaching retirement is whether they will have enough money to last them with only 25% of retirees feel very confident they’ve saved enough for retirement.

The cost of living crisis

As food prices continue to soar and petrol costs reach an all-time high in the UK, the rising cost of living is without doubt having an impact on many people’s financial plans, both short and long term.

If you’re approaching retirement or have already started taking money from your pension or other retirement savings, you wouldn’t be alone in feeling a little anxious about the effect the cost-of-living crisis might have on your lifestyle in retirement. While it’s impossible to predict the future with complete certainty, there are a few things you can do to feel more confident about spending your money in retirement.

Add up all sources of income

Your main source of retirement income may well be your pension plan. But when it comes to planning your finances in retirement, it’s important to think beyond this. Consider other potential sources such as Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and other investments, as well as any rental income you receive from rental properties you let.

Don’t forget the State Pension, which is currently £185.15 a week (£9,628 a year) for a single person with a full entitlement. Although the State Pension’s annual increase is currently below inflation, every little helps and the total of all your savings and income might add up to more than you think.

Watch out for unnecessary tax bills

Paying too much tax in retirement is a common pitfall for some retirees, and one that could be potentially avoided with having the right plans in place. If you’re already taking or plan to take income from multiple sources, you need to consider how that will be taxed. When and how you take your money can make a big difference to how much tax you pay and how long it will last. Taking money little and often could make all the difference when it comes to reducing your tax bill.

When it comes to your pension savings, you can typically take 25% tax-free from age 55 (age 57 in 2028), either in one go or spread out over a longer period. After this, any money you take from your pension savings, as well as your State Pension, is taxable just like any other income.

That means you’ll need to pay income tax on anything over your tax-free cash limit and any annual personal Income Tax allowance you get. It’s likely that the more money you take, the more tax you’ll have to pay, although how much will depend on which tax band your income falls into. So if you take all of your pension savings at once, or in big lump sums, you could be paying more tax than you need to. But by taking your pension savings over a number of years and taking just enough to stay in the lowest tax band you can, you could keep more of your money overall.

Make the most of your individual savings accounts (ISA)

Another way to avoid an unnecessary tax bill is to make the most of your ISA savings. You don’t pay tax on any investment growth or interest you earn, or on the proceeds you take from an ISA. So it’s a very tax-efficient way to save.

You could consider using any ISA savings you have first and delay accessing your pension savings, giving them more time to stay invested and potentially grow in value. Remember though, the value of all investments can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you paid in.

Or, if you’ve already started taking an income from your pension, you could use your ISA savings to supplement that income. This could allow you to take smaller payments from your pension and avoid overpaying Income Tax on them. Getting to grips with tax implications can be a bit overwhelming as there’s a lot to consider.

Tax rules and legislation can change, and personal circumstances and where you live in the UK also have an impact on your tax treatment. On top of that, tax varies for other sources of income like property, state benefits, or even your salary if you’re planning on working in some capacity for a little longer.

Keep track of your investments

Where your money is invested could have the biggest impact on how long it will last in retirement. It’s important to regularly review your investments to make sure they remain on track and remain aligned with your plans and attitude to investment risk. For example, your pension savings may be invested in fairly high-risk funds that have the potential to grow significantly in value, but also are more likely to be impacted, particularly during periods of market volatility.

Moving to lower-risk investments means that you’re less likely to see big ups and downs in the value of your pension savings. However, if you’re relying on your pension savings to provide you with a comfortable income for the rest of your life, you also need to make sure that your investments will provide enough growth potential. This is particularly important in the current climate where your money faces the double challenge of rising inflation and potentially having to last for many years.

Want to review your retirement plans?

If you have specific questions about funding your retirement lifestyle, or if you’re feeling anxious about spending money in retirement, speak to us to discuss your options

Women Seeking Financial Support

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Financial Planner, Carol Lammy-Steele, discusses why women are less likely to seek financial support from a Financial Adviser.

Gender Pensions Gap

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Women’s pensions at retirement are half the size of men’s

The gender pensions gap is the difference in the average amount of money that men and women have saved for retirement and it begins at the very start of a woman’s career.

Women are more likely to take breaks from work to raise children or care for relatives, which can reduce their earnings and pension contributions over time. They also tend to live longer than men, meaning they need to have enough saved to last them through retirement.

As a result, women’s pensions at retirement are half the size of men’s, regardless of the sector they work in,
research has highlighted[1].

Long-term financial impact

The research found that every single industry in the UK has a gender pensions gap, even those dominated by female workers. Considering women are likely to live four years[2] longer than men, this issue deepens as they need to have saved around 5% to 7% more at retirement age.

Worryingly, more than a third (38%) of women who have taken a career break were not aware of the long-term financial impact it would have on their pension.

Three key industries

According to the research, the gender pensions gap exists regardless of average pay across different sectors, and ranges from a gap of 59% in the healthcare industry to 13% in courier services.

The healthcare (59%), construction (51%), real estate/property development (48%), pharmaceutical (46%), aerospace, defence and government services (46%) and senior care (45%) sectors were found to have the largest gender pensions gaps.

Of these six sectors, three are key industries for female employment – healthcare, pharmaceuticals and senior care[3]. There are many reasons for the gender pensions gap, ranging from women holding fewer senior positions and being paid less, resulting in lower pensions contributions, to the fact they are more likely to take career breaks due to caring responsibilities.

Gender confidence gap

Another potential driver is a significant gender confidence gap when it comes to managing pension pots. More than a quarter (28%) of women said they had confidence in their ability to make decisions about their pension, compared to almost half (48%) of men[5].

This lack of confidence extends further to other $nancial decisions, with women less likely than men to feel confident managing their investments (22% of women versus 41% of men) and their savings (56% of women versus 67% of men).

While many factors behind the gender pension gap are out of most people’s control, there are some actions you can take to help reduce it:

  • Contribute as much as you can to your pension – and start early.
  • Compound interest remains hugely underrated and poorly understood by both some men and women.
  • Check the charges on your historic pension pots. If appropriate, see if consolidating your pots will bring them down.
  • Check how much your State Pension will be and when you’ll get it. If it’s not going to support your ideal lifestyle, plan how you’ll cover any shortfall.
  • Put a bit more into your pension whenever you get a pay rise.
  • Talk through your pension planning with your partner. Make sure you know about each other’s saving plans, contribution limits and that you are both on the same page.
  • Keep a regular eye on your pension to make sure you’re in full control of it and saving for your ideal future.

There are a number of ways to close the gender pensions gap. Employers can offer flexible working arrangements that allow women to balance work and family life. Governments can also provide tax incentives for pension contributions. And finally, individuals can look to save
more for retirement.

Source data:
[1] The analysis is based on LGIM’s proprietary data on c.4.5 million defined contribution members as at 1 April 2022 but does not take into account any other pension provision the customers may have elsewhere.
[2] ONS: Life expectancy at birth in the UK: 82.9 years for women vs 79 years for men; Office for National Statistics, 2018–2020. Average four years.
[3] According to the ratio of female members across the Legal & General book of business.
[4] Legal & General Insight Lab survey of 2,135 workplace members was conducted between 4–26 July 2022.
[5] Opinium survey of 2,001 UK adults was conducted between 4–8 February 2022.

Tax Planning in Retirement

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Managing Director and Chartered Financial Planner, Michael Cope, discusses tax planning in retirement.

Worries About Retirement

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Worries about retirement, research has found:

52% of 1,212 UK adults surveyed are concerned they have not saved enough money to sustain their current lifestyle in retirement

34% of full time works say the state of their retirement finances is a cause of “significant stress”

9% said they doubt they will be able to fully retire

37% say they have a clear retirement savings strategy

24% had reduced their contributions since the start of the Covid pandemic

On average, respondents said they saved £298 into their pension each month