Retirement Options
Your Options When Taking Your Pension
Following changes introduced in April 2015 you now have more choice and flexibility than ever before over how and when you can take money from your pension pot.
It is important that you take your time to understand your options, and get help and advice as what you decide now will affect your retirement income for the rest of your life.
- You must have reached normal minimum pension age to access your pension pot - currently 55 (possibly earlier if you're in ill health or if you have a protected retirement age).
- You now have the freedom over how you can use your pension pot(s) if you're 55 or over and have a pension based on how much has been paid into your pot (a defined contribution scheme).
- Whether you plan to retire fully, to cut back your hours gradually or to carry on working for longer, you can now tailor when and how you use your pension - and when you stop saving into it - to fit with your particular retirement plans.
- Your Options
Under the new flexible rules you can mix and match any of the options below, using different parts of one pension pot or using separate or combined pots.
- Leave Your Pension Pot Untouched
You may be able to delay taking your pension until a later date. Your pot then continues to grow tax-free, potentially providing more income once you access it.
- Use Your Pot To Buy A Guaranteed Income For Life - "An Annuity"
You can choose to take up to a quarter (25%) of your pot as a one-off tax-free lump sum and then convert the rest into a taxable income for life called an annuity. There are different lifetime annuity options and features to choose from that affect how much income you would get. You can also choose to provide an income for life for a dependant or other beneficiary after you die.
- Use Your Pot To Provide A Flexible Retirement Income - "Flexi-Access Drawdown"
With this option you take up to 25% (a quarter) of your pension pot or of the amount you allocate for drawdown as a tax-free lump sum, then re-invest the rest into funds designed to provide you with a regular taxable income. You set the income you want, though this may be adjusted periodically depending on the performance of your investments. Unlike with a lifetime annuity your income isn't guaranteed for life - so you need to ensure you manage your investments carefully.
- Take Regular Or Ad-Hoc Cash Sums From Your Pot
- 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 the first 25% (quarter) is tax-free and the rest counts as taxable income. There may be charges each time you make a cash withdrawal and/or limits on how many withdrawals you can make each year.
- Take Your Whole Pot As Cash
Cashing in your pension pot will not give you a secure retirement income.
You could close your pension pot and take the whole amount as cash in one go if you wish. 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.
There are many risks associated with cashing in your whole pot. For example, it's highly likely (in most cases) that you'll be landed with a large tax bill, it won't pay you or any dependant a regular income and, without very careful planning, you could run out of money and have nothing to live on in retirement.
- Mixing Your Options
You don't have to choose one option when deciding how to access your pension - you can mix and match as you like, and take cash and income at different times to suit your needs. You can also keep saving into a pension if you wish, and get tax relief
up to age 75.
Which option or combination is right for you will depend on:
- When you stop or reduce your work
- Your income objectives and attitude to risk
- Your age and health
- The size of your pension pot and other savings
- Any pension or other savings your spouse or partner has, if relevant
- Whether you have financial dependants
- Whether your circumstances are likely to change in the future
Our advice is that you "take advice", before making any decision over how what option. We will guide you through each of the options in more detail and what they mean to you personally. Once this has been done we will then issue our clear advice in writing and we will action and manage all the work required to put in place the actions we agree upon.
* Tax Information given is based on the 2020/21 tax year, and may be subject to change in the future. Any contributions in excess of you annual allowances will be taxed at your marginal rate.
THE VALUE OF A PENSION IS NOT GUARANTEED AND CAN GO UP AND DOWN DEPENDING ON INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE. YOU COULD GET BACK LESS THAN YOU'VE PAID IN.
