How to harness the power of your savings

The essential facts and a helping hand are all you need to take control of your pension. The end result will be more power to you when it comes to planning for your future.

Pension options at 55

As long as you have the right type of pension, you can start accessing it from 55. Get the lowdown on all your options and why taking pension money from 55 isn’t right for everyone (it could leave you with a lot less money to live on in retirement).

Retirement

Planning ahead is key when it comes to setting realistic financial goals for your retirement. From knowing your options when the big day comes, to sustainable pensions and if you can leave your pot to your children.

Get useful tips for increasing your retirement savings and discover the four cornerstones of a great retirement. Also, be wise to the power of planning ahead and how to avoid the six mistakes that could leave you worse off in retirement.

Reviewing your pension

Find out what could be eating away at your pension savings, from poor investment performance to high charges, and how to get it back on track. Plus, what sort of pension review to opt for and how to find lost or forgotten pensions.

Finding your pension

In 2018 it was estimated that there are 1.6 million lost or forgotten pensions in the UK with a combined value of around £20 billion1. That works out as about £13,000 per pot. Not to be sneezed at, especially if you have more than one lost pot. One of the side effects of auto enrolment could be even more pension pots waiting to be claimed. Thankfully, with a few basic details, it should be easy to find out if any of your pensions are missing and to welcome them back into the fold.

Switching or transferring your pension

Just like your bank account or energy provider, you can switch your pension. From what types of pension you can switch (and those you can’t), to four reasons why a new pension scheme could benefit you and your finances.

Combining your pension

Combining your pension pots generally means less admin and therefore less hassle for you. Always a good thing! A word of caution, though. It makes sense to be clear on what you could be giving up or missing out on by combining certain pension pots before you make any final decisions. Less admin hassle is scant reward if you could end up worse off as a result.

 

Paying into your pension

Essential guidance around one of the trickiest pension questions out there. From setting realistic targets depending on your circumstances, to making sure you are getting the most out of your workplace, auto-enrolment scheme.

Jamie Smith-Thompson says…

“It’s great that pensions are now flexible with more options than ever before. Sometimes, the more choice there is the more overwhelming deciding what could be right for you can feel. It’s ok to ask for a helping hand, and talking to a regulated financial adviser is a good place to start.” 
Jamie Smith-Thompson, MD at Portafina

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