Contact

News & Insights

Final salary pensions – why now is a good time to cash in

So instead of waiting until she was 60 (over 10 years away) for a guaranteed annual pension of £15,000, Mrs Dee decided to transfer out of her final salary scheme and move the £600,000 (40 times her £15,000 guaranteed annual pension) to a QROPS.

Why did she transfer from her final salary scheme?

Mrs Dee’s main reasoning was that she wanted the flexibility to be able to leave her pension to whomever she wanted after her death – her children and husband. Under the final salary scheme her husband would have received just half of the £15,000pa. When she reached 55, Mrs Dee also wanted to be able to access her pension, if required, and to be able to take out varying amounts if and when she wanted. This was made possible by cashing in her final salary pensions.

The demand for transferring workplace pensions into private arrangements has shot up since new pension freedoms were introduced two years ago, and the temptation to switch has grown in the last year as final salary pension transfer values have soared to record levels.

The reason pension transfer values have soared is because rock bottom interest rates and gilt yields mean Pension Members are being offered a multiple of their promised income at retirement. This is usually between 20 and 25 times, but since the vote for Brexit, multiples of 30 or above are not untypical.

These record transfer values will not last if interest rates rise

Act now and you too can take advantage. Before you start taking your pension, speak to Blacktower. Opportunities like this don’t come along more than once in a lifetime!

Disclaimer: The above information was correct at the time of preparation and does not constitute investment advice. You should seek advice from a professional regulated adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity.

This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, investment advice, investment recommendations or investment research. You should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this communication is correct, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions.

Other News

Defined benefit schemes – a ‘ticking time bomb’?

Following the news that no new buyer was interested in BHS and its £571 million pension deficit, a number of our clients with a working history in BHS got in touch with us to find out their position and options with regards to their future pensions. Unfortunately, it was too late as the window had closed. The BHS scheme got into the Pension Protection Fund, a statutory fund in the U.K., intended to protect pensioners if their pension fund becomes insolvent. What this means is that they are now locked in without any possibility of looking at alternatives and transferring out. For deferred members, this means a potential reduction in pension income as the PPF only compensates 90% of the income up to a certain cap.

Read More

Euro vs Pound – Brexit Impact

As a Financial Adviser the most common question I get from people is about the Euro versus Pound exchange and which direction will it go.  My usual answer is ‘well if I knew that I would be a millionaire’!

Now, for the first time that I can remembeBrexitr there is the consensus of all the experts saying the same thing.  If the UK exits the EU after the referendum in June, then there will not be that much of a change as impact will be felt on both sides (it will be as bad for Europe as it is for the UK).  If the UK stay in, then there should be some sort of a rebound back to fair value levels to around the €1.40/£1 mark.  If this is the case, you should really try to hold off buying Euros until after the referendum.

Read More

Select your country

Please select your country of residence so we can provide you with the most relevant information: