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Pension Freedoms. Are they for you?

But what is the reality? It appears that blocks are being put in the way by large pension providers to people trying to access their money. Companies are concerned that the amount of money that could be potentially drained from their holdings would make them vulnerable to collapse.  

In response the providers are putting in place restrictions that prevent savers from having bank account like access to their money. These restrictions include long delays, high charges, misinformation or just saying to no to that type of service

Mr. Osborne’s proposals are now in danger of being sunk by the pension industry’s commercial interests. While some companies are clearly keen to capture business and compete in the new world of accessible, flexible pensions, other providers, mainly the large insurers that for decades profited under the old regime, are dragging their feet.  If you are feeling trapped by what is happening with your pension, Blacktower can help you. We have enormous experience in dealing with providers and can offer ways of transferring your money, in lots of cases to other providers which are tax efficient and with the freedoms you would hope for. We can plan for you an individual response that suits your needs.

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

UK Pensions – Act Now!

CoinsHSBC and The Local Government Pension Scheme are the latest Defined Benefit Pension Schemes to cause upset and worry to thousands of soon-to-be retirees.

Firstly, HSBC has come under fire for cutting the pension payouts of its former staff by up to £2,500 a year, affecting 50,000 members who joined the company between 1975 and 1996. This group had opted to pay less national insurance (NI) contributions whilst working by “contracting out” of the former state pension scheme. This meant that HSBC also paid less NI contributions. In exchange for paying a lower rate, the bank agreed to pay staff a guaranteed minimum pension when they came to retire. Payment records were however not properly maintained leading pensioners to be either overpaid or underpaid. Numerous firms, including HSBC, had used this arrangement and when the errors were discovered, some began to cut pension payouts to compensate for the overpayment.  

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Is It Time to Bring Your QROPS Back to the UK?

For many years, Qualifying Overseas Pension Schemes (QROPS) played a central role in cross-border retirement planning. They were created to help UK nationals who moved abroad take their pensions with them and, in certain circumstances, offered advantages that UK pensions did not. But much has changed since QROPS were first introduced in 2006. Over the […]

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