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Private Pension – Options Explained by Keith Littlewood, International Financial Adviser Costa Blanca

In your 60’s? Then this is another critical time for checking your pension funds. Are they invested correctly? Are you taking the most tax efficient route in withdrawing? The list is too extensive for me to point out everything you should be looking at in this short article.

A raft of changes have taken place recently. In Summary:

  • Full access to UK pension pots now available from age 55
  • Flexible drawdown now available from most providers (you choose your own income levels)
  • Company pension schemes can be transferred to take advantage of flexibility (unless they were public funded e.g. Armed Forces, Police)
  • Not compelled to take annuity
  • Pension pots can be inherited, providing fantastic succession planning opportunities

Receiving advice on retirement planning before deciding on what you will do with your pension pot has become more important than ever before.

Questions to ask yourself: Where will I live? What lump sum should be taken? What are the tax implications? What about my partner? How much income will I need in five, 10, 15 or 20 years time? What happens if the pot is empty at age 80 and I am still alive?

If you feel like this and think you need some advice, or you would just like a helping hand to review what you have, why not contact me and I will sit down and go through your portfolio with you.

I have been a fully Qualified Financial Adviser for 28 years and also understand the needs of ex-pats and the rules that apply to ex British living and retiring in Spain. So, if you need to talk through your own situation then please feel free to call me and we can have a no obligation discussion about the best way forward for your investments.

If you need advice or if have any questions regarding the above you can contact me at: info@blacktowerfm.com

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

Regular savings or not, your pension planning matters

As the baby boomers hit pensionable age, the issue of pensions has become more important politically than ever before. This is a fact which has been reflected in the raft of changes that have been made by both the current and the previous government over the past few years. Baby boomers could be forgiven for feeling a little confused by it all and even retired expats with considerable regular savings are no different; pensions and pensions rules affect all.

Whoever you are, wherever you have settled in Europe and whatever the nature of your pension scheme – final salary or defined contribution – it is essential that you get advice regarding both your expat regular savings and your pension scheme; it can mean the difference between uncertainty and security.

Read More

New Year resolutions for a fitter financial future

Goals for 2018Well, you have probably already swept away the party poppers and Champagne corks, but now is the time to reflect on 2017 and consider the future.

It’s also, of course, the time to make New Year resolutions. For most people, such ‘resolutions’ are often ambitious, unrealistic and maybe even harmful (I mean, giving up chocolate – that’s never going to happen).

In fact, research from the University of Scranton, USA, in 2013 found that a mere 8% of people achieve their New Year goals, and a ComRes poll from November 2015 revealed that 43% of all the failed resolutions that year hadn’t even lasted a month.

It seems that the typical pledges of eating more healthily, taking up a new hobby and giving up bad habits are really not achievable and it’s becoming increasingly common for resolutions to be financially related.

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