Retirement Planning | North Laine Financial Management

Retirement Planning

Retirement Planning - we can help

The good news is that more of us are living longer. But that brings its own problems. We have higher lifestyle expectations than previous generations, yet are being expected to provide for ourselves to a greater extent than many of us expected – all in the face of the growing unsustainability of the welfare state, and the slow death (outside the state sector) of the ‘final salary’ pension scheme and the ‘job for life’.

For wealthier people, and self-employed professionals, of course, reliance on the state has never been a viable option, and personal saving, via pension plans and other investments, has always been essential to ensure a comfortable old age.

In recent years, caps on contributions, excessive charges, heavier taxation, financial scandals, and the corrosive combination of simultaneously falling stockmarkets and annuity rates have all taken their toll on retirement funds, and you may be concerned as to whether your existing provision remains adequate and is structured to best advantage. Alternatively, you may be confused about the merits of your various pension providers or unclear as to which of the available retirement income options is best for you.

We have many years’ experience in dealing with pension issues, especially as they affect self-employed professionals.

We can:

collate, analyse and evaluate your existing provision
advise on how its structure might be improved, including, where appropriate, by way of transfer
illustrate what retirement income you might reasonably expect from your accumulated fund, adjusted for inflation and taking account of likely further contributions
advise on an appropriate ongoing funding rate
identify the most-appropriate products and cost-effective providers
advise on the merits of self-invested personal pension schemes (SIPPS)
if you own a limited company, advise on the respective merits of small self-administered schemes (SSAS) and SIPPS for you and your senior colleagues
help structure property purchase in both SIPPS and SSAS
advise you on how best to take your retirement income, whether by annuity, 'pension income withdrawal', or a combination of both
effect contributions, annuity purchase and 'pension income withdrawal' for you, and deal with the associated administration, in the longer term as well as at the time of the transaction.

If we think that your existing arrangements are adequate, we shall tell you so at the earliest possible point in our assessment.

For more information and to find out if we can help with your retirement planning, please contact us on 01273 765960 or mail@nlfm.co.uk