Cash Flow Modelling page

Planning for retirement

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Pensions and retirement planning can seem complex and overwhelming. If you are planning to retire within the next 10 years, you need to ask yourself these 6 questions:

  1. What impact could inflation have on my retirement plans?
  2. What is my retirement timeline?
  3. Could retirement cash flow modelling help me?
  4. Would an annuity be beneficial?
  5. Am I sitting on too much cash?
  6. What is my attitude to investment risk?

Expert retirement advice will help you understand your position and how to work out when you can retire and what your retirement income will look like. Please get in touch with us to find out more about our retirement planning services.

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Why is a cash flow forecast important

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Cash flow modelling is a way of planning and analysing your financial goals. Our Financial Advisers use sophisticated cash flow forecasting software to project your goals over time and consider how changing circumstances will impact this plan.

If you would like to speak to one of our Financial Advisers regarding your retirement planning, please get in touch.

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Long Term Retirement Plans

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Planning your finances to be sustainable for the long term is key.

There are signs and targets that can signal that you are prepared to retire, but it can be difficult to figure out when you are truly ready to retire. We may think of retirement as being centred around a particular age or monetary amount. When we get to ‘X’ years old or have ‘Y’ amount of money, we can move on to our ‘golden years’.

The turbulent times we’re living through have given many people pause for thought to consider their work-life balance and think more seriously about what makes them happy. While happiness for many increases in retirement, others find their finances take the strain when they retire early and money worries are one of the biggest factors resulting in people returning to work. If you aspire to retire early, it’s vital you plan your finances to be sustainable for the long term.

6 questions to ask yourself for a secure financial future

1.What impact could inflation have on my retirement plans?

Inflation is a major factor when planning for retirement because it can reduce the purchasing power of your money over time. If the amount you receive in retirement is based on a fixed income, it will not be able to keep up with future inflationary rises, meaning that you may likely be unable to afford the same lifestyle that you enjoyed before retirement.

Therefore, it is essential to plan for retirement by ensuring that your savings and investments are able to grow in real terms, above the rate of inflation. This can be done through a combination of investing in assets that aim to provide returns above the rate of inflation, as well as ensuring that your retirement income is not linked to a fixed amount but instead grows with inflation over time.

2. What is my retirement timeline?

When it comes to planning for your retirement, it’s best to get a plan in place far ahead of your intended retirement date. That way, you can take the time to gain a full understanding of your financial situation and identify any issues or opportunities for improvement. Ideally, you should start saving for retirement in your 20s and 30s, even if you don’t plan to retire for many years. This will help you build your savings over time and ensure that you have enough money to sustain yourself during retirement.

Of course, if you find yourself nearing retirement without a plan already in place, don’t fret, we are here to help. With our expertise and experience, we can work with you to optimise your retirement plans no matter how close you may be to retirement. When considering your retirement timeline, there are several factors to consider: your age, income level and lifestyle, all of which will have an effect on your retirement plans.

3. Could retirement cash flow forecasting help me?

Retirement cash flow forecasting is very useful in making assessments about your future retirement requirements. It enables you to consider all of your potential sources of income in retirement and how they can best be used to satisfy your expenditure needs.

This means considering a number of factors such as your underlying investments, tax and, most importantly, how well your different income streams are protected against inflation. Another benefit of using cash flow modelling is that you can easily change those assumptions if your circumstances change, factoring in different investment returns, tax rates and inflation. This allows you to assess how much you need to have accumulated prior to your retirement.

4. Would an annuity be beneficial?

Retirement is an important milestone in life, and it’s essential to make sure you have enough money to ensure a comfortable lifestyle afterwards. One of the options available to those retiring is an annuity. With fewer employers now offering the guarantee of a final salary pension, annuities could be an appropriate option to consider for some retirees. An annuity provides a regular income for the rest of your life, and can make sure you have enough money to last you throughout retirement.

But in order to decide whether an annuity is right for you, it’s important to look at the different types of annuities available, consider the tax implications and other factors such as inflation. An annuity could be beneficial for those who have no capacity for their income to fall in the future, and those with reduced health.

5. Am I sitting on too much cash?

Even during periods of high inflation, investments that are in real assets can provide a hedge against the erosion of wealth. Cash holdings are ill-advised in this situation as the current interest rates barely meet inflation and its real value is guaranteed to decrease. Investing in assets is one of the best ways to safeguard your retirement savings against the effects of inflation.

Inflation can erode the value of your savings over time. By investing in real assets, you can help to ensure that your retirement savings remain secure even in a rising inflation environment. Investing in assets can provide you with the opportunity to create a sustainable and secure retirement plan that is protected from the effects of inflation. Ultimately, investing in real assets is an important part of any comprehensive retirement savings strategy.

6. What is my attitude to investment risk?

When making investment decisions, you need to establish the level of risk that you are comfortable with. This will vary from person to person, so it is important to obtain professional advice to help you assess your risk tolerance. Understanding your attitude to investment risk is an important factor when planning for retirement. Taking the time to learn about how you respond to different kinds of market volatility and levels of risk will help you create a more informative and effective retirement plan.

Knowing what kind of investor you are – conservative, balanced or aggressive – will enable you to make informed decisions about where to invest your money and how much risk you are comfortable taking on. It can also help you avoid some of the common pitfalls associated with retirement planning, such as being too conservative or overly aggressive in your approach. This will help you to save and invest more effectively, allowing you to make the most of your retirement savings.

Our retirement planning services

We understand that everyone’s retirement plans are different. That’s why we’re here to help you make sense of your future, whatever that looks like. To get your retirement plans in motion, talk to us about your finances. We look forward to hearing from you.

Important information: This article does not constitute tax or legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future.

For guidance, seek professional advice. a pension is a long-term investment not normally accessible until age 55 (57 from April 2028 unless plan has a protected pension age). The value of your investments (and any income from them) can go down as well as up which would have an impact on the level of pension benefits available. Your pension income could also be affected by the interest rates at the time you take your benefits.

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Deciding when to retire

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1. Can you afford to retire yet?

Once you’ve decided when the right time for you is, be sure to plan carefully to make the most of your retirement years.

2. Consider the impact of inflation

There are steps you can take to offset the effects of inflation like investing in assets that are less vulnerable to inflation, such as bonds.

3. It’s never too early to start planning for retirement

The sooner you start saving and investing, the more time your money has to grow, due to the power of compounding.

4. Retirement planning is not a one-time event

Your retirement timeline will likely change due to life circumstances e.g. if children or other family members depend on you financially.

5. Retirement is not an all-or-nothing proposition

You don’t have to retire completely to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. Many people choose to work part-time or pursue other interests.

6. Utilise cash flow modelling

It can help you better plan for your retirement and make sure that you have enough money as well as identify any potential shortfalls.

7. What is your attitude to risk?

If you take on more risk, you may be rewarded with higher returns, alternatively you may want to focus on preserving your capital.

Get in touch

For more information on our retirement planning services and how we can help you answer questions such as “how much do I need to retire”? and “can I take early retirement?”, please get in touch.

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Benefits of cash flow forecasting

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Financial Planner, Sara Guy, outlines the benefits of cashflow modelling and how it can calculate when you can retire, retirement saving options and how much you might need to retire.

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When should I stop working?

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A mature couple looking at paperwork to for see if they can take early retirement

Do you have enough income to retire? Are you prepared for the life changes retirement will bring? Is this the right time to sell your business Is your timing right or will your savings and investments be at risk from volatile market conditions?

The best time to retire will depend on a variety of factors, including your health, your financial situation and your personal preferences. If you’re in good health and you have a solid financial foundation, you may be able to enjoy a long and active retirement. On the other hand, if your health is declining or you’re struggling to make ends meet, early retirement may be the best option.

Spending power each year

Ultimately, the decision of when to retire is a personal one. It’s important to do some soul-searching and research before making a final decision. Once you’ve decided when the right time for you is, be sure to plan carefully to make the most of your retirement years.

Some people may now need to think about the impact that inflation could have on their retirement income, and to consider whether they can afford to retire yet. Rising inflation can wipe years of retirement income off pension pots as savers must increase the amount they withdraw to maintain the same spending power each year.

Impact on retirement plans

Inflation can have a significant impact on your retirement plans. If inflation is high, the purchasing power of your savings will decrease
over time. This means that you will need to save more money in order to maintain your standard of living in retirement.

To offset the impact of inflation, you may need to adjust your retirement plans. For example, you may need to save more money so that you can maintain your standard of living in retirement. Additionally, you may need to invest in assets that are less vulnerable to the effects of inflation. Bonds are one type of investment that can help protect your portfolio from inflation risk. In general, they can offer relative stability, but you need to take your age and risk tolerance into consideration.

Potential effects of inflation

While inflation can have a significant impact on your retirement plans, there are steps you can take to offset its effects. By saving more money and investing in assets that are less vulnerable to inflation, you can help ensure that your retirement plans remain on track. Additionally, by being aware of the potential effects of inflation, you can make adjustments to your plans as needed to account for its impact.

As you get closer to retirement, it’s important to start thinking about how inflation could impact your plans. While inflation can be a good thing if it leads to higher wages and increased economic activity, it can also be a problem if prices start rising faster than your income, as we’ve seen this year with inflation reaching a new 40-year high amid a cost-of-living squeeze.

There are some general principles that can help guide your thinking on this important topic:

The first principle is that it’s never too early to start planning for retirement. The sooner you start saving and investing for retirement, the more time your money has to grow. This is due to the power of compounding – which essentially means that your money earns interest on itself over time.

The second principle is that retirement planning is not a one-time event. Your retirement timeline will likely change as life circumstances change. For example, you may need to adjust your timeline if you have children or other family members who depend on you financially.

The third principle is that retirement is not an all-or-nothing proposition. You don’t have to retire completely in order to enjoy a comfortable
lifestyle in retirement. Many people choose to work part-time or pursue other interests during retirement instead of (or in addition to) simply
sitting around and doing nothing.

Time to utilise cash flow modelling?

Planning for retirement is a complex task, made even more difficult by the fact that most of us don’t have a crystal ball to predict the future. This is where retirement cash flow modelling can be incredibly useful. This can help you estimate your future income and expenses in retirement and give you a better idea of how much money you’ll need to have saved in order to maintain your current lifestyle.

By creating a model of your expected income and expenses, you can better plan for your retirement and make sure that you have enough money to cover your costs. This type of modelling can also help you to identify any potential shortfall in your retirement savings, so that you can make adjustments to your plans accordingly.

If you are nearing retirement or are already retired, cash flow modelling can help you: understand how much income you will need in retirement; work out how long your retirement savings will last; determine the best way to use your retirement savings to generate an income in retirement; and find out how different life events (such as taking a career break or downsizing your home) could impact your retirement cash flow.

Would an annuity be beneficial?

Annuities can be a good way to combat rising inflation. Increasing annuities guarantee a stream of income that can offer protection against the cost of living. However, it is important to choose an annuity that has a high enough rate of return to outpace inflation, as otherwise you may end up losing purchasing power over time.

Some annuities offer built-in protection against inflation. For example, some annuities offer cost-of- living adjustments that increase payments to keep pace with inflation. This can help retirees maintain their purchasing power and keep up with the rising costs of living. While annuities are not the only solution for combating rising inflation, they can be a helpful tool for retirees.

Ultimately, whether or not an annuity is a good way to combat inflation depends on your individual circumstances. If you are concerned about preserving your purchasing power in retirement, an annuity can be a helpful tool. However, you should obtain professional financial advice to weigh the costs and risks associated with an annuity before making a decision.

Are you sitting on too much cash?

If you’re sitting on too much cash right now, with inflation on the rise, that cash could be losing value, so you may want to rethink your strategy. Inflation is a natural occurrence that happens when the prices of goods and services start to increase. This can erode the purchasing power of your money, which means that you’ll need more money to buy the same items.

There are a few ways to combat inflation and ensure that your money keeps its value. One option is to invest in assets that may appreciate in value, such as stocks and shares or property. No matter what strategy you choose, it’s important to be aware of the impact that inflation can have on your finances. By being proactive, you can ensure that your money keeps its value over time.

What is your attitude to risk?

When pension planning, your attitude to risk will play a big role in how your portfolio is structured. If you’re willing to take on more risk, you may be rewarded with higher returns. But if you’re not comfortable with risk, you may want to focus on preserving your capital.

Once you have a better idea of your risk tolerance, you can start to allocate your assets accordingly. For example, if you’re okay with some volatility, you may want to put some of your money into stocks and shares. But if you’re not comfortable with any volatility, you may want to keep your money in cash and bonds.

No matter how much risk you’re willing to take on, it’s important to remember that all investments come with some risk. There’s no such thing as a completely risk-free investment. But by understanding your risk tolerance, you can make sure that your portfolio is structured in a way that meets your needs.

Are you ready for retirement?

Retirement is inevitable, but knowing exactly when to do so is often unclear. No matter when you actually begin your retirement, you’ll benefit from planning your post-work life as early as possible. If you would like to review your retirement plans and find out more about our retirement planning services, then please get in touch.

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Retirement Savings Gap

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Four in five workers (16 million people) are not saving at levels which are likely to deliver an acceptable standard of living in retirement, according to research[1] – these numbers exclude Defined Benefit pension savings.

The key reason behind this low confidence is the inability to afford savings on an ongoing basis, followed by worry about paying off existing debts.

Future crisis

Low-paid workers are least likely to be saving at these levels, with fewer than 5% saving at a rate which would provide an adequate standard of living in retirement. Low savings levels are a long-standing issue; however, the cost-of-living crisis is exacerbating the problem.

The UK’s lowest-paid workers have been hardest impacted during the crisis, often struggling to make ends meet. As a result, many are unable to prioritise saving for retirement, and today’s cost-of-living crisis risks storing up a future crisis where millions are unable to afford even the basics in retirement.

Saving behaviour

Just as low pay has impacted female workers most, the gender pensions gap remains an issue. The report found that 23% of male workers met the ‘whole career’ Living Pension cash benchmark, compared to 15% of female workers, and that this is driven principally by differing levels of pay rather than differing saving behaviour.

The Living Pension benchmarks are based on a previous feasibility study by the Resolution Foundation, which proposed a ‘whole career’ benchmark of 11.2% of pay, or £2,100 per year for someone working full-time at the living wage.

Huge variations

The report also highlighted that there are huge variations in whether workers are meeting the Living Pension benchmarks by sector. 55% of workers in the finance industry save at or above the ‘whole career’ cash LP benchmark, compared to only 2% of workers in hospitality.

These differences persist even if they account for variations between sectors in workers’ pay levels, occupation and whether they are full-time. This suggests that sector differences in pension saving are driven either by employers’ behaviour or their approach to the overall renumeration package.

What if I could have the retirement I really want?

Planning so that you can enjoy today, whilst making sure there is plenty saved for the future, can be a tricky balance to get right. If you would like advice and support with retirement planning, please get in touch.

Source data: [1] https://www.livingwage.org.uk/sites/default/files/Living%20Pensions%20Report.pdf

A pension is a long-term investment not normally accessible until age 55 (57 from April 2028 unless plan has a protected pension age).  The value of your investments (and any income from them) can go down as well as up which would have an impact on the level of pension benefits available.  Your pension income could also be affected by the interest rates at the time you take your benefits.

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Worried about generating a retirement income?

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Worried about generating a retirement income? More over-50s returning to work amid cost of living crisis.

Older workers have been leaving the jobs market in their droves over the past two years, partly due to many re-evaluating what they want from their lives and careers during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, and also due to the devastating impact the pandemic had on the prospects for many older jobseekers, who felt they had no choice but to leave the workforce.

But the cost-of-living crisis is now affecting some pensioners drastically, with more older people starting to return to work amid the ongoing crisis, new research has highlighted[1]. The findings identified economic activity levels among the over-50s are now at their highest since the pandemic began.

Impacting pensions

Analysis of official statistics appears to show the first signs of a return to the long-term trend of more economically active people over the age of 50 – a decades-long trend which, it said, was reversed by the pandemic.

Spiralling inflation and turbulent financial markets impacting pension funds are causing some people to unretire and find work again. There has been an increase in economic activity (those in work or looking for work) of 116,000 among the over-50s in the past year. More than half of the increase is being driven by men over the age of 65.

Retiring comfortably

In some ways, the pandemic forced the hands of many and gave them an opportunity to trial retirement. An early retirement can often seem like a dream when you’re stuck in the thick of the daily grind but, for many, giving up work abruptly can also result in a loss of structure, social connections and purpose, which can leave people feeling lost at times.

The current economic climate means that some people who thought they could retire comfortably during the pandemic are now having to unretire and find work again to bring in some extra income and top up their pensions while they still can.

Want to discuss how to make your money work for you?

If you’re getting ready to retire, or maybe you’ve already retired, now may be a good time to think about professional financial advice. It can take some of the worries out of retirement planning and ensure your money will go further. So if you have any concerns about your retirement, we can help make your money work for you. To talk to us, please contact us – we look forward to hearing from you.

Source data: [1] Analysis by www.restless.co.uk – Economic activity levels amongst people over the age of 50 hit their peak of just over 11 million just before the pandemic in the three-month period from December 2019 – February 2020. Since then, we have seen a decades-long trend reverse, with economic activity levels of workers aged over 50 falling by as much as 223,000 during the pandemic.

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Is your money working hard for you?

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Are you feeling uncertain on the way forward to your retirement?

We offer a range of retirement planning services, including a handy retirement calculator to see how much you need to save for retirement. Alternatively, find out more about how our cashflow modelling service can help you visualise your expenditure, income and preferred lifestyle in retirement.

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Early Retirement

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Regional Manager and Financial Planner, Dax Bayley, shares how he enhanced someone’s life by using cashflow modelling to help them to retire earlier than they had planned.

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