Retirement

a couple walking hand in hand on a beach after saving a retirement nest egg for retirement

Retirement nest egg

 560 315 Jess Easby
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a couple walking hand in hand on a beach after saving a retirement nest egg for retirementNearly a half of over-50s regret not saving into their pension earlier

The days of working for a single employer for your entire career and retiring with a comfortable pension are largely gone. The responsibility for accumulating a retirement nest egg now rests with individuals as opposed to their employers.

Saving enough for retirement is challenging for many people, but an era of changing demographic trends, such as increased longevity and delayed marriage, can make this journey even more difficult.

Not financially stable enough to contribute

New research[1] into the attitudes of the over-50s towards their pension has uncovered that nearly a half (49%) regret not saving into their pension earlier, and almost two-thirds (64%) wish they had contributed more into their retirement savings at an earlier stage.

Just over a quarter (26%) stated that they only started paying into their pension after they turned 30 years old, primarily because they did not feel financially stable enough to contribute any sooner (51%). Many, understandably, prioritised raising children (42%) and paying o” their mortgages (40%) before putting any surplus cash into their pension. However, a third put leisure/holidays (32%), clothing (21%) and their pets (10%) before their retirement income.

‘Moderate’ standard of living in retirement

Almost four in ten (39%) people over the age of 50 believe that an income of between £10,000 and £20,000 per annum in retirement will be enough to live ‘comfortably’. This is despite figures announced stating that £20,800 per annum will only provide an individual with a ‘moderate’ standard of living in retirement. To enjoy a ‘comfortable’ standard of living, the amount would need to increase to £33,600 per year.

Just under a quarter (24%) of those aged over 50 believe that a personal contribution of between 0% to 5% of their salary is an ‘appropriate and achievable’ level to attain a savings pot big enough to support them in retirement.

Taking professional financial advice is key

When asked about financial advice, worryingly more than 70% of over-50s say they have never sought professional financial advice regarding their pension. Almost a third (30%) say they feel they know what they are doing and don’t need financial support, whilst 10% say they rely on their family and friends for support and advice. However, after hearing that they could add as much as £47,000 to their pension[2] (over a decade) by taking professional financial advice, half of them say they would.

Pensions are more important to more of us than ever before. Automatic enrolment has brought pension savings to millions, but this was only introduced in 2012 and for many, especially those over the age of 50, it is perhaps too little, too late.

Take stock of your financial situation early

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and life in your 20s and 30s can often take over, with children to raise, debts to pay and holidays to be had. However, it’s important to take stock of your financial situation early. You may think you have enough spare cash, or that you have years until you retire, but most people over the age of fifty (64%) wished that they had paid more into their pension pot, earlier.

It’s also important that people are realistic about how much they might need to live on in retirement. With more people continuing to pay rent or mortgages after they finish working[3], it is unlikely that an income of between £10,000 and £20,000 per year will be sufficient to have a ‘comfortable’ lifestyle.

Planning for a full and happy retirement?

To avoid sleepwalking into retirement it’s important to understand how much you have in your pension, what that money might look like as retirement income and how long you might need that money to last. For advice on all your options, including your retirement nest egg, please contact us.

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Source data: 1,034 UK adults over the age of 50 (retired and nonretired) interviewed between 31.01.2022-07.02.2022
[1] https://www.retirementlivingstandards.org.uk/news/retirement-living-standards-updated-to-reflect
[2] https://ilcuk.org.uk/financial-advice-provides-47k-wealth-uplift-in-decade/
[3] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42193251

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 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. The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances, tax legislation and regulation which are subject to change in the future. You should seek advice to under your options at retirement.

Invest your way out of inflation

 560 315 Jess Easby
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invest your way out of inflationWhy now is the time to make sure you protect your wealth.

The word ‘inflation’ had barely featured in the market’s vocabulary in the last three decades until it suddenly started to come back with a vengeance in 2021. As higher inflation looks set to persist in 2022, finding ways to generate a return on investments greater than inflation will be a key investment theme – otherwise your wealth falls in real terms.

Spending spree

There are two basic reasons why inflation has been increasing: supply and demand.

Starting with the latter, consumers have been on a spending spree after having spent a large proportion of time during 2020 and 2021 at home bingeing on Netflix.

The main reason for the current rise is due to the global price of energy. This has meant higher energy and transport bills for businesses, many of whom pass on the extra costs to their customers. Supply problems and higher shipping costs are also continuing to have an impact on businesses.

Healthy economy

Central banks kept saying that inflation was ‘transitory’, but this now seems to have been replaced by the word ‘persistent’. The result is that inflation will remain high on the economic agenda in 2022.

Inflation is a measure of how much prices have gone up over time. It’s the rate at which cash becomes less valuable – £1 this year will get you further than £1 next year. It tends to be a good sign in a healthy economy, but too much of it can be hard to reel in and control.

Boe forecast

The Bank of England (BoE)[1] expects inflation to reach over 7% by spring 2022 and then start to come down after that. That’s because most of the causes of the current high rate of inflation won’t last. It’s unlikely that the prices of energy and imported goods will continue to rise as rapidly as they have done recently. And this means that inflation will eventually decline.

The BoE forecasts the rate to be much closer to their 2% target in two years’ time. But even though the rate of inflation will slow down, the prices of some things may stay at a high level compared with the past.

Purchasing power

Beating inflation means earning higher returns from an investment than the inflation rate in the economy. If your return on investment is less than the inflation rate, this could basically nullify the returns you have earned. Due to various reasons, the purchasing power of money decreases significantly every year.

Investing with inflation in mind is essential for protecting your current and future wealth and involves choosing assets that naturally keep pace with rising prices. These mostly include either real, tangible assets, or investments that pay a variable rate and appreciate or increase over time.

Looking for a better chance of beating inflation over the long term?

If you’ve already got an emergency fund, or have excess cash in the bank, it may be time to consider investing some of it to protect your wealth from inflation. Investing some of your money may give you a better chance of beating inflation over the long term. To discuss your options, please contact us.

For more information on considering risk, download our brochure.

Information is based on our current understanding of taxation legislation and regulations. Any levels and bases of, and reliefs from, taxation are subject to change. The value of investments and income from them may go down. You may not get back the original amount invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Source data: [1] https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/knowledgebank/will-inflation-in-the-uk-keep-rising

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Improving your financial health

 560 315 Jess Easby
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Staying on track to achieving specific financial goals

All of your financial decisions and activities have an effect on your financial health. To help improve your financial health during this period of rising inflation rates and household costs, we look at three areas that could help keep you on track to achieving your specific financial goals.

Beat the national insurance rise

The National Insurance rise from April this year has gone ahead for workers and employers despite pressure to reverse the decision to increase this by 1.25%, which is aimed at raising £39 billion for the Treasury. From April 2023, it is set to revert back to its current rate, and a 1.25% health and social care levy will be applied to raise funds for further improvements to care services.

One way to beat the National Insurance increase is by taking advantage of salary sacrifice, which means you and your employer pay less National Insurance contributions. Some employers may decide to maximise the amount of pension contributions by adding the savings they make in lower employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) to the total pension contribution amount they pay. This is also a way to make your pension savings more tax-efficient. If you choose to take up a salary sacrifice scheme option, you and your employer will agree to reduce your salary, and your employer will then pay the difference into your pension, along with their contributions to the scheme. As you are effectively earning a lower salary, both you and your employer pay lower NICs, which could mean your take-home pay will be higher. Better still, your employer might pay part or all of their NICs saving into your pension too (although they don’t have to do this).

Review your savings

Accounts and rates

Money held in savings accounts hasn’t grown much in recent years due to historically low interest rates. But with inflation running higher, your savings are now at risk of losing value in ‘real’ terms as you will be able to buy less with your money.

In some respects, inflation can be seen as a positive. It’s a sign of strong economic recovery post-COVID, increasing salaries and higher consumer spending. But it’s bad news for your cash savings. Relying solely or overly on cash might prevent you from achieving your long-term financial goals, which may only be possible if you accept some level of investment risk.

In an environment where the cost of living is rising faster than the interest rates received on cash, there is a danger that your savings will slowly become worth less and less, leaving you in a worse position later on. If you have money in savings, it is important to keep an eye on interest rates and where your money is saved. Rates are low and you will lose money in real terms if inflation is higher than the interest rate offered on your savings account or Cash ISA.

Shift longer term savings into equities

During times of high inflation, it’s important to keep your goals in mind. For example, if your investment goals are short term, you may not need to worry much about how inflation is impacting your money. But if you’re investing for the long term, inflation can have a larger impact on your portfolio if it’s sustained – although high inflation that only lasts for a short period may end up just being a blip on your investment journey.

If you have large amounts of money sitting in cash accounts one way to beat inflation is to invest some of your money in a long-term asset that will appreciate with time, thus increasing your buying power over time. There are many ways to invest your money, but most strategies revolve around one of two categories: growth investments and income investments.

Historically, equities have offered an effective way to outperform inflation. Cyclical stocks – like financials, energy and resources companies – are especially well-suited to benefit from rising prices. These sectors typically perform better when the economy is doing well, or recovering from a crisis. Depositing funds into your investment portfolio on a regular basis (such as monthly from salary) can help you invest at different prices, averaging out the overall price at which you get into the market. Known as pound-cost averaging, this can help you smooth out any fluctuations caused by market volatility over the long term. While volatility will always exist, it can be managed and reduced by taking this approach.

Would you like advice on how to improve your financial health? Speak to us to find out how we can help.

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Mind the pension gender gap

 560 315 Jess Easby
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The pension gender age gap Women are being urged to think about their long term savings

Women are still behind men when it comes to retirement savings, which is why they need to consider the pension gender gap.

Imagine reaching retirement age and discovering that, despite years of saving, you don’t have enough money to get by. Worse still, suppose you’re unable to pay for the right kind of care in your old age.

If you and your partner separate or your spouse dies unexpectedly – will you have sufficient funds to see you through retirement? Now, all of these might sound like worst-case scenarios but, unfortunately, for women right across the UK one or more of them could become a reality.

Earning trends

The ‘Women and Retirement’ report[1] has found that if current work and earning trends continue, young women today will need to save an average of £185,000 more during their working life to enjoy the same retirement income as men.

The colossal gender pension gap is made up of a savings shortfall, plus the need to fund a longer retirement because women on average live longer than men. This also leads to higher care costs. Many women will naturally take time o! to start a family – resulting in gaps in their work history.

And even if women remain in the workforce, some still tend to earn less than men, on average.

Vulnerable situation

21% of women surveyed said they plan to rely at least partly on their partner’s income in retirement. However, this can leave women in a particularly vulnerable situation should they separate from their partner.

Right now, it’s rare for divorce settlements to account for pension assets, which means that women could end up in particularly unstable financial situations following divorce.

Funding retirement

Also, women tend to live longer than men – two to three years, on average. Indeed, this continued rise in longevity means that a 25-year- old man today can expect to live to 86, while a woman can live to 89.

And while rising longevity is of course a good thing, it does raise specific challenges – especially when it comes to funding retirement and old age.

Living longer

Together with living longer, women are also more likely to need care when they’re older. In fact, of the 6 million people in the UK over the age of 60 currently living with a disability, 3.5 million of them are women.

And those women who do need care spend on average a year longer in care homes than men. Right now, the average cost of care is £679 per week, which means women would need an extra £35,000 during retirement for residential care costs.

Moreover, as women can expect to live two to three years longer than men, they would also need around £50,000 for their retirement – bringing the total amount needed to match a man’s retirement income to £185,000.

Concerned about the gender pension gap?

As a woman, your pension is a key part of your retirement planning. How much you put away now, how you invest for the future and how you choose to access your pension once you’ve stopped working, are all key considerations for anyone hoping to enjoy a long and happy retirement. If you have any concerns or questions about your retirement plans, please contact us for more information.

Source data:

[1] Scottish Widows 2021 ‘Women and Retirement’ report – research carried out online by YouGov Plc across a total of 5,059 adults aged 18+. Data weighted to be representative of the GB population. Fieldwork was carried out between 23 March and 3 April 2021 through an online survey. 5,059 interviews were carried out. The sampling criteria were based on four key metrics: age, gender, region and social grade.

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.

The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances, tax legislation and regulation which are subject to change in the future. You should seek advice to understand your options at retirement.

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Staggered Retirement

 560 315 Jess Easby
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A more popular and increasingly common option many are considering.

Giving up the 9-to-5 doesn’t necessarily mean stopping work. But retirement planning has taken on an entirely new dimension as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak with many big questions being asked. When you picture yourself in your golden years, are you sitting on a beach, hitting the golf course, or still working behind a desk? For many people of retirement age, continuing to work is an option they are considering. Increasingly people are planning to stagger work or work flexibly. This can really appeal to some individuals who have caring responsibilities or health issues, or who are thinking about retiring in the next few years. 

Sudden transition from working five days a week

Several decades ago, working and retirement were binary terms, with little overlap. People were either working (and under the age of 65) or had hit the age of 65 and were retired. That’s no longer true, however, as staggered retirement is becoming more popular and more common.

Few people benefit from the sudden transition from working five days a week to not working at all. Retirement can often be an unsettling period and it’s not surprising given that the most common path into retirement is to go ‘cold turkey’ and simply stop working. 

More flexible retirement and working part-time

New research has highlighted the fact that fewer people are deciding against completely stopping working and are opting for a staggered and more flexible retirement and working part-time[1]. Nearly one in three (32%) pensioners in their 60s and 16% of over70s have left their pensions untouched. And of those who haven’t accessed their pension pot, nearly half (48%) of those in their 60s, and 24% of over-70s, say it is because they are still working. With people living longer, and the added prospect of health care costs in laterlife, retirees increasingly  understand the benefits of having a larger pension pot in later life.

Pensions are required to last as long as possible

Of those who haven’t accessed their pension pot, half (51%) say it is because they are still working while more than a quarter (25%) of people in their 60s say it is because they want their pensions to last as long as possible. Of course, retirees who haven’t accessed their pension pot must have alternative sources of income. When asked about their income, nearly half said they take an income from cash savings (47%), others rely on their spouse or partner’s income (35%) or State Pension (22%) while 12% rely on income from property investments added prospect of health care costs in laterlife, retirees increasingly understand the benefits of having a larger pension pot in later life. 

Offering people different financial and health benefits

This trend for staggered retirements offers many financial and health benefits. It is often taken for granted but continued good health is one of the best financial assets people can have. The benefits of working – such as remaining physically active and continued social interaction – can make a big difference to people’s mental wellbeing and overall health in retirement. People are increasingly making alternative choices about retirement to ensure that they do not run out of money, but it’s also really important to make pension savings work past retirement age so as not to miss out on the ability to generate growth above inflation for when there is the requirement to start drawing a pension. 

Worried about retirement uncertainty?

Planning your financial future is one of the most important things you can do in your life. Do you require professional advice and help with your retirement planning during this difficult time? Speak to us to find out how we can help you.

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Guide to the final countdown

 560 315 Jess Easby
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Time to review your financial plans with a financial check-up? 

If you are aiming to retire within the next five years, it’s time to get into the mindset of considering the practicalities of fulfilling your desired lifestyle and making plans. While you should think about retirement planning as early as possible, the five years leading up to retirement are critical. 

Retirement may be looming with terrifying urgency, and the reality is that you have just 60 pay packets left until you retire. This is a time when you’ll need to obtain up-to-date pension forecasts and obtain professional financial advice to make sure your retirement plans are on track. So, if you believe you are five years or less away from retirement, now is the time to seriously review your financial plans with a financial check-up.

What are the key things to concentrate on?

 The first step is to ask yourself if you are actually ready to retire. There are many factors to consider. Your financial affairs are the big factor to begin with. Your ability to afford retirement depends on your lifestyle, your family situation and home ownership. If you have dependent children, or have 15 years left on your mortgage, the time might not be quite right. You have to ensure retirement is the right move for you. Work can be stressful, but it can be rewarding and give you a sense of achievement. People may miss the routine of working life and the day-to-day interaction with people. 

Taking a different path

What you need might not be retirement, it could be change. A chance to get out from behind your desk to do something meaningful. Perhaps retirement is your ticket to achieving this – taking a different path where money is no longer the prime motivation. 

If you are afraid about having time on your hands after retirement, explore options for filling it well before you take the leap. 

Major change in lifestyle  

Retirement means a major change in lifestyle. You need a clear mind as to what you want your life to look like and how to spend your time. Then you can work on arranging your finances to suit. 

Decide on your priorities for retired life. Do you want to travel, or split your time between home and somewhere hot and exotic? Is there a particular hobby you want to immerse yourself in? What kind of leisure and social activities matter to you? 

Later years in your retirement

Try not to get caught up in what happens right after you end work – also consider the later years in your retirement. Will long-term travel continue to be feasible as you get older? Will you need such a large house, or will it become a burden? And what about in the latter stages of life? Would you need to fund care?  

You must also have a clear picture of what kind of life you would like to lead in retirement and what it will cost. Then you can start to dig a little deeper into what you might be able to afford. This means getting to grips with your sources of income once your earnings stop. 

Request up-to-date forecasts

Your first port of call is your pension – or pensions. Contact previous pension trustees to request up-to-date forecasts. If you’ve lost details of a pension scheme and need help, the Pension Tracing Service (0800 731 0193) may be able to assist you.  

You should also find out what your likely State Pension entitlement would be – you can do this by completing a BR19 form or by visiting www.direct.gov.uk. 

Consolidate existing pensions

If you have personal pensions, you need to find out where they are invested and how they have performed. Also check if there are any valuable guarantees built into the contracts. It may make sense to consolidate existing pensions, making it easier for y ou to keep track of everything and reduce the amount of correspondence you receive.  

With investments in general, it is important to review your strategy before you take the leap into retirement. You don’t need to suddenly become an ultra-conservative investor – you still want your portfolio to grow over the next few decades. Should the investment markets make a correction, you may want to limit your downside. Don’t forget, there may be another 30 years ahead. 

Don’t put off confronting the truth

If your investments don’t look on course to give you the income you’d hoped for in retirement, don’t put off confronting the truth. You may need to revise your projected living costs. Alternatively, there’s still time to change your investments, and you could also cut back on spending while you are still earning to generate more savings.  

Your income can be used in other ways besides topping up your savings as you prepare for retirement. Clearing debts, including your mortgage, should be a priority before you retire. Whatever you owe on credit cards and loans, focus on paying off the debt that charges the most interest first. Debt will be the biggest burden once you do not have a regular working income. 

Consider re-adjusting your finances

Having no mortgage to pay is a major step towards re-adjusting your finances for a post-salary life. You might also decide you want to sell up, whether to downsize, to give you a lump sum of cash to live off, or to fund your dreams of moving abroad. Either way, use your working income while you can to improve your home, maximising potential revenue when you come to sell it.  

Finally, retirement is a huge change, both personally and financially – so big it might be too much to take in all at once. It makes good sense to practice at being retired before it becomes a reality, especially if you will have to make certain adjustments and sacrifices to compensate for a reduced income. You might even consider a phased retirement, cutting back on your hours gradually. This will not only soften the financial effect, but it will also get you used to having more spare time to fill. 

Are you planning to enjoy your retirement?

One of the most important stages in life which everybody has to save for is retirement. You work hard to enjoy your current lifestyle, but are you doing enough to ensure that you can continue to enjoy it in your retirement?

If you would like to review your situation or arrange a meeting to discuss your retirement planning options, please contact us for further information – we look forward to hearing from you.

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Retiring happy

Retire Happy

 560 315 Jess Easby
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Retiring happyPlanning your future has arguably never been more important.

10 tips to enjoy the retirement you want

  1. Review your spending habits and consider if you have the scope to save a little more each month.
  2. Look up your annual benefit statements – you may have saved with more than one employer’s pension scheme.
  3. Think about what financial milestones you’d need to reach in order to increase your pension contributions and review your investment choices.
  4. Find out more about your current pension plan. If you pay in more, does your employer match your contributions?
  5. Track down old pension schemes using the government’s finder service https://www.gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details. Or request contact details from the government’s Pension Tracing Service on 0800 731 0193 or by post.
  6. Check that your Expression of Wish form is up to date. This is a request setting out whom you would like to receive any death benefits payable on your death.
  7. Check your State Pension entitlement. To receive the full State Pension when you reach State Pension age you must have paid or been credited with 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions. Visit the Government Pension Service https://www.gov.uk/contact-pension-service for information about your State Pension.
  8. Add up the savings and investments that you could use for your retirement. A pension is a very tax-efficient way to save for your retirement but you might also have other savings or investments that you could use to increase your income when you retire.
  9. If you’re getting close to retirement and the amount you’re likely to retire on is less than you’d hoped, consider ways to boost your pension.
  10. Decide when to start taking your pension. You need to set a target date when you want to start drawing an income from your pension – and remember, you don’t have to stop working to take your pension but you must be aged at least 55 (you might be able to do this earlier if you’re in very poor health).

Please contact us if you require any further information or guidance on your retirement.

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An older lady on her iPad planning for her retirement

The Power of a Plan

 560 315 Jess Easby
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An older lady on her iPad planning for her retirementHow to create a personal financial plan in 8 steps

When thinking about your future financial wellbeing, it can be helpful to consider a plan. It is a good idea to have a clear sense of what you want from life and use this as a guide for making important decisions.

A comprehensive financial plan helps you achieve your goals by analysing your current situation, planning for the future and providing continuous monitoring of progress towards those goals. A well-thought out plan can help you protect yourself from unexpected events that could affect your ability to meet long-term financial commitments. What do you want to do in life? Who are the people who matter most to you? What do you worry about at night?

Step 1: Set your goals

Without them, it’s hard to know what direction you’re headed and even harder to remember where you came from. Critical goals come before needs and wants.

When life changes – and it always does – your goals help guide your financial decisions and focus on what’s important.

Step 2: Make a budget

So you’ve decided to start keeping track of your income and expenditure, but how do you know where to begin? Creating a budget can seem like a daunting task, especially if you are not familiar with the process.

Not only is it important to know how much money is coming in and going out of your household each month, it’s also vital that you understand where that money is being spent. With a budget, you can align what you make with what you spend. With goals set, you can now organise your money.

In fact, when creating your budget, it’s important to remember that there will be some things that don’t fit into your monthly spending plan, and emergency savings make a great way to cover these unexpected costs.

Step 4: Protect your income

Falling ill or having an accident doesn’t have to become a financial burden on you or your family. What if you or your partner got too sick or hurt to work? Or passed away unexpectedly? Could those who depend on you still pay the bills – and save for the future? Planning your financial future isn’t only about savings and investments.

Of equal importance is putting protection in place for you and your family for when you die or if you become ill. Most people have heard of life insurance, but may not know about the different types or about the options for people affected by ill health. No one likes to think of these things. But life can change in an instant. It’s good to hope for the best, but be ready for the unexpected. Insurance helps you do that.

Step 5: Pay down debt

The importance of paying down personal debt cannot be understated. But it can be difficult to prioritise paying down debt while still paying for essential day-to-day living expenses. However, ignoring the significance of personal debt could lead you to major financial trouble in the long run.

Paying off your debts will not only free up cash flow to allow you to save, it will also go towards improving your credit score. The lower your debt-to-income ratio is, the better your credit rating. Your credit rating affects the interest rates that lenders charge you for mortgages, car loans and other types of financing.

Step 6: Save and plan for retirement

Everyone needs to save and plan for retirement. No matter how much you make or whether you have a job, you should always start saving as early as possible. It is important for you to take control of your retirement planning and make decisions regarding your pension. It is often not appreciated that contributing to a pension arrangement can help you build up an extremely valuable asset.

People are living longer and leading more active lives in retirement. As a result, it is more important than ever for you to think about where your income will come from when you retire. Pension saving is one of the few areas where you can still get tax relief.

Step 7: Invest some of your savings

Saving and investing are important parts of a sound financial plan. Whereas saving provides a safety net for unexpected expenses, investing is a strategy for building wealth. Once you have an emergency savings fund of three to six months’ worth of living expenses, you can develop a strategy to grow your wealth through investing.

Investing gives your money the potential to grow faster than it could in a savings account. If you have a long time until you need to meet your goal, your returns will compound. Basically, this means in addition to a higher rate of return on investments, your investment earnings will also earn money over time.

Step 8: Make your final plans

The importance of estate planning is necessary for all individuals, not just the wealthy. Without proper estate planning in place to protect your assets, you could end up leaving large amounts of money to be fought over by your loved ones and a large Inheritance Tax bill.

Your estate planning should sit alongside making your Will, both key parts of putting your affairs in order later in life. Working out the best ways to leave money in a Will before you pass away can help to make the lives of your loved ones easier when you’re no longer around.

I am ready to start a conversation

Financial planning may be complex, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. We’re committed to ensuring you feel comfortable, informed and supported at each stage of your financial planning journey. To find out more, or to discuss how we could help you and your family, please contact us.

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Scared-of-running-out-of-money-in-retirement

Scared of running out of money in retirement?

 560 315 Jess Easby
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Scared-of-running-out-of-money-in-retirementAre you scared of running out of money in retirement?

It has been well recognised that many are simply not saving enough into their pension pots for retirement. To avoid unwanted stress if you are planning to retire, you need to be absolutely sure your money is going to go the distance. Concerns you may have are:

  • Do I have enough to retire?
  • Will I run out of money, and when?
  • How can I guarantee the kind of retirement lifestyle I want?

Firstly, it is never too early to start saving for your future, and the earlier you start the better.

Pensions have a tremendous compound effect so the basic principle is the more you put in, the more you get out. The way you accumulate your retirement money and how you use it during your retirement will have a big impact on how long it will last – and also the amount of tax you pay.

Here are just some of the steps you can take to improve your pension pot size:

Making the most of pension tax relief

The Government encourages you to save for your retirement by giving you tax relief on pension contributions. This means some of the money that you would have paid in tax on your earnings goes into your pension pot rather than to the government. Tax relief has the effect of reducing your tax bill and/or increasing your pension fund. For a more detailed look at pension tax relief visit https://www.gov.uk/tax-on-your-private-pension/pension-tax-relief

Know your state pension

The State Pension is a weekly payment from the Government that you can receive once you reach State Pension age (66). The current state pension amount is £179.60 a week (2021-22), but you may get more or less than this.

To qualify for the State Pension you need a minimum of 10 years of National Insurance contributions. To find out more on how much State Pension you could receive and when visit https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

Investing during retirement

When it comes to investing during retirement, it is important not to view your portfolio with an element of finality. Your investment risk profile and strategy will almost certainly need to adjust to look at ways of making your money work as hard as possible, but with a view to generating earnings to boost your retirement income.

This is a time to look at how balanced your investments are and whether you are exposed to more risk than you are comfortable with. It is a time to review all your investments and decide how much you can afford to withdraw each year and whether this balances with your needs.

Let us take the fear out of your retirement planning?

It is always important to think ahead to retirement and not rush into making life-changing financial decisions. We can help you determine which retirement income approaches may be best for you based on your personal needs and goals. If you are scared of running out of money in retirement and would like to talk to us about your retirement requirements, then please get in touch.

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Would you love to retire early?

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Craving a better work/life balance? Wanting to spend more time with family and friends? Yearning to get on with that bucket list that you haven’t quite finished or even started?

You are not alone. The pandemic has many of us look at life in a different manner, having been forced off that daily treadmill and now we just don’t want to get back on.

You may now be one of the many actively seeking early retirement options.

The key is to be in a financial position to enjoy this time of your life, while, making sure you don’t outlive your retirement savings. Whilst creating a retirement plan so you don’t run out of money sounds like an obvious choice, it may not be as straightforward as it sounds. For all you cannot know exactly how much money you will spend when you retire, you can know what your lifestyle costs are now to know if you are financially ready to retire.

Equally, with living costs rising and interest rates fluctuating, you may also need to factor in or consider generating additional income, to boost your state and private pensions.

Grandparents with family on beach after thinking they would love to retire earlyWould you love to retire early

The key imperative is to create a plan and to ask a qualified Financial Adviser to develop a living cash flow model for you, so you can see exactly the impact of income vs expenditure, where the income gaps are and put an action plan in place together.

Here at Ellis Bates, we will discuss the best ways to bring your early retirement plans to life. We want you to be able to enjoy the things in life that mean the most to you and your family.

So, we are ready when you are, to listen to you and help you plan.

Find Your Local Adviser