Showing posts with label private pension. Show all posts
Showing posts with label private pension. Show all posts

Monday, 1 June 2009

I am trying to consolidate two small pensions.

I am trying to consolidate two small pensions into one small one after expenses, charges etc. The charges are quite expensive but I have not got much choice. One of the two will disappear, if I don't take action by August. My financial adviser recoomended a lifestyle one, which moves into cash at the end of the term to provide some protection.
Let's hope it will perform. The financial adviser said the annuity rates were very poor at the moment so it did not make sense to get an annuity and especially at my age. I wish the charges were lower, since they hit investment returns. I suppose that
in many cases gross investment in pensions produces little after charges.

Friday, 6 March 2009

In the UK defined contribution pensions are being crunched.

Research by the firm Aon Consulting has shown that the value of defined contribution pensions has fallen from a total of £550bn in September 2007 to £410bn at the end of January 2008 according to a report by moneymarketing.co.uk.
I think Gordon Brown, UK premier, will have to increase the tax advantages of personal pensions since people will otherwise decide that these investment vehicles are not worth the candle. I am thinking about putting a modest monthly amount in a pension for 15 years and probably the sum and the time period are not sufficient. I will probably invest in a tracker but it could be quite diminished by the charges, which mount up in time.

Monday, 5 November 2007

Ros Altmann is my hero!!

British pensions guru Ros Altmann is my hero!!! She seems to be combatting the UK government's lack of concern for pensions in a solo campaign. A recent edition of Money Marketing quoted her views that private pensions are no longer suitable for the vast majority of people.
I have been thinking of perhaps investing some more in pension provision
only because I have relatively got not long to go to retirement. Maybe with
Ms Altmann's views, I should
reconsider.
The tax relief is tempting on SIPPs and there is a lot more scope for different
investment strategies. However, there is no guarantee that pensioners will not be
taxed heavily when they have saved relatively large sums only through frugal
lifestyles and cautious investment.

Ms Altmann is a pensions personality of the year for 2007. She has contrasted the
bailout for Northern Rock depositors with the lack of response for investors
in company occupational pension schemes where the sponsor has gone bust.