Pension Planning
Planning is key to getting many things right in life and the same applies to pensions. The sooner you start making arrangements to save for your retirement, the better it is. Even a small amount saved regularly will quickly build up to a decent pension pot for when you stop working.
Putting the right plans in place is the best way to maximise your pension, be it a private or company scheme or a combination of the two. If your employer has a company pension plan and is prepared to contribute to it for you, it’s always a good idea to join even if you already have a private pension or want to have a separate one of your own.
The best company scheme is a final salary pension based on how much you earn and how many years you have been with the firm, but these are fast disappearing. Nowadays, most companies have a money purchase scheme which is based on how much you and your employer puts in and how well the investments do over the years.
What to consider
Several factors need to be taken into consideration. As well as giving due consideration to how much you believe you will be able to comfortably live on in retirement, you need to work out how much you can afford to put aside each month for the future. Then you should spend some time understanding the different saving options available to you.
For instance, did you realise you can transfer your pension from your old employer to a new one or into a private pension? However, if your pension comes with guarantees you should generally hang on to it. Pensions are a complicated area so you really need advice from an expert before transferring a pension or making a major decision about your retirement fund.
