Q. I know that there is going to be a review of all public sector pensions, including the NHS scheme that I am a member of, but have I heard it right that the government have already announced that any pension inflation increases are going to be linked to a different index than the Retail [...]
NHS Pension Scheme – Is Tax Relief Available On ‘Top Ups’? – Hot Topics Q & A
March 18, 2010 By
Q. I wanted to know if tax relief is available when additional pension is bought from the NHS scheme as it is when putting money into a personal pension. I have a children only dental contract and do not make the same contributions as I did when I fully worked as an NHS dentist. I am not [...]
Pension Early Retirement – Rule Changes April 2010 – Hot Topics Q & A
January 30, 2010 By
Q. I have 2 personal pension plans and am thinking of taking the benefits from these in the near future. I’m 52 now and have read that the age that I can use the proceeds from these plans will change in April 2010. Can you tell me more? A. Yes, you’re right, the rules will [...]
NHS Benefits For Partners – Hot Topics Q & A
November 20, 2009 By
Q. I am a 45 year old Consultant with 21 years service in the NHS. I am a bit worried regarding the security of my long term girlfriend if I were to die. We dont intend to marry. How do I ensure any benefits a wife would normally receive are given to her? A. This is [...]
Currency Risk – Sterling vs Euro – Hot Topics Q & A
November 6, 2009 By
Q. I am a retired dentist living in France. Owing to the decline in the value of the £ against the Euro my pension is severely devalued. What can I do about this? A. Thanks for the question. No doubt youve been racking your brain about this! Obviously, your problem is that your income is [...]
Your Retirement – What Will You Actually Do?
October 14, 2009 By
When we start working with a new client who’s, say, aged 50, its always interesting to get down to what they want to aim for in life. After all, if life is not about thoroughly enjoying doing things you love most, what is it about? So when the ‘Retirement Reality’ study from an insurance company [...]
Personal Pensions – Avoiding The Inheritance Tax Pitfall – Hot Topics Q & A
October 4, 2009 By
Q. I am about to invest into a personal pension plan. I’ve heard that it may be sensible to have the plan run until my 75th birthday, even though I’d probably be taking the benefits at age 60. Can you provide some guidance? A. There are a number of Inheritance Tax issues around the deferment [...]
NHS Pensions Added Years- How To Purchase – Hot Topics Q&A
September 8, 2009 By
Q. I’m aware that I’m not going to accrue the full 40 years in the NHS Pension Superannuation Scheme as I did not qualify until I was aged 25. I’ve heard about buying ‘added years’. Can you tell me how to go about this? A. Until April 2008, buying added years was available. Many people [...]
Retirement Income – How Much Do We Need? – Hot Topics Q & A
August 6, 2009 By
Q. If we were to aim for a pension of approx £15000 per year, what total pension pot + savings would we need to aim for in our pension planning at age 60? A. Thats a tough one, as it will depend upon various factors. Two of the main options to consider are annuity rates on pension [...]
NHS Pension Choices – The Key Factors
July 10, 2009 By
If you are a member of the NHS pension scheme, you will soon be asked to make a very important decision. That is, should you remain in the current version of the scheme (applies if you were a member pre-April 2008) or should you transfer to the new version (post-April 2008). To help, the NHS [...]
