Q. I am looking to invest a lump sum, as well as a regular amount each month. I can’t decide whether to choose an equities based Individual Savings Account (ISA) or a Personal Pension. Which do you think is best? A. It’s fair to say we’ve been asked this question a few times over the years! As [...]
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 [...]
Investing – Cash or Stock Markets? – Hot Topics Q&A
October 18, 2009 By
Q. I have just retired from dental surgery after 35 years hard work, and plan to really enjoy my retirement years by travelling a lot to far away places. With my NHS lump sum and cash from selling my practice I have a large sum of money to invest. I want to put money into the [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Pension or ISA? Investing for Retirement – Hot Topics Q&A
February 14, 2009 By
Q. I am a female dentist working part time in a practice which is mostly private. Now in my 30s, I feel that I should get my pension planning sorted out. My children are still young, and I will be going back to work full time in 3 years. I will then earn around £80,000 [...]
New NHS Pension Choice At Retirement – More Pension or More Cash?
February 11, 2009 By
In the past when it came to how the NHS paid your pension, it was very simple. You had a pension based on the number of years’ service in the Scheme, your income, and whether you had purchased added years. You also received a tax free lump sum of three times that pension (although GMPs [...]
NHS Superannuation Pension – Should I Take It Early? – Hot Topics Q & A
December 28, 2008 By
Q. I’m a 57 year old dentist and am planning to retire when I’m 58. Should I take my NHS pension at 58, or am I best waiting until age 60? A. You’ll be aware that there is a penalty for taking the benefits from the pension prior to age 60. If you retire at 58, you’ll receive an [...]
