“Pension unlocking” scams – what’s the alternative? from Pension Release

Transfer your funds to a Self Managed Pension Trust, and YOU decide what to do with YOUR money You will have complete control over the money you have saved in your pension… …some people decide to use the money to pay off expensive debts …some people use it to make investments they think will produce [...]

written by Jane Jones

Pension Loans – Are They Legal? from Pension Release

At the time of writing, the legal status of pension loans is under question. Last year the use of “pension reciprocation plans” (which involved loans from one pension scheme to another) was declared illegal by the High Court in the UK. But since then, other schemes have sprung up to allow people early access to [...]

written by Jane Jones

UK Budget – state pension age will rise with longevity from Pension Release

The good news is, we’re all living longer! Longevity, as the experts call it (how long we live, on average) is rising in the UK. The bad news, from today’s UK budget, is that the State Pension Age (SPA) will be linked to longevity measurements, and so will also be rising as we all live [...]

written by Jane Jones

Report suggests early access to State Pensions from Pension Release

The International Longevity Centre (ILC) has issued a report that suggests the Government should allow people early access to their state pension.  They argue that it would encourage people to work longer. Citywire summarised the ILC’s suggestions - “It has published a report, Gradual Retirement and Pensions Policy, which surveyed 1,000 people and found 55% [...]

written by Jane Jones

Pension Consolidation – Consolidate my Pension? from Pension Release

Pension Consolidation is an issue that government minister Steve Webb wants the pension industry to tackle. There is an obvious need – as you go through your working life you may acquire several different “pension pots”. You may have worked for several different companies, or the company you worked for may have gone through mergers [...]

written by Jane Jones

Unlocking Pension Cash – Inflation-linked annuities from Pension Release

Quick update: The Financial Times published an article last week, explaining how inflation-linked annuities can increase the amount of cash you can release from your pension using “flexible drawdown”. A brief excerpt from the FT article - “Investors have more chance of being able to withdraw large sums from their pension funds as inflation-linked annuities [...]

written by Jane Jones

Equity Release or Pension Release? from Pension Release

Like Pension Release, Equity Release is often considered a “last resort” option. Your pension and your home are probably your two biggest financial assets, and you’ve spent many years investing your money into them. The last thing you want to do is reduce their value or put them at risk, but sometimes people are in [...]

written by Jane Jones

DWP jargon buster for pensions from Pension Release

The Financial Times reports that the DWP (Department of Work and Pensions) is releasing a new “jargon buster” to clarify some of the terms that are used in the Pensions industry. They quote Steve Webb, Minister for Pensions - “It [the new language guide on pensions] looks at what language we should keep and what [...]

written by Jane Jones

Cashing in a Pension – Can I Cash in my Pension Early? from Pension Release

“Can I cash in my pension early?” is a question we get asked a lot! The answer depends on your individual situation. Fill out the enquiry form on the right to book a free phone call to discuss your options. In this article we look at some of the options available when you want to [...]

written by Jane Jones

Bad Credit Loans – scam warning from Pension Release

The OFT is cracking down on dodgy loan companies who are targetting people with bad credit records, offering “bad credit loans” and asking for upfront fees. Lovemoney.com describes the problem in a recent article - “Another problem with the market for alternative credit is rogue traders who contact customers offering cheap credit in return for [...]

written by Jane Jones