How to squeeze the most out of your work pension
- Can a pension detective track down your lost nest eggs?on June 30, 2022 at 8:03 am
Fresh analysis of figures dating back to 2008 shows a meteoric rise in the number of savers using the government’s Pension Tracing Service.
- Should you reduce pension saving? Why it’s short-term gain, long-term painon June 29, 2022 at 3:57 pm
One in 10 adults had already cut contributions or stopped paying into a pension altogether in early spring, according to a new survey.
- How do I top up my state pension? Steve Webb launches site to helpon June 29, 2022 at 8:38 am
Making voluntary contributions can be very valuable, but people are often unsure if this will be worthwhile depending on what they have paid already, and if it is which years to purchase.
- When topping up your state pension WON’T payon June 29, 2022 at 8:38 am
The full new state pension is worth £185.15 a week. To get this you must have 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions.
- I am 80 and can’t get full housing benefit – can I fight the council?on June 27, 2022 at 7:28 am
I’ve contacted my council several times and was told it was my own fault as I chose to live where I do. The person I contacted was rude and I asked if they had any two-bedroom houses and was told no.
- Steve Webb answers your pension questions hereon June 24, 2022 at 9:54 am
Former Pensions Minister Steve is This is Money’s Agony Uncle. Here’s where you can check out all his previous columns to see if any involve issues affecting you.
- Number of couples splitting pensions at divorce plummets by a thirdon June 24, 2022 at 8:04 am
Drop in pension sharing applications has coincided with the introduction of DIY online divorces, say lawyers.
- How do I set up a pension fund for my 25-year-old son with Asperger’s?on June 24, 2022 at 6:00 am
I would like to start a pension plan for him but would like it protected, so that he is not able to draw down from it and spend the fund before retirement age.
- State pension betrayal must not happen again, says ROS ALTMANNon June 23, 2022 at 9:13 am
Former Pensions Minister Ros Altman says pensioners deserve their rise after the Government betrayed its ‘triple lock’ promise and gave them a 3.1% increase this year .
- Boris Johnson under pressure over ‘bonkers’ £1,000-a-year state pension increaseon June 22, 2022 at 3:38 pm
Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey defended plans to spend billions on a double-digit boost for retirees next year after the Treasury vowed to reinstate its ‘triple lock’ pledge.
- Clients dying while waiting for power of attorney to be granted on June 22, 2022 at 9:01 am
In a damning letter solicitors say civil servants are making ‘unacceptable’ mistakes – including returning paperwork ripped or with pages missing.
- VICTORIA BISCHOFF: Another day… another state pension shambleson June 22, 2022 at 8:48 am
The Department for Work and Pensions discovered a computer glitch was causing errors in the uprating of the graduated retirement benefit.
- Is your funeral plan safe? Thousands are at risk of losing large sumson June 22, 2022 at 6:45 am
Funeral plans cost between £3,000 to £4,000 and promise people peace of mind that their loved ones will not be hit with a big bill when they die.
- Should we save 12% of salary towards a pension?on June 21, 2022 at 3:22 pm
The current auto-enrolment minimum is 8% of salary but some finance experts have long warned that falls short of what is needed for a comfortable retirement.
- Near to retiring and watching your pension fall? Your options explainedon June 20, 2022 at 3:57 pm
Markets have turned red as central bankers and politicians struggle to get soaring inflation under control, creating a gaping hole in many people’s retirement funds.
- Is it worth paying for a bigger state pension?on June 20, 2022 at 6:52 am
I know I can ‘buy’ missing years of National Insurance contributions – but is it worth spending a lump sum now to get more each year?
- Why hasn’t my £22k pension increased after PPF cap was ruled unlawful?on June 20, 2022 at 6:50 am
The lifeboat fund has abolished the cap on larger pensions and is paying compensation, but my old scheme’s obligations were transferred to an insurer so I’m missing out.
- One in five people retiring this year plan to rely on their state pensionon June 17, 2022 at 10:49 am
Some 20 per cent say they are retiring later than planned as they haven’t saved enough to stop working, new research reveals.
- Do you know what age you get a state pension?on June 15, 2022 at 8:27 am
The age at which someone can start collecting their state pension, currently worth £9,638 a year, is due to rise from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028.
- Care homes in cost of living crisis with meals shrunk and fees hikedon June 15, 2022 at 8:25 am
Ivor and Eileen Truman, (pictured on their wedding day) now live together in a care home meaning they face double fees which are soaring annually.
- How do you claim pension credit? Get help with billson June 14, 2022 at 11:01 pm
A new advertising campaign tackling myths that might deter people from applying is being launched on an official ‘day of action’.
- How to squeeze the most out of your work pensionon June 14, 2022 at 8:16 am
Auto enrolment into work pensions takes the hassle out of saving for retirement, but you could be missing a trick or two by not looking any further than that.
- Launch of ‘no fault’ divorces prompts a spike in caseson June 14, 2022 at 6:28 am
Nearly 13,000 applications were filed in April, and just over a fifth of were made jointly – an innovation now permitted under the ‘no fault’ law.
- Help! My pension fund fell £3k in value just as I’m about to retireon June 13, 2022 at 8:29 am
I’m appalled that I can’t get them to stop trading and freeze the account immediately, and I must watch as more money is lost. I always thought my pension firm was acting on my behalf.
- Pension system is a ‘slow-motion car crash’ for the middle-aged who are at risk of not saving enoughon June 9, 2022 at 11:26 am
Sir Steve Webb, who was pensions minister in the coalition government, said there was a generation of middle-aged people at serious risk of not saving enough for retirement.
- Women turning 66 wrongly told they were owed ZERO state pensionon June 8, 2022 at 1:38 pm
Estelle Henley, pictured with her husband Rob, was shocked to be told she would receive nothing whatsoever when she claimed in April.
- Power of attorney applications unfairly rejected as waiting times soaron June 8, 2022 at 8:52 am
Paul Harris, 84, and his wife Gillian, 83, are still waiting for their power of attorney documents 14 months after submitting applications.
- I want to transfer my pension into a drawdown: Will there be high fees and is an annuity better?on June 6, 2022 at 11:47 am
I am trying to weigh up buying an annuity, or using drawdown. Do drawdown pensions have higher management costs? And should this put me off?
- I’m retired – can I still pay extra NI to get a bigger state pension?on June 6, 2022 at 11:07 am
I retired after 42 years. I wonder if it would now be possible for me to make additional NI contributions so that I can receive a full or higher state pension?
- JEFF PRESTRIDGE: Pay victims of shameful funeral plan cowboyson June 6, 2022 at 7:38 am
It’s imperative a scheme is put in place. Otherwise, shamefully, confidence in the funeral plans market will remain fractured.
- Can I keep paying into my pension while on maternity leave?on June 2, 2022 at 7:29 am
Ideally I’d like to carry on paying my current higher contributions and getting them fully matched by my employer. Do I have a right to this?
- Funeral plan firms set to be banned from trading are still advertisingon June 1, 2022 at 8:21 am
Empathy Funeral Plans UK, which has 7,000 customers, withdrew its application for authorisation in April, and Unique Funeral Plans failed to apply at all.
- Why are civil servants still bungling our pensions?on June 1, 2022 at 8:18 am
When Stewart Griffiths told the Department for Work and Pensions about the death of his mother Wendy, he discovered that she had been underpaid for 17 years and was owed close to £90,000.
- Conservative MP Lucy Allan calls for funeral plans compensationon May 29, 2022 at 8:30 am
She fears that without such protection, thousands of people could be left with plans that will not pay for the funerals they thought they had bought.
- Poorest pensioners spend almost a FIFTH of their income on fuel billson May 27, 2022 at 10:47 am
Many elderly people are using ‘desperate coping strategies’ and ‘extreme budgeting’ to pay essential bills, says Age UK.
- Will my old employer voluntarily increase my pension as inflation soars?on May 23, 2022 at 6:00 am
Two thirds of my benefits were accrued before April 1997. The fund rules don’t allow for rises in excess of the Guaranteed Minimum Pension on those, but can be made at the discretion of the company.
- Savers in Safe Hands funeral plan will get only a fifth of money back – at moston May 22, 2022 at 9:29 am
This is despite the fact their money was meant to be safeguarded in a trust. The cost of Doreen Lewis’s funeral was meant to have been covered.
- Lasting power of attorney goes digital with new faster and safer online systemon May 20, 2022 at 11:24 am
Under the proposals people will be able to apply for LPA online for the first time and includes increased protection for vulnerable people from abuse and fraud.
- Can we use power of attorney to sell our mum’s house and split the cash?on May 19, 2022 at 6:47 am
My sister wants to split the proceeds of the sale and use that and the sale of her own home to buy something for her, her husband and mum nearer to me, and other family, so we are able to help out.
- My wife is denied state pension but was a ‘stay at home’ mother, is that fair?on May 16, 2022 at 5:50 pm
With the frequent moves during my service career, including two tours (six years) in Germany, this made employment for my wife a difficulty.
- Can I get my state pension ‘unfrozen’ when I visit the UK?on May 16, 2022 at 4:59 pm
Around 500,000 elderly expats live in countries where their state pension is frozen at whatever amount it was set at when they moved abroad.
- Think your pension is inflation-proof?
Prepare for a shockon May 16, 2022 at 7:55 am
Many gold-plated defined benefit pension schemes have a cap on their inflation protection, which is now being breached as the cost of living surges.
- Can I do anything if an old employer didn’t auto enrol me into a pension?on May 9, 2022 at 6:38 am
Can you advise on my position regarding getting my six years’ pension payments made by them and whether they are liable for my contributions also.
- NatWest let down Jeff Prestridge’s mum – when she needed it moston May 8, 2022 at 8:31 am
I wanted to activate my mother’s power of attorney, but branch staff pushed me from pillar to post as I searched for someone who could help.
- ‘Claim your pension credit’ rallying call launched by campaignerson May 4, 2022 at 2:35 pm
A drive to seek out the poorest pensioners in the country to urge them to sign up for pension credit is being launched by finance industry campaigners.
- When to start your child’s pension? The day they’re bornon May 4, 2022 at 8:20 am
In 2002 Lizzy and Paul Bernthal (pictured with daughter Rodena) decided to save their child benefit payments into a pension for Rodena’s retirement.
- Failed funeral firm Safe Hands pays £4m of £64m needed for customerson May 2, 2022 at 10:53 am
It means there is now a strong likelihood that the 47,000 customers of the company will be left with near worthless plans.
- Women lose out on £225k in pension savings – 10 tips to save nowon May 2, 2022 at 7:23 am
A woman with a five year age gap with her male partner could potentially be around £225k worse off, with a pension pot size of just over £214k, which is 51% less than the older male partner.
- Should I use a dormant £50k pension pot to pay off my mortgage?on May 2, 2022 at 7:04 am
I have a large mortgage which currently is set to run until age 75. However, I will make overpayments and potential lump sum payments to pay it off by age 67 when I intend to retire.
- State pension top-ups chaos leaves savers in limboon April 29, 2022 at 2:45 pm
Retired teacher Nigel Hughes, pictured, paid around £1,600 in summer 2020, but the payment vanished and his repeated complaints and attempts to track it down were ignored.
- Betrayal of trust: Salesmen leave pensioners facing crippling costson April 28, 2022 at 11:28 am
Unregulated legal firms claim that by transferring property and cash into a trust it will protect their assets from care home fees and inheritance tax.
- Will a one-stop multi-asset fund meet your needs in retirement?on April 26, 2022 at 2:51 pm
Investing experts frown on only holding one fund given the risk involved, though some will make an exception for a multi-asset fund if it is broad enough.
- I use salary sacrifice so do I need to claim back my pension tax relief?on April 26, 2022 at 7:13 am
At present I have a defined contribution pension where my company contributes around £1,000 per month and I make a salary sacrifice and pay approximately £2,000 per month.
- Would YOU take a reduced state pension early?on April 25, 2022 at 1:11 pm
Retirement experts are divided over whether 60-somethings should be offered the option of drawing the state pension early on smaller payments. .
- Safe Hands-linked Philips Trust’s fate leaves thousands in the darkon April 25, 2022 at 10:29 am
Philips Trust Corporation offers will writing services, probate administration, inheritance tax planning and funeral plans. It also manages trusts on behalf of clients.
- TONY HETHERINGTON: Power of attorney from firm that doesn’t existson April 25, 2022 at 8:06 am
Lee Matthew Frost took our cheque for £1,000. But the Office of the Public Guardian says there is no record of him submitting anything.
- Natwest ups mortgage age limit to 75: Here’s how to ensure you pay yours off by retirementon April 22, 2022 at 7:35 am
Rising retirement age and surging house prices mean many people are both working and paying off their home loans for longer.
- Frozen overseas state pensions: Nurse aged 100 in Australia gets just £46 a weekon April 21, 2022 at 8:26 am
Patricia Coulthard, pictured, is one of nearly 500k expats around the world whose pensions are frozen at whatever amount they were set when they moved abroad.
- Four in five now save into a pension compared to just 47% a decade agoon April 21, 2022 at 8:19 am
Four in five workers are now saving into a pension, compared to fewer than half a decade ago, new figures from the ONS.
- Are unregulated pre-paid probate plans the new Wild West?on April 20, 2022 at 8:19 am
Experts warn that following a crackdown on pre-paid funeral plans, greedy salesmen have already shifted their attention to pre-paid probate plans.
- One in four workers fear they are not saving enough in their pensionon April 19, 2022 at 5:00 am
Low-income households, women and people in their thirties and forties are the most concerned, new research shows.
- Can I cut a property inheritance tax bill once probate has begun?on April 18, 2022 at 6:53 am
We are now faced with the confusing probate process and want to know if there is anything else we can do to limit our tax burden?
- Safe Hands funeral cash was used to buy commercial propertyon April 17, 2022 at 9:03 am
A petition has now been launched demanding that the Government set up an emergency fund to support victims Ernest and Pat Hughes paid £3,395.
- Will I inherit any state pension from my late husband?on April 11, 2022 at 6:22 am
There has been no communication from the DWP regarding this and all phone calls to them requesting the information has failed to shed any light on the matter.
- State pension to rise by half the current rate of inflationon April 10, 2022 at 8:38 am
Payments will rise by 3.1 per cent. However, the increases will quickly be absorbed by the cost of living.
- I’m a teacher torn between topping up my pension or my investment Isaon April 8, 2022 at 9:29 am
I’m undecided which financial product would be most advantageous, and with inflation rising at present I want to invest not keep money in cash. Ray Black, boss of Money Minder, responds.
- Ten pitfalls to watch out for if you’re tempted to withdraw money from your pensionon April 7, 2022 at 9:00 am
Potential traps include forking out too much tax, limiting your ability to pay into your pension in future, and even running your pot completely dry, warn experts.
- Pension savers may miss out if they switch to ‘lifestyling’ bond fundson April 6, 2022 at 8:45 am
‘Nanny state’ plans to force pension savers to invest cautiously ahead of retirement could cost them thousands of pounds, experts warn.
- Will earning under new NI threshold hit state pension qualifying yearson April 5, 2022 at 9:16 am
My wife earns around £11,300 working at the local school. If she now has to buy NI contributions then it seems she will be considerably worse off than she was before. Is this the case?
- How do you get HMRC to correct a tax code error?on April 1, 2022 at 7:24 am
Have you received a tax code for 2022/23 that is incorrect? Tax expert Heather Rogers explains the most common errors that crop up, and how to get HMRC to put them right.
- Pension credit ‘should be automated’ for needy older peopleon March 31, 2022 at 7:24 am
Pension credit applications need to be ‘decluttered’ and in future automated to help older people facing rocketing bills, says Henry Tapper, who chairs industry networking platform Pension Playpen.
- More retirees ‘flexi-working’ and one in five rely on State Pensionon March 30, 2022 at 5:39 pm
A new ‘flexi-retirement’ trend is emerging with more retirees deciding to work part-time and many retirees say they will primarily rely on the state pension.
- Call to protect 46,000 funeral savers after Safe Hands goes buston March 30, 2022 at 8:26 am
Campaigners are demanding the Government steps in to protects 46,000 funeral savers following the collapse of Safe Hands.
- Why is it still so difficult to close your loved one’s accounts when they die?on March 30, 2022 at 8:23 am
Ruth Blakemore (pictured) co-founded Life Ledger after watching her father struggle to close her mother’s accounts with various firm after she died.
- Fix ‘broken’ child benefit system for parents losing state pensionon March 29, 2022 at 10:36 am
The number of families claiming child benefit has slumped again, blasting a hole in many women’s future state pensions due to a crucial but little known link between the payments.
- I paid Safe Hands for a funeral plan: Can I get my money back?on March 28, 2022 at 8:07 am
In 2016 I paid Safe Hands for a cremation service. I have since read that they may not have the funds to honour my funeral. The firm is now in administration.
- Safe Hands funeral clients may lose ALL their moneyon March 28, 2022 at 7:12 am
The news, which has left many customers distraught, follows the appointment of administrators at Safe Hands Plans.
- DWP slammed for 79p state pension top-up blunder and long delayson March 25, 2022 at 4:29 pm
Pensioners claim complaints have gone ignored, phone lines are ‘a joke’, and staff continue to make empty promises of cases being escalated.
- ‘Nothing for elderly’: A 3.1% state pension hike is outstripped by inflationon March 23, 2022 at 4:54 pm
Older people struggling with higher bills received no help from the Chancellor today and will be forced to bump up pension withdrawals to make ends meet, warn experts.
- Quarter of a million women to die waiting for state pension justice in 2022on March 23, 2022 at 9:27 am
Women born in the 1950s missed out on up to £50,000 after the state pension age was raised from 60 to 66 between 1995 and 2011.
- Why you shouldn’t bank on your basic workplace pensionon March 23, 2022 at 9:25 am
This year marks a decade since the introduction of auto-enrolment rules that require both employees and employers to pay into a pension.
- I’ve built up 48 years of NI for a state pension – must I pay more?on March 21, 2022 at 9:48 am
I have a near full employment history of making NI contributions, the majority of which were made under contracted out arrangements.
- What should you do with your pension if you fall very ill?on March 18, 2022 at 9:25 am
It will be little consolation for the loss of your health, but there are ways to use your pension pot to relieve money troubles should you find yourself in this sad situation.
- Business owners who put property in Sipps may be owed stamp duty refundon March 15, 2022 at 9:34 am
Those who have moved commercial properties into Sipps or SSAS could be eligible for rebates of around £50,000 in some cases.
- My pension scheme has sent baffling letters about ‘equalising the GMP’on March 14, 2022 at 10:14 am
I had to sign a document from the administrators running my old scheme which covered the ‘equalisaion of Guaranteed Minimum Pension’. But now they are saying I am not owed anything.
- Don’t cut back on pensions in cost of living crunchon March 14, 2022 at 7:00 am
Experts have warned that cutting pension contributions to pay higher energy bills could cost young workers tens-of-thousands by retirement age.
- Pensions hit by inflation: Retirees face huge losses in spending poweron March 9, 2022 at 9:13 am
While inflation is tipped to surge above 8% this year, the state pension will rise by just 3.1% in April – when energy bills are hiked by more than 50%.
- Why are financial advisers charging so much for pension transfers?on March 7, 2022 at 7:21 am
I am confused when talking to financial advisers about a transfer, as their fees and costs seem to be high, both for the transfer and ongoing costs.
- How to top up your pension fundon March 4, 2022 at 9:12 am
If you are new to investing, and feel lukewarm at the prospect, one easy and potentially lower cost option open to people with a work pension is to top up investments already held in their retirement fund.
- Living on pension investments? Beware the ‘pound cost ravaging’ trapon March 3, 2022 at 10:15 am
Older people relying on an income from investments in retirement need to be more vigilant than most, in case there is suddenly a need to adjust or even halt withdrawals and lean on other savings for a time.
- Savers with lifestyle pension funds risk ‘sleepwalking’ into bond sell-offon March 1, 2022 at 11:54 am
An estimated 850,000 pension savers are invested in lifestyling funds, whose value has plummeted in recent months due to rising inflation.
- Tax codes explained: How to find out if you’re paying too muchon March 1, 2022 at 8:28 am
Do you ever receive your tax code in the post, look at it and not really understand what it means? Tax expert Heather Rogers explains how to check it is correct, so you don’t overpay tax.
- What’s the best way to top up my wife’s pension?on February 28, 2022 at 7:32 am
I am 50 and she is 40. Ideally I would retire at 60 and my wife at 50. My logic is that my wife can access her own funds that have a good sized income.
- Victory for couple who fought council swoop on state pension lump sumon February 24, 2022 at 10:02 am
Couple battled for nearly 18 months with Wokingham Borough Council, which attempted to revoke a £1,200 council tax reduction after a belated £13,800 payout from the DWP.
- Can your council snatch a lump sum won in DWP state pension scandal?on February 24, 2022 at 10:01 am
Lawyer Spencer Gardner, pictured, looks at the issues faced by a woman forced to fight off a council raid on a £13,800 state pension lump sum intended to redress a 12-year DWP blunder.
- Lowest paid NHS workers hit by stealth pay cut on February 23, 2022 at 9:09 am
The Department of Health has approved plans to make NHS workers on less than £21,500 pay up to 1.5% more of their wages into the pension scheme.
- Play on Wordle fever to get young people interested in pensionson February 23, 2022 at 8:45 am
The Association of British Insurers says games like Wordle (pictured) could be used to make pensions more appealing to younger generations.
- How much do I need to save in my pension for retirement?on February 21, 2022 at 9:14 am
I need some advice on what I should be paying in to get a pension that meets the cost of living and a little extra for pleasure such as holidays.
- State pension and inflation disparity at worst point for a decadeon February 19, 2022 at 8:35 am
From 11 April, state pension payouts will rise by 3.1 per cent, and be based on Consumer Price Index figures from September.
- Does ‘creaking’ power of attorney service need urgent reform?on February 17, 2022 at 9:27 am
Lasting power of attorney allows people to appoint someone they trust, usually a family member or friend, to take control of their affairs if they fall ill.
- Do you owe tax on your state pension backpayment from the DWP?on February 16, 2022 at 11:19 am
Tens of thousands of women have been underpaid state pension in a £1bn scandal. Tax may be due on the large backpayments. Accountant Heather Rogers explains what to do.
- Should £720 a year pension tax relief for non-earners be raised?on February 15, 2022 at 12:47 pm
The pension contribution limit for non-earners has been frozen at £3,600 for two decades, curbing what people with no current income can save for old age.
- Will my mum’s spendthrift husband leave us with no inheritance?on February 15, 2022 at 7:00 am
What could she do to protect her share of the house from being borrowed against or the house sold and the money spent? Lawyer Nicola Plant, pictured, replies.
- How will Rishi Sunak’s support deal on energy bills help pensioners?on February 14, 2022 at 7:21 am
Our combined income of approximately £1,400 per month puts us just over the threshold, which has not significantly changed for years, on pension credit We do not qualify for grants or allowances.
- How do I find out if my state pension is too low?on February 11, 2022 at 9:27 am
A lot of women are understandably asking if they missed out on thousands of pounds in state pension, and we explain how to find out and what to do if you are owed money by the DWP.
- Could my siblings evict me after my mum dies?on February 8, 2022 at 8:57 am
Am I entitled to stay as I have been caring for my mother and have nowhere to go on to? Would my family have to take me to court if they wanted to sell the house? Lawyer Richard Marshall replies.
- After I take 25% tax free, what happens to the rest of my pension?on February 7, 2022 at 11:29 am
Is there a point or time where the rest is tax free, or is the remaining 75 per cent taxable and how is the tax taken off?
- Public support for 1.25% National Insurance levy is dividedon February 3, 2022 at 11:10 am
The Prime Minister and Chancellor insist the NI levy to raise £12billion would go ahead, defying resistance.
- Dreaming of early retirement? Your income could take a drastic hiton February 3, 2022 at 5:00 am
People determined to retire early have to accept a significantly lower income or risk their pension fund running dry, a new study warns.
- Should I put extra cash in my pension or open a stocks and shares Isa?on January 31, 2022 at 10:15 am
I’m currently in my mid 40s and am in the company salary sacrifice scheme, putting in 7% while the company puts in 4% of my pay. However, I can add a little more.
- Divorcing couples should get financial advice even if it is amicableon January 31, 2022 at 9:01 am
With property and pensions potentially at stake, as well as serious questions about both partners’ financial futures to get financial advice early on.
- Have the ‘pathways’ to better pensions turned into a road to nowhere?on January 30, 2022 at 12:40 pm
Few investors have decided to go anywhere near it, while some who have could be nursing losses of thousands of pounds, our figures reveal.
- Retirement is best time to become your own bosson January 30, 2022 at 9:45 am
For many, retirement is a time to kick back and relax, but many are using it as a chance to embark upon a new career. Kim O’Donnell set up Leo Charley & Me.
- Underpaid state pensions: A guide to getting what you’re owedon January 26, 2022 at 9:30 am
The Department for Work and Pensions has faced a barrage of criticism over the fiasco which saw 134,000 mostly women miss out over decades.
- Am I saving enough for retirement? Just two in five people areon January 25, 2022 at 8:40 am
A new savings and resilience barometer launched by Hargreaves Lansdown looked at how likely people at different ages and income levels are to achieve a moderate income or above.
- Do you need to file a tax return to avoid pension pitfalls?on January 25, 2022 at 8:25 am
Filing a self-assessment tax return can also prevent those on higher incomes from being caught out by charges for breaching how much they can put in their pension pot each year.
- Can I get a state pension credit for when I couldn’t work during Covid?on January 24, 2022 at 9:39 am
I tried to sign on to claim state pension credits (anticipating gaps) but the DWP automatically closed my claim down when I tried to do this online.
- What age is best to start inheritance tax planning?on January 21, 2022 at 11:55 am
People 70s-plus often put off thinking about giving money away to their children when they were younger, but by then there is not much time left, explains Osbornes Law.
- How to avoid inheritance tax legallyon January 19, 2022 at 5:52 pm
There are many legal ways to dodge the dreaded 40 per cent ‘death tax’ if you want to pass on the maximum sum possible and are prepared to plan ahead.
- How do you fairly split pensions in a divorce?on January 13, 2022 at 7:26 am
Pensions are often neglected in divorce settlements despite their value to both partners. Find out how they can be divided fairly and some of the worst traps.
- State pension age: What is the retirement age in the UK?on December 16, 2021 at 10:44 am
We explain changes to the state pension age, so you can find out when you will be allowed to retire
- Help! Can grandchildren left £10k towards their pensions be trusted?on November 23, 2021 at 8:37 am
My concern, which was shared by my mother, is that if the funds are given directly they may never actually be paid into the pensions!
- What happens if my mum needs to go into a care home?on November 19, 2021 at 8:52 am
She has £30,000 saved and owns her property outright. Will I have to move out? Will the savings and property be used for her care?
- My husband and I live separately, so how would this affect care bills?on October 29, 2021 at 1:04 pm
We are joint tenants of both properties. We paid stamp duty as a second home for the second flat. What is the situation if one of us goes into a care home? Lawyer James Urquhart-Burton replies.
- Can I include in my will that my children sell my house when I die?on October 28, 2021 at 3:28 pm
I want to make sure there are not any arguments between my children regarding selling or keeping the family home when I die. Lawyer Katie Alsop replies.
- My siblings want to keep my late father’s home, but I don’t – can I force the sale?on August 31, 2021 at 8:09 am
My late father died intestate in January. His only asset was his home, which has been valued at £240,000. Our mother passed away prior to my father and she had no will.
- How to pay off your mortgage by retirementon June 24, 2021 at 8:57 am
The average age people expect to get shot of their mortgage is 59, new research reveals. But what can you do to avoid mortgage debt in retirement?
- Should I move my British Airways pensions to the teacher’s scheme?on June 17, 2021 at 7:55 am
After being made redundant by British Airways last year, I have retrained as a teacher. I have two BA pensions and am wondering whether to move both or either into the teachers’ scheme.
- Should I merge my pension pots in one place?on May 27, 2021 at 6:46 am
Savers collect a string of pension pots during their working lives but only one in four have merged any of them, new research reveals.
- My father is almost 90 – is he too old to invest in shares?on April 8, 2021 at 8:52 am
Stockbroking experts from Killik & Co explain what to consider when investing at that age, and the contingency plans your father should put in place if he becomes unable to handle his own affairs.
- My sister abused our late mum’s power of attorney – what can I do?on March 12, 2021 at 8:13 am
All my mother’s accounts were closed and the money transferred, but the bank will not give details. I don’t get it! How come she could just help herself to everything and what can I do about it?
- I want a divorce but our only income is my husband’s pensioon March 8, 2021 at 10:16 am
He uses the pension as the bond between us, because he knows my financial situation. I truly cannot stay because of this. Lawyer Steven Gasser, pictured left, replies.
- My late mother cut me out of her will – can I still claim my share?on February 26, 2021 at 8:51 am
There are two beneficiaries, my sister and her daughter who is also the executor. Do you think it is possible for me to make a claim for a share of the will? If so what do I do?
- How to invest your pension in drawdownon January 21, 2021 at 5:47 pm
Pension freedoms mean retirees can now invest their savings how they like rather than buy a stingy annuity. But what do you need to consider and plan ahead for when funding retirement this way?
- What pension deadlines must you meet as you reach 55, 65 and 75?on September 18, 2020 at 11:25 am
Pension age deadlines are more fluid as older people have gained greater control over retirement dates and finances – but some birthdays are still markers for decisions and action.
- Steve Webb’s 12 best pension columnson August 18, 2020 at 9:08 am
A selection of Steve’s top columns can help you avoid being scammed, understand the mysteries of the new state pension, and gain peace of mind by making the most of your pension savings.
- How do I apply for NHS CHC to cover my care bills?on July 31, 2020 at 9:05 am
James Urquhart-Burton, partner at Ridley & Hall Solicitors and an expert in care funding, explains how to make an application for yourself, or a loved one.
- How do you appeal if your application for NHS CHC is refused?on July 31, 2020 at 6:08 am
James Urquhart-Burton, partner at Ridley & Hall Solicitors and an expert in care funding, lays out the potential grounds for objecting to an NHS refusal and how to make a successful appeal.
- Give mums their state pension credits back, say Treasury tax expertson October 11, 2019 at 2:33 pm
In a stinging report, tax officials said people ‘can easily disadvantage themselves’ in a system that ‘appears illogical’, and told the Government to find a way to restore lost credits to parents.
- Parents face smaller state pension over failure to fill in child benefit formon April 8, 2019 at 8:14 am
Thousands are facing a poorer retirement as a result of innocent mistakes over paperwork. Nandia Needham, pictured with husband Martin, could be £20k out of pocket over a 20-year retirement.
- Couple who put ‘wrong’ name on child benefit form win state pension creditson April 8, 2019 at 6:37 am
The couple managed to convince HMRC they were unaware his filling in the child benefit form could result in her losing state pension in old age, in a case that could help many other parents.
- Pension tips for married couples and benefits availableon February 15, 2018 at 7:09 pm
It may not seem like a grand romantic gesture, but making sure your spouse is financially comfortable in retirement, will go a long way towards securing your future happiness together.
- Spend your pension pot last to defend savings from taxmanon November 11, 2017 at 1:03 pm
Hoard your pension and spend other cash and investments first, to keep your money away from the taxman. That’s the advice experts are dishing out to retirees worried about inheritance tax.
- How do you invest in retirement?on November 8, 2017 at 4:56 pm
Elderly investors have to balance the need to make withdrawals yet keep a pot as intact as possible – whether to avoid running out of money or bequeath a pension to loved ones.
- Cancer and your finances: Benefits you may be entitled toon July 24, 2017 at 7:03 am
Grappling with the benefits monster can be daunting, particularly for those struggling with common side effects such as nausea, fatigue and chemo brain so here’s everything you need to know.
- Make sure your last wishes are clear, from a will, to power of attorney and probate on May 24, 2016 at 8:55 am
Many people put off thinking about their mortality. But there is vital paperwork to sort out before your time comes to an end.
- What you need to know about picking and paying for a funeralon May 24, 2016 at 8:37 am
Death is unavoidable – but the way we are laid to rest is still largely in our control. We examine the key decisions you need to make on a funeral.
- Deal or no deal? How to decide when to take ‘with profits’ payouton May 30, 2015 at 7:55 am
With-profits policyholders often face an impossible choice about when to take their benefits. Turn down today’s offer and tomorrow’s may be lower. How can you decide when it’s time to leave?
- What should you do with a pension pot of £30k, £50k or £100k?on July 28, 2014 at 9:45 am
Pension freedom reforms will give people more decision-making power over their retirement savings. But as ever, the more you have, the more freedom you will enjoy.
- Is your work pension fund up to scratch? How to tell if it’s a dufferon July 21, 2014 at 7:51 am
If you signed up to a work pension scheme but took no further action, your savings are most likely in a ‘default’ investment fund. How do you check if it’s any good?