Best Pension Providers - Personal Pensions

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Contents:

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A personal pension is a type of private pension that you arrange yourself.

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Like all pensions, the money you pay into a personal pension is put into investments (such as stocks and shares) by the pension provider.

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And depending on your investing savviness, you can either choose the individual stocks and shares that make up your pension pot or have your pension provider do it for you.
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Pension contributions are tax-free up to certain limits. You'll pay tax if you:

• Contribute more than £40,000 in one year - this is your annual allowance, and you can usually carry forward any unused allowance for up to three years.
• Contribute more than 100% of your earnings in one year.
• Exceed your lifetime allowance - £1,073,100 in your lifetime.

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You usually can't access the money in your pension pot until you are 55 (increases to 57 in 2028) when you can take 25% as a tax-free lump sum.

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If you don't have a workplace pension, a personal pension could be a great way to save for retirement. And even if you have a workplace pension, a personal pension in addition to your workplace pension could be a great way to grow your retirement savings faster.

Personal pensions are especially great for people who:

• Are self-employed,
• Do not qualify for a workplace pension, or
• Have a workplace pension but want to save into a private pension plan separate from their workplace pension.

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There are two types of personal pension:

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1. Self-invested Personal Pension (SIPP)
   A SIPP gives you the flexibility to choose the specific investments that make up your pension fund. Depending on your pension provider, you'll have the option to either select individual investments and manage your portfolio yourself or choose from a range of ready-made portfolios.
   
   A ready-made portfolio is a diverse mix of investments created by fund managers to help reduce the burden of choosing individual investments. With one ready-made portfolio, you could have access to hundreds of investments.
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2. Stakeholder Pension
   A stakeholder pension is a type of personal pension that must meet minimum standards set by the government.
   
   These minimum standards include:

• ~~Capped charges,
• ~~Free transfers, 
• ~~Low minimum contributions,
• ~~Flexible contributions (you can stop and start payments when you want), and 
• ~~A default investment fund (if you don't want to choose investments).

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Due to their flexibility, stakeholder pensions can be of particular benefit if you're self-employed, on a low income, or not working.

Another way to save into a pension is with a Lifetime ISA. A Lifetime ISA is open to adults aged 39 or younger and lets you save up to £4,000 a year towards your first home or retirement. The government will add a 25% bonus to your savings every year up to a maximum of £1,000 per year.

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The government will add money to your pension contributions in the form of tax relief (free money).

For every £80 you put into your pension, the government adds £20 - and you can claim an extra £20 if you're a higher earner.

You can think of tax relief as a refund of the tax you originally paid on your pension contribution, at your usual rate of income tax - 20%, 40%, or 45%. 

It's your pension provider who claims this tax relief at the basic rate and adds it to your pension. Tax relief for higher rate taxpayers is slightly different. If you're a higher rate taxpayer, you'll need to claim the additional rebate through your tax return.

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1. Shop around for pension providers before you make any commitment. Go to each provider's website you are interested in and take a look at the investments and types of services they offer. Ask for the key features document for each pension plan you are considering.
2. Consider pension charges carefully. Charges may include administration fees, fund management costs, transfer charges, and penalties for missed payments. Be sure to check what charges you'll have to pay and when.
3. Check that your pension provider is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or the Pensions Regulator if it's a stakeholder pension. The FCA or the Pensions Regulator regulates all of the pension providers listed on Koody.
4. If you are unsure or need some guidance, get proper advice from a regulated independent financial adviser.
5. Beware of scammers. If something sounds too good to be true, it most likely is. Also, if someone shows you a way to withdraw your pensions before you are 55, it's most likely a pension scam. You can learn more out about pension scams on the Pension Wise website.

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You can pay 100% of your earnings into your pension every year up to a maximum of £40,000. Any contribution above this will be taxed.

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Yes, you can. Getting a private pension in addition to your workplace pension could be a great way to grow your retirement savings faster.

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You usually can't cash in your private pension pot before you're 55 (increases to 57 in 2028), but there are some rare cases where you can, e.g., if you are too ill to work or if you have a severe illness, which means you're expected to live for less than a year.

In the case of the State Pension, the earliest you can get that is when you reach your State Pension age. If you're currently aged between 20 and 39, your State Pension age will likely be 68. If you retire before this age, you'll have to wait to claim your State Pension.

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Yes, you can. When you turn 55 (increases to 57 in 2028), you can take 25% of your pension pot as a tax-free lump sum.

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10% of your annual gross income is a good pension contribution, but the more you save into your pension, the better.

Most financial advisers recommend saving at least 10% of your income before tax towards your retirement. 10% might seem like a lot, but remember that it includes tax relief from the government and employer contributions if your employer contributes. 

When deciding how much to contribute, remember to consider how old you'll be when you retire, your preferred retirement lifestyle, and the average number of years people spend in retirement. Have a play with the Money Advice Service's Pension Calculator to work out how changing your pension contributions at your age will affect your total retirement savings. 

If you have more questions, ask the community!

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You might also like 🤓

1. Best Pension for Self-employed People
2. Stakeholder Pension vs SIPP
3. Best Stakeholder Pension Providers
4. Workplace Pension
5. Introduction to Pensions
6. Best Stocks and Shares ISA

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Credits

1. Gov.uk
2. Money Advice Service
3. Citizens Advice