This might be embarrassing for some, but have you had a difficult time tracking down one of your old pensions? Don’t worry—it’s actually a lot more common than you think. Luckily, the Government has done a good job making it relatively easy to track down your money, no matter the size of your pension pot. Visit the government’s website to track down your pension.[i]
The most important information you will need to track down your old pension is the name of the employer or pension provider. Other information that may be helpful in tracking down an old workplace pension include your National Insurance number, the date which you started and stopped working with the employer and the date you joined and left the pension scheme. Note that the pension tracing service will not provide you with the value of the pension.
If you have misplaced an old pension scheme, you may not be familiar with some of the details of that scheme. Here are some questions to ask your pension provider to get a detailed overview of you pension:
Before deciding what you will do with an old pension, you may need to see if the old pension scheme allows you to transfer all or some of the money into your current pension pot. If you intend to transfer your pension savings, consider that you may:
Once you have tracked down your old pension, figuring out what to do with your savings is the next step. Some reasons investors look to move their pension pot include:
Every investor’s situation is unique, meaning there is no single answer for, “What should I do with my pension?” You should talk with your pension fund provider to understand what options are available in your current scheme. However, options you may consider are:
Before purchasing an annuity, you should make sure you know exactly how it works and what it offers you, as well as what other investment options are available for your pension savings. Here are some options to consider before moving your money into an annuity:
Annuities can be complex and it’s important to understand their characteristics. Annuities may be low-returning compared to other investments like equities or fixed interest, and you may not have flexible access to the capital after purchase. Though some annuities may offer guaranteed retirement income, make sure you understand any disadvantages of annuities before purchasing one.
Retirement planning is complex. You have spent your whole career saving and now it’s time to consider how to use those savings to generate income. Once you are aware of the options available to you, you may still need help figuring out what is best for your needs. Luckily, you don’t have to make the decision on your own. If you aren’t sure what to do with your pension pot, speak with one of our qualified professionals to learn about the potential investment options available to you.
[i]Gov.UK as of 2/26/2019. https://www.gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details.
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