Evelyn asks:

I am a divorced deputy headteacher on a salary of £42,000.  I began my career at 31 (I am now aged 43) and, after one year of paying into the pension scheme, I withdrew from it to buy a property with my husband. I'm now divorced with no property and a lump sum of £40,000. Should I try to get back into the teachers' pension scheme? And, if so, how much would I expect to contribute each month? 

Yes, I would definitely consider becoming a member of the Teachers' Pension scheme again. Your contributions would be 6.4% of your salary while your employer will pay 14.1%. You could also buy added years of service or pay into an additional voluntary contribution (AVC) to boost your benefits and try to make up for the time you were not a member.

The Teachers' Pensions website is very helpful and should answer any further questions you may have.

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