What happens to your state pension when you die
Pensions & Retirement
The government wants to make it easier for people to keep track of their pension with ‘pot follows member’
The government wants to make it easier for people to keep track of their old workplace pension by setting up a system so that if you have a small amount saved into your workplace scheme it will automatically follow you to your next job
How to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions
If you know you’re not likely to get the full state pension when you retire, can you do anything about it
What would get you saving for your retirement?
If you haven’t yet started saving into a pension or you’re not saving much, why is that
Tax relief on pension contributions – what is it and how does it work?
When you pay money into a pension, in most cases you’ll get tax relief
The new flat rate state pension; will you be better or worse off in retirement?
If you reach state pension age after April 5th 2016 you’ll qualify for the new ‘flat rate’ or single tier state pension. It is designed to replace the basic state pension and SERPS or the state second pension
The FSA says financial companies are selling products that are too complicated
The Financial Services Authority, the financial regulator, seems to have had its hands full dealing with scandals such as PPI mis-selling, structured products and banks failing to handle their customers’ complaints properly
Early pension liberation – taking money out before you’re 55 – what are the risks?
If you’re contacted by someone who says they can get you access to your pension before you’re 55, watch out
How much of your investments are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme?
Many people know how much of their savings are protected if the bank or building society goes bust
The state pension age for women is 65 – and rising
The government is currently raising the state pension age to 66
How an ill health or enhanced annuity could pay you a higher income for life
If you want to take out an annuity, where you turn your pension fund (or part of it) into an income for life, you could get a higher amount every year if you’re ill or have a medical condition – even if it’s controlled by medication
How to keep your savings safe in difficult times
Every so often, I’m asked how safe savings are in a UK bank
Flexible retirement; understanding how you can get the most from your pension
Flexible retirement means carrying on working part time while taking some of your pension in several chunks rather than in one go
When is the winter fuel allowance or winter fuel payment paid and how much is it?
Starting in November, every year, millions of pensioners are sent letters telling them they’re entitled to between £100 and £300 towards their winter fuel bills
The Warm Home Discount scheme – how it works
If you’re a pensioner on a low income, you’ll get a discount off your electricity bill if you’ve signed up with one of the major energy providers
What to think about if you want to buy an annuity with your pension
Since April 2015, you don’t have to buy an annuity with your pension pot
What’s in your pension? Understanding workplace pension default funds
If you’ve joined your employer’s workplace pension, you may have ended up with your pension money being invested in the pension default fund
Deferring your state pension; how much extra will you get?
You can be paid your state pension from the date you reach state pension age, but you don’t have to take it then
Sorting out your pension; if you can’t join a workplace pension scheme, where do you start?
If you want to save for your retirement but you’re self employed or can’t join a workplace pension scheme, what are your options and where should you start
Is the government about to change its mind on the raising of the state pensions age to 66? I hope so.
In 2011 the coalition government brought forward the planned rise in state pension age to 66
About Sarah Pennells
SavvyWoman is a money website aimed at helping women everywhere become a little richer.
It’s the brainchild of Sarah Pennells, who is a well known personal finance journalist and broadcaster. SavvyWoman has been named as 5th in ‘The Times’ newspaper list of ‘50 top websites to save you money’.
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Sarah specialises in explaining complex subjects in an accessible and engaging way.
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