Pensions & Retirement Planning

Taking responsibility for your later years and the importance of effective retirement planning has perhaps never been more important. Statistics are becoming ever more concerning; guaranteed final salary schemes that once were the corporate employee’s automatic right are fast closing to new and even existing members, while state pensions are coming under increasing pressure as we deal with increased longevity and ageing populations. There seldom seems to be a week that passes where there is not some doom mongering headline concerning pensions in the financial press.

For many of us, we may need an investment income for 20 or 30 years when we reach retirement. To achieve this at a level of income that you have become accustomed to often requires accumulating a considerable fund of savings. The sooner you start the easier this will be to achieve; if left too late in life, it may result in a shortfall and the inability to maintain your lifestyle.