According to new research, divorced women are missing out on an estimated £5 billion a year because pension savings are often overlooked during divorce settlements. A study by Scottish Widows has found that seven out of 10 couples do not bring pensions into divorce settlements even though they can potentially be one of the biggest […]

A story appeared in the media this month saying that the “safe withdrawal rate” for people with a pension pot was just 1.9%… a serious adjustment to the more commonly accepted 4%, if true. Mark Soper investigates. The term “safe withdrawal rate” has been much bandied about since the advent of pension freedoms. But what […]

Reports in the media are suggesting that the Government’s pledge to introduce a cap on social care costs by 2020 has been further delayed – with the possibility that further consultations will see it abandoned entirely. The news comes just months after the Prime Minister was forced into an embarrassing U-turn on her election manifesto […]

Threats to company pensions funds following business collapses, such as those of BHS and Monarch, and the renegotiation of steel workers’ future benefits, may not be isolated incidents, according to the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA). A study has concluded that some three million savers currently in defined pension schemes may have as little […]

Thinking of staying in work past the official retirement age? Then join the generation steadily pushing back the age of retirement. The employment rate for those between 50 and 64 reached a record high point of 71.2pc this summer. This is only a smidge below the national employment rate across all ages of 75.3pc, itself […]

New research from pension communications company Pension Geeks shows that 83% of people in work wish they were saving more into their pension, with almost a third of over-55s uncertain if they will be able to retire on their current savings. The concerns are backed by recent savings figures: the Scottish Widows Retirement Report shows […]

Are you currently paying an interest only mortgage? Does it look like you will still be owing money on your mortgage as you enter retirement? Or are you one of the many people planning to use the new pension freedoms to pay off all or part of your mortage debt? If one of these sounds […]

Almost half (44%) of estate agents report seeing a rise in enquiries from older homeowners looking to downsize over the past year, according to a report from equity release provider Key Partnerships. The dilemma, however, is a shortage of suitable homes to meet demand; added to which too many those looking to move are over […]

  New research shows massive regional differences in the cost of care, with residents in Oxfordshire paying an average of £955 a week, compared to Lancashire where the average cost of care is almost half of that amount ,at £531 a week. Others in the top five chargers are Surrey, Greater London, Bristol and Wiltshire. […]

 “Consumers paying too much tax, missing out on investment growth or losing out on other benefits,” warns report The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published the interim findings of the Retirement Outcomes Review – the first major comprehensive study into how the retirement income market is changing since the introduction of pension freedoms in 2015. […]