Pensioners ‘in the dark’ over how to protect their pots if markets tumble
Many retirees are at risk of overlooking their pension finances by falling into an avoidable trap, according to new research. A third (36%) of people keeping their pension invested through retirement could be hit harder by falling markets as they do not have a cash safety net to fall back on, research has found[1]. And even though two thirds (64%) of retirees are holding cash in reserve, fewer than one in ten (8%) would think to use it if there was a ‘significant’ drop in the stock market.
Women will now start to qualify for the State Pension at the same age as men, currently set at 65. The move to equalise male and female pension ages began 25 years ago and has been gradually phased in. Your State Pension age is the earliest age you can start receiving your State Pension. It may be different to the age you can get a workplace or personal pension.
Self-employment enables you to exercise your sense of freedom in business decision-making and to choose your own business path. There are many benefits to becoming a self-employed freelancer or running your own business: the flexible hours, the option to work from home, no fixed holiday allowance, and, of course, being your own boss. But it’s vital to remember that there is no sick pay, life insurance or pension scheme benefits, unless you arrange to put these schemes in place yourself.
Selecting the most appropriate investment products and undertaking the right planning at the right time to minimise the amount of tax you pay are key to accumulating wealth over the long term. Add to this general economic factors, business conditions and political events, these are just some of the things that can cause uncertainty and volatility in the markets. Over any given time period, the economy can also go through a series of ups and downs.
Make the most of the early years and maximise from the power of compounding
Retirement might seem a long way off, so it’s easy to understand why saving for retirement isn’t a priority in your 20s – a decade when advancing your career, not planning for the end of it, seems more important. But, youth is a huge advantage when it comes to building wealth for retirement because it gives you time to maximise from the power of compounding.