Death IS the only escape: Pensioners pay 11% of total income tax revenues - and Londoners are the biggest contributors

Pensioners pay 11% of total UK income tax revenues

Over 65s' share of UK's income tax payments was 11 per cent, or £17.5billion, of the £157billion total income tax paid for the tax year 2012/13, according to Predential's analysis of the most recent ONS data. But the insurer said the figures may see a shake up when the impact of the recent changes to pension rules begins to be reflected in annual income tax statistics.

Two-thirds of pension savers want to go travelling once they hit retirement - but half admit they're not saving enough

An energetic elderly couple messing about at waters edge

A survey of nearly 2,000 working adults aged between 18 and 65 shows that 62 per cent want to go for a trip or multiple holidays once they reach pension age.

Life expectancy is rising by three years a decade - and experts warn that could push state retirement age up to 70 by 2050

Official data released every 10 years reveals that baby boys born in 2010-12 can expect to live until they are 79 while baby girls are set to reach the age of 83.

SPECIAL REPORT: Why millions of Britons will never get the £151-a-week new state pension  

SPECIAL REPORT: Why millions of Britons will never get the £151-a-week new state pension  

This flagship policy was heralded as the biggest overhaul of the state pension since it was launched in 1909. But a series of Money Mail exposés have revealed how millions of workers, Geoff Sutton, Gina Smith and Beverley Blackham (pictured left to right) won't get the state pension they were promised. The biggest complaint from those retiring is of unfairness.

The pension fiasco: This shambolic affair is a lesson in why it pays to be transparent, says JAMES CONEY

James Coney - Daily Mail byline  17.06.11. Photo Chris McAndrew / All Moral Rights Asserted 2011. 07740 424 810

Most problems with the new state pension could have been dealt with two years ago, had ministers been more sincere about how it would be paid.

New state pension shambles: Millions are livid because they're not getting what they were promised - and it's so complex even experts are baffled 

Broken Piggy Bank with hammer; Shutterstock ID 120556300

From April 6, the current basic state pension will be replaced by a new payout that ministers pledged would leave many better off and put an end to the complicated system of credits and top-ups.

A bereaved son's crusade forces NOW: Pensions to change its ways after distressing saga over £2.05 pension pot

Generation of women betrayed over state pension: Susan may die before she claims hers while Wendy faces poverty waiting

The generation of women betrayed over their state pension

They've worked hard all their lives, but like millions of other women in their late 50s and 60s, Susan Sutherland, from Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands, Chantal Davies, from London and Wendy Eachus, from Manchester, are being forced to wait years longer than expected before they can claim their pensions.

Financial advisers yank up price of getting pension help as freedom reforms widen retirement funding options

The cost of advice for converting a £100,000 pension pot into a lump sum and annuity has risen from £1,500 to £1,750, a study by adviser website unbiased.co.uk reveals.

Women are STILL pension victims: The state may have moved on but the workplace hasn't, says JAMES CONEY

James Coney - Daily Mail byline  17.06.11. Photo Chris McAndrew / All Moral Rights Asserted 2011. 07740 424 810

For decades, women expected to get about £5,000 a year from that age. Now some have to work an extra six years. In effect, they've been left £30,000 - or more - worse off.

After five months of pension freedom - prudence not recklessness rules, says JEFF PRESTRIDGE

After five months of pension freedom - prudence not recklessness rules, says JEFF

Latest figures on how much the over-55s are extracting from their pension funds under new freedom rules prove responsible savers don't become reckless spenders as they age. According to data compiled by the Association of British Insurers from those companies that manage our personal pensions and self-invested personal pensions - and at some stage attempt to persuade us to buy an annuity - £2.5 billion was withdrawn from pensions in the three months to the end of June.

Investors reject Isa-style pensions in favour of keeping tax relief - but almost half want a simple flat 33% rate

Savers are not prepared to sacrifice tax breaks now in return for future incentives- pouring cold water on the Government's plans for an Isa-style pensions model, a survey found.

Will your employer put up a barrier to pension freedom? Retirees forced to move pots to draw them when they want

Many large employers are unwilling to offer staff an income drawdown option at retirement despite their rising popularity as a way to fund old age, new research shows.

I joined my husband when he was posted abroad during 25 years with the Coldstream Guards - is it true I can claim state pension for time spent overseas?

I joined my army husband on postings abroad - can I claim state pension?

Last year the Government announced spouses of HM Forces who accompanied their husband/wife/partner abroad could claim NI contributions, but I can't find out any more about it. Do you have any information on this?

Pensioners could get 'mis-sold annuity' compensation as financial watchdog examines thousands of retirement contracts

Pensioners could get 'mis-sold annuity' compensation as financial watchdog examines

Savers are close to winning cash compensation from companies who sold them bad annuity contracts, it has emerged. The Financial Conduct Authority is understood to have ordered a thorough examination of thousands of contracts sold by all of the UK's major insurers since 2008, according to The Daily Telegraph .

Tesco tells staff it will end defined benefit pension, but improves new scheme on offer after backlash

Tesco will end defined benefit pension but offers improvements after backlash

Tesco has made concessions for its new scheme, which comes into force in November, in a bid to quell employee anger. Instead of a 5 per cent maximum contribution staff will be able to pay up to 7.5 per cent into their pot, which will be matched by the supermarket - senior staff will get contributions matched at 1.5 times what they put in up to a certain level.

State pension gives £280k financial boost over course of retired life, but analysts see it becoming less generous

State pension gives £280k financial boost over course of retired life, but analysts see it

Based on the incoming single tier state pension of £151.25 per week, that is how much it would cost a man to buy it at age 65, according to pension firm Aegon. For a woman retiring at 63, it would cost slightly less at £273,000. But a survey by Aegon of more than 200 financial advisers found that just 4 per cent expect the current system to remain in place 30 years from now

JEFF PRESTRIDGE: Tax relief on pension contributions should not be tinkered with

jeff prestridge

The summer holiday season may be in full swing (shame about the weather) but it hasn't stopped many of you from emailing me your thoughts about the future of pensions.

How a new state pension top-up could TREBLE your income: Women and the self-employed set to benefit from scheme

Pink piggy bank slot machine on white background

In just a few weeks, the Department of Work and Pensions will launch a plan allowing those who are in or approaching retirement to swap a chunk of their savings for a boost to their pension.

Why do retirees shun financial advice? Don't need it, waste of money, too expensive, and advisers are intimidating are among reasons given by savers 

Norfolk saver wins battle to cash in his £13k pension pot after provider blocks access unless he pays for costly financial advice

Norfolk saver wins battle to cash in £13k pension without financial advice

Phoenix Life initially insisted Fred Ford provide proof he had consulted a financial adviser about his pension, which came with a valuable guaranteed annuity rate, but then backed down. Many savers have complained about having to get expensive or unnecessary financial advice to access their own money, among other gripes including red tape and high charges, prompting the Government to review the rules surrounding its flagship pension freedom reforms. Some of these were intended to protect retirees from making bad decisions or being defrauded, but can also mean more hoops to jump through before cash is released.

Two pension firms closed after millions of pounds of savers' cash disappears  

Pic Bruce Adams / Copy Moneymail - 2/2/15
For Money mail - Jane Parker from Kidderminster, Staffs, who lost her pension by investing in a self storage company.

OMNI TRUSTEES,Logo

Omni Trustees and Imperial Trustee Services were wound up last month following a hearing in the High Court.

Carers missing vital pension boost with only 5% claiming credit worth £200 a year

Carer wheeling a elderly man in a wheelchair in a garden. 


Image shot 2009. Exact date unknown.

Carer's Credit is paid to those looking after a person who is ill or disabled, and in receipt of disability benefits, for at least 20 hours a week.

Thousands of OAPs trapped by crippling equity debts: Pensioners face heavy charges and early-repayment fines if they have to sell their home

More than 80,000 couples who took out so-called equity release loans more than a decade ago have found that compound interest charges mean their debt has more than doubled.

Pension firms Partnership and Just Retirement to merge in £1.7bn deal 

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The firms, both annuity specialists, were impacted by reforms which freed savers from the obligation to buy a product giving them an income for life when they retired.

Can I use my pension to pass on wealth and beat inheritance tax?

Fit for retirement: The communities for the elderly where gyms, spas and pools come as standard

Fit for retirement: The communities for the elderly where gyms, spas and pools come as

A growing group of super sporty, over-70s has spawned a demand for more dynamic fitness facilities in retirement developments - and housebuilders are responding.

I've been asked to be an executor - should I do it and what am I responsible for if something goes wrong?

The trick to DOUBLING your pension tax relief: Temporary loophole could save high earners £18,000

The trick to DOUBLING your pension tax relief that could save you £18k

People can massively boost payments into a pension during the current tax year - assuming they can afford to do so, and meet certain conditions. This is a side-effect of a move to tidy up the rules around the £40,000 annual allowance. Although anyone can potentially do this, for people earning £150,000-plus it's a handy opportunity to shovel the maximum amount possible into their pensions before their annual allowances start being hacked back next year.

Should I buy a bigger home and leave it to my children or downsize and put money into my pension to save on IHT?

I'm talking to my children about how best to leave them an inheritance. Should I keep as much as possible in my pension pot, or buy a house worth £1million?

How much money do I need to save for my pension? A quick guide to retirement saving...

Pensions Road Sign against threatening clouds

We tend to put ambitious targets on our hoped-for income in retirement and then underestimate how much we will need to set aside to achieve that. So how much should you save?

Living in a care home is depleting my dad's savings. Will he have to sell his house or is there financial support available?

A MAN STROLLS THROUGH A PARK AT SUNSET IN LONDON...LON05:LONDON,12NOV97 - An elderly man makes his way down Primrose Hill in London as the sun sets November 12.  As the approaching Winter shortens daylight in Britain, many were out in the park making the most of the remaining daylight on a crisp and clear day.   kl/Photo by Kevin Lamarque  REUTERS...I...ODD
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The costs of his care are rising all the time and although he has a small terrace I think we will eventually have to sell this as his savings have nearly all gone.

How can my HSBC pension pot plunge by £1k in just one month - right when I want to cash it in? TONY HAZELL investigates...

The value seems to be going down day by day, but when I challenged them they said this was because stock markets were fluctuating.

How to leave money to who YOU want with a cast-iron will after landmark court ruling

Leave money to who YOU want with a cast-iron will

Making a watertight will is more vital than ever after a landmark ruling last week that could lead to a flood of legal challenges against the wishes of the deceased. Heather Ilott was awarded £164,000 by the Court of Appeal after being left nothing by her mother, Melita Jackson, when she died in 2004, leaving her £500,000 estate to three animal charities. Matt Edwards, pictured with his wife Dominique and Annabelle, is making an online will which can then be downloaded, witnessed and stored.

David Cameron joins backlash against rip-off pension freedom fees: Government threatens charge caps and asks savers for feedback

David Cameron has thrown his weight behind efforts to crack down on rip-off fees which it is feared are stifling flagship pension freedom reforms.

Would you invest your pension pot in a Gatwick car parking space? Spots sold to retirees for £25k promise to pay 'guaranteed' net return of 8%...

Property consultancy PCG Invest says it has 500 parking spaces available at two sites close to the London airport, but to secure one you must already own a space at Glasgow airport...

I planned to fund my retirement with buy-to-let properties: does the Budget tax relief cut scupper this and what are the alternatives?

To Let signs adorn houses in the Selly Oak area of Birmingham on November 21, 2007 in Birmingham, England. Buy-To-Let mortgage provider Paragon suffered further share price set backs today as its funding difficuties sent the stock tumbling a further 21%. The mortgage group's shares have lost more than half their value since news it may have to turn to shareholders for emergency funding and could close to new business if it cannot secure new credit.  (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

I was planning to use buy-to-let properties to fund my retirement, instead of a traditional pension pot, but the Chancellor is reducing tax relief available. Is my plan no longer viable?

JEFF PRESTRIDGE: Speak out on pensions - or meddling MPs and civil servants could end tax relief on retirement savings

The Government is looking to unravel tax breaks that have encouraged millions of workers to use pensions as the bedrock of their retirement financial planning.

ASK TONY: Will my nomad son miss out on state pension if he doesn't pay voluntary national insurance contributions?

Five tips to avoid falling victim to pension fraud - and two chilling tales from savers who narrowly dodged the conmen

How to avoid pension fraud: Five tips to fend off scammers

Beware offers of a 'free pension review' because this is the kind of bait fraudsters use to tempt people and allay their suspicions before swiping lifetime savings. A new official taskforce is offering tips on how to combat pension fraud, with new freedoms an obvious target for unscrupulous sharks.

Only one in four savers who cashed in their pension nest egg used government advice service 

Official figures show that 18,000 savers booked phone or in-person appointments with the new Pension Wise service in the first few months of the pensions revolution.

Over-55s withdrawing £4.2m of cash from their homes every day using equity release loans

Some £384million was taken out in the second quarter of the year by over-55s via equity release lending - the most since 2002.

Will I lose some of the new flat-rate state pension because I contracted out - even if I pay full NI for 35 years?

Will I lose some new state pension even if I pay full NI for 35 years?

I'm really worried I won't qualify for the new, full flat-rate pension when I retire because I opted out of paying National Insurance contributions for five years back in the 1990s. now I understand the Government is going to reduce my state pension based not just on the years I opted out, but on what it thinks I might have gained in my private pension during that time - and it'll do this even if I manage to make full NI contributions for 35 years.

SIMON LAMBERT: Axing pension tax relief would be a terrible mistake - this is how we should make more of it

How do you encourage people to save for retirement? Remove a pension's most valuable feature, is George Osborne's odd suggestion. That would be a bad move.

Pension firms struggle with demand as half-a-million more workers than forecast must be put into schemes

BRITISH COMPANY PRIVATE PENSION SCHEME DOCUMENTS WITH SPECTACLES.
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The Pensions Regulator said 1.8 million companies will have to enrol staff in pensions under new regulations - half a million more than had been expected.

Only 1 in 3 will get the flat-rate £148 state pension in full: Ministers promised it was for everyone but missed contributions hit an extra 100,000 workers

Only 1 in 3 will get the full £148-a-week new state pension

In total, just 222,000 of the roughly 600,000 people who will hit state pension age in the 12 months from April 2016 can claim the full amount, government figures show. It is a new blow to a generation of savers who were told everyone would get the flat-rate pension if they had paid their National Insurance contributions.

What top firms charge you for access to YOUR lifetime savings: Which? tots up the price of pension freedom

Firms are being accused of slapping a bewildering array of charges on people trying to access their retirement savings by consumer group Which?.

Alert over rise in failed pensions with thousands feared to have lost money in high risk schemes

Senior couple looking at bills, sitting at dining table. 


Image shot 2009. Exact date unknown.
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New figures reveal compensation paid out to pension savers from the financial lifeboat scheme has jumped 156% with some £183.1million paid out in the past tax year.

Will you spend old age stuck in debt? Nearly a third of retirees are still paying off mortgages, credit cards and loans

Only 17 per cent of people approaching retirement expect to owe money when they stop work, but 30 per cent nevertheless find themselves still mired in debt.

More than 220,000 past and present workers now rely on Pension Protection Fund for retirement cash

The fund was set up by the Government as a lifeboat to take over the defined benefit schemes of firms that face going bust leaving a possible shortfall in members' promised pensions.

Will you work past pension age? More than one in three delay retirement - and one in 20 even wangle a better salary

Middle-aged typically have £53k-plus in a pension pot - but that still strands them £9k a year short of their retirement goal

Middle-aged typically have £53k-plus in their pension pot, finds Aviva

Over-45s expect their pension fund to generate £12,590 a year on top of the state pension - but their current savings would deliver less than a third of this target income. By the time they are middle aged, people have typically built up private retirement savings and investments worth £53,793, according to the study by pension giant Aviva.

High blood pressure could get you an extra £6k and obesity more than £5k in old age - why it's worth shopping around for an annuity

If you have a £100,000 pension pot, a common condition like high blood pressure could net you about £300 extra a year or nearly £6,200 over 20 years, research shows.

Register to get a £25 state pension boost if you're too old to qualify for new flat rate deal

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Men aged 64 or older and women aged 62 or over can boost their pensions by up to £25 a week, or £1,300 a year, from October 12.

Help! I want to move a £40k pension pot but Phoenix Life says no - it's in an 'unbreakable trust'

Phoenix say the Retirement Annuity Trust with them cannot be broken and I now find that almost all other providers will not take a policy in Trust.

Equitable Life savers to share an extra £45million compensation after payment scheme closes at the end of the year

The extra payment, announced in the Budget, will be made to those who have are in receipt of either the guarantee or savings credit - or both. The average pay-out will be around £800.

Savers grab £1.8bn since launch of pension freedom as number of annuities sold continues to fall

Savers withdraw £1.8bn since launch of pension freedom

People with small pots tend to be cashing them out, but those with larger ones are more likely to buy an income drawdown product, the Association of British Insurers said. Research also shows that drawdown plans, where someone leaves their pension pot invested but takes an income directly from it, have become increasingly popular with savers, while the number of people buying annuities have decreased.

Why your generous perks may soon be SCRAPPED in Chancellor's second Pensions Revolution

Why your generous perks may soon be SCRAPPED in Chancellor's second Pensions Revolution

Pension tax relief, plus that on the contributions that employers make into registered pension schemes for us, is worth £34.3 billion a year. There are already caps on the tax relief that you can claim. There is a lifetime allowance of how much you can save into a pension of £1.25 million (falling to £1 million in April 2016), and an annual allowance of £40,000. We explain how pensions could change for ever.

Do you trust politicians not to double-tax your pension pot? Osborne review could end upfront tax relief and make withdrawals free instead

Do you trust future politicians not to double-tax your pension pot?

A Government rethink of the £34billion pension tax relief system has raised the threat of savers getting walloped twice if the changes unravel by the time they retire. Chancellor George Osborne launched a consultation on changes to retirement savings in the Budget, suggesting: 'Pensions could be taxed like ISAs. You pay in from taxed income - and it is tax-free when you take it out. And in-between it receives a top-up from the Government.' But critics suggest switching to a pension regime where contributions are taxed before they go in, not when taken out during retirement as now, would cause a raft of problems and involve trusting future politicians not to slap taxes back on later.

Small and medium-sized enterprises are getting more generous on pensions

Stack of British pound coins, close-up

The number of small firms planning to contribute more than the legal minimum to staff pensions has nearly doubled in the past year.

Could pensions become 'Workplace ISAs'? Osborne flags further radical changes to retirement savings in Budget

Chancellor George Osborne is to consult on 'a radical change' to pension saving, potentially leading to a simpler system that works more like ISAs.

Workers earning £150k-plus face curbs to annual pension allowance to fund inheritance tax cut

Workers earning £150k-plus face cut to pension annual allowance

The size of the annual allowance will be gradually reduced from £40k to £10k for those making £150k a year or more, it was announced in today's Budget. The annual allowance is how much you are able to pay every year into a pension and still qualify for tax relief.
Contributions to pension pots receive tax relief in the form of rebates based on how much income tax you pay - 20 per cent, 40 per cent or 45 per cent.

My insurer says I must show I have taken advice before I cash in my £41k pension pot, is that right?

Hands holding nest with golden eggs.
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Hands, eggs, Hands, retirement, savings, Finance, Security, money, wealth, gold, Hands, retirement, savings, Finance, Security, money, wealth, gold

I have a £41,000 pension pot that I want to cash in under the new pension freedoms.

Are you missing out on pension credit cash? Some 1.43m people fail to claim £3bn-plus a year - but it only takes one free call to find out if you qualify

Nearly two out of five pensioners who qualify fail to claim the benefit, which tops up your weekly income to £151.20 if you are single or to £230.85 if you are in a couple.

Banks taskforce to set up service to help grieving families cancel a loved one's accounts in a single step

Bank signs, City of London

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The British Bankers' Association, working with the Building Societies Association, will work on developing Money Mail's proposal for a 'Tell Us Once' service that would help bereaved relatives.

All your annuity is now protected if company goes bust under new rules 

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By contrast, those who keep their savings invested and draw an income from it only have £50,000 protected - in many cases this is much less than they have put away.

Revealed: What YOUR pension provider will charge you to access your cash - and it could be up to £150 a withdrawal

Pension freedom is here: Half a million people can spend, save or invest money as they wish - but beware of tax traps and fraud

Get ready for pension freedom - but dodge the tax traps and beware of fraud

The huge overhaul allows older savers unrestricted access to their whole pension pots, and removes the need to buy an annuity to provide guaranteed income for life. But pension experts warn freedom reforms bring big and serious risks, like fraudsters stealing people's life savings, baffled retirees paying far too much tax, and the possibility of some treating their savings like a cash windfall and blowing them too fast.

Why you SHOULDN'T take a lump sum from your pension: Savers could be £64k better off and pay less tax

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For decades it has been the default option for most people on the day you retire: you take 25 per cent of your pension as a tax-free lump sum.

Pension tax trap for people wanting to make larger withdrawals sparks outrage ahead of freedom reforms

Seven out of 10 people find it 'shocking' and 'unfair' when they realise taking full advantage of the Goverment's pension freedom reforms could land them with a surprise tax bill.

Armchair guide to the great shake-up: Are you sitting comfortably? Then here is how pensions are changing  

Armchair guide to the great shake-up: Are you sitting comfortably? Then here is how

It's taken 20 years of campaigning by this newspaper - sometimes against governments of the day, other times against big corporate vested interests in the financial world. But after all the battling - and going a little greyer on top - it's time to raise a glass of prosecco and toast a new era. The great pensions revolution has arrived: goodbye unwieldy, straight- jacketing pensions; hello pensions fit for a modern, flexible Britain. From April 6, the pension pendulum swings firmly from provider to you, the consumer, the investor. Rejoice.

   

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Investing: don't miss

Death IS the only escape: Pensioners pay 11% of total income tax revenues - and Londoners are the biggest contributors

Closeup of UK tax return form with HM Revenue & Customs logo.
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Over 65s' share of UK's income tax payments was 11 per cent, or £17.5billion, of the £157billion total income tax paid for the tax year 2012/13, according to Predential.

Are you ready to embrace income drawdown in the wake of pension freedom? Here's how it works and what schemes are available

Are you ready to embrace income drawdown after pension freedom?

Instead of being stuck with stingy annuities, retirees now have the freedom to dip into their pensions using income drawdown. These schemes allow you to take sums out of your pension pot while the rest stays invested. So what are the advantages and risks of doing this, and what schemes are on offer? We run through the main options now, and look ahead to what might become available in future.

Should you cash in your pension to become a buy-to-let landlord or keep your retirement savings invested?

Over-55s will be able to cash in their entire pension from this April, an opportunity that could tempt many to plunge their savings into buy-to-let property.

Is your work pension up to scratch? Six ways to tell if your retirement savings are in a duff investment fund

Daily grind: Are your pension savings in an investment fund with the kind of performance that makes it all worth while in the end?

If you signed up to a work pension scheme but took no further action, your savings are most likely in a 'default' investment fund. How do you check if it's any good?

Deal or no deal? Why deciding when to take 'with profits' benefits can be like playing the popular game show

Television Programme: Deal Or No Deal with Noel Edmonds.

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With-profits policyholders often face an impossible choice about when to take their benefits. Turn down today's offer and tomorrow's may be lower. How can you decide when it's time to leave?

With more than one million people said to have lost an old workplace pension, how can you track it down and claim it back

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The majority of employees change jobs several times in their working lives - with the average person working for 11 different employers.

The perks of being an olderpreneur: How to tap into your pension to fund a dream start-up - and make money after middle-age

How to tap into a pension to fund a start-up and make money after middle-age

The over-50s are the ones to watch when it comes to start-ups and new pension freedom rules mean an extra opportunity to tap into cash for business ideas. A recent report from the Global
Entrepreneurship Monitor highlighted this age group as being increasingly entrepreneurial. We explain the options and pitfalls of using your pension pot to fund a business.

How to avoid the over-65s travel insurance trap and get the best cover at the right cost

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MIDDLE AGED WOMAN IN A SWIMMING POOL HOLDING A DRINK
WEARING SWIMSUIT AND SUNGLASSES
WOAM RELAXING IN POOL

Hunting down travel cover can be both difficult and expensive with older travellers typically paying more for insurance because they are judged more likely to claim.

You don't need to wait to find out whether inheritance tax gets cut: Six vital steps to help you avoid IHT 

Jeff Prestridge looks at legitimate ways in which the 40 per cent tax can be avoided, outlining six key steps for readers. Bridget Jones, pictured, has taken out insurance.

Should you take the risk out of your pension investments before retirement? Six steps to help you decide

Should you take the risk out of your pension investments before retirement?

People nearing retirement traditionally switch savings out of risky investments and into safer assets, but pension freedom reforms are likely to prompt a big rethink of this practice. That's because derisking - or 'lifestyling' as it's also known - is normally done in preparation for buying an annuity, but many more people will be opting to stay invested an draw down an iincome in future.

Making the most of your pension savings: What should you do with a retirement pot of £30k, £50k, £100k or £150k-plus?

What should you do with a pension pot of £30k, £50k or £100k?

Pension freedom reforms will give people more decision-making power over their retirement savings from next year. The options to access your money, spend or invest it will widen - although your choices will still largely depend on the size of your pension pot. Financial experts Mark Stone of Whitechurch Securities and Ben Westaway of Jessop Financial Planning explain both your opportunities and the limitations on them.

What tax will you really pay on taking your retirement pot in the pensions revolution?

Hand it over: How much will you fork over to the taxman if you withdraw all your pension at once?

Talk of 'pensions freedom' has left some savers with the impression they can take their entire pot and pay little or no tax. That is not true. We explain what will happen.

Pensioner living costs hit £10,387-a-year, so do you have enough saved to cover the bare necessities?

Hefty: Pensioner households spend more than £10,000-a-year on basic living costs.

The average cost of being a pensioner is £10,387-a-year, according to analysis that focused on how much over-65s spend on basic necessities.

Get to grips with your retirement plans with this jargon-busting guide to pension investing

Complex: Don't know your ACCs from your TERs? This guide will help you find your way through tricky pensions and investing terms.

Anyone going it alone when they're investing their pension could be met with a confusing array of jargon, even when carrying out the simplest of tasks.

Concern that more will exit 'gold-plated' pensions to access Budget freedoms - can it ever pay to give up a final salary scheme?

Quandary: Some final salary savers want the flexibility that is being offered to defined contribution members.

Insurers have noted a rise in the number of calls from final salary pension savers about transferring to a money purchase scheme since the Budget.

'We bought a bigger house with our pensions': Ups and downs of moving in retirement

How to find the perfect retirement property

Conventional wisdom says we all want to retire to a house by the sea or a cottage in the country with roses round the door. But finding that perfect retirement property is not easy - and buying it can involve some big financial decisions. Here are the pros, cons and challenges of upsizing, downsizing or staying put.

From sheltered living to luxury complexes, eight dos and don'ts when choosing a retirement home

Eight dos and don'ts when choosing a retirement home

Retirement homes have shed their image of dark and dreary buildings and now offer luxury complexes or villages with on-site facilities aimed at older people. But banks won't give you a mortgage to buy a sheltered housing or retirement village property, so you will need the cash to fund it yourself.

Got a work pension but don't have a clue how to invest your money? Here's your essential guide to start getting richer

Complex: The majority of people in defined contribution pension schemes have little involvement with where their money's invested.

Think you know how much your pension costs? 'Hidden' scheme charges and how you can find out how much you're paying

Confused? Many pension savers are unaware how much they are being charged.

Pensions minister Steve Webb has announced that all defined contribution workplace pension providers will have to offer complete transparency to savers

Flat-rate state pension explained: Who are the winners and losers?

Happily married: Couples are among the winners in the pension shake-up

A new flat rate state pension worth £144 a week in today's money is being introduced from 2016, while complicated and unfair old rules are being swept away. What will the changes mean for you?

Looking to make a will? Make sure you're not taken for a ride by cowboy will writers

Looking to draw up a will? Make sure you're not taken for a ride by cowboy will writers

Are you at risk of leaving your family with nothing but legal bills because of a badly written will? Find out what your options are and how to guard yourself against an invalid will.

Don't miss out on thousands of pounds in retirement: 7 vital questions to boost pensions

Big decision: Deborah Hillier-Paul has more time  for walking

A major report into how pension pots are turned into income at retirement is expected to be published by the Financial Conduct Authority this week.

The end of £66-a-week married person's pension: Who - and how many - will it affect?

Marriage changes: State pensions will be calculated based on individual working records from 2016, so people will no longer be able to rely on their spouse's record.

Almost two million married retirees receive a state pension top-up based on their partner's work record but this will close to all claimants in 2016. This is Money takes a look at who this will affect.

New state pension age: Find out when you will be able to retire with our guide

Happy retirement: But how long will you have to wait for your state pension?

GUIDE: How to combine pension pots

Knot

Combining pension pots built up in different jobs could make real financial sense

How to find the best (and cheapest) Sipp and make more money from your DIY pension

Tools: Sipps allow you to manage your own pension investments but come with different costs

The rise of DIY online investing has transformed the way people are able to save for retirement, but navigating the maze of Sipp charges can be a tricky task.

How many years of National Insurance do I need for the new flat rate state pension and can I buy extra credits?

Can I buy extra years National Insurance for new flat-rate state pension?

I will reach state pension age in a couple of years but I am worried that I will not have paid enough national insurance contributions to qualify for my state pension. How many years of work do I need to be eligible for the new single-tier state pension and can I buy extra credits?

I'm three years from retirement and earn £70k - should I stick as much as possible into a pension?

Should I pay as much as possible into a pension before I retire in three years?

I am three years away from retirement and earn £70,000 a year. Our children have left home and finished university and my wife and I now only have ourselves to support. A friend told me I should pay as much of my salary into a pension as possible over the next three years before I retire. Is this worth doing?

Help! Why has my 'with profits' pension fund shrunk 11% in two years as stocks hit record highs?

Why has my 'with profits' pension fund shrunk 11% while stocks surged?

Holder of Aegon with profits policy wants to know how his 'terminal bonus' could have been cut 46%, drastically reducing his pension pot, while stock markets reached record highs. He asks: 'Where did this money go to? At what point during the last two years did it disappear?

I'm poor at picking investments, don't want an annuity and don't want to pay for advice: What can I do with my £100k pension pot?

What should I do with a £100k pension pot? Must I pay for advice?

I'm looking for what to do with my pension pot in a few months when I retire. Ideally I'd like to not buy an annuity, and hopefully keep some or all of the pot to pass on to my wife or the next generation. While I'd be happy researching which funds to invest in now, I guess I'm not the best person to do this and I certainly wouldn't want to be doing this with a fading memory or mental capacity.

Red alert against fraud: I'm being called and emailed by a firm offering 'pension advice' - is this real or a scam?

Older man using laptop in kitchen --- Image by © Dan Brownsword/cultura/Corbis

Today I received a cold call and follow-up email from a company about pensions advice. How can I tell if it's true or a scam? Or can you point me in a better direction?

Can my widowed mother sell me her house and knock the value of my inheritance off the price? 

Man handing keys to couple, close-up

She wants to sell it to me minus the 1/3 inheritance I would have received. Am I likely to encounter any roadblocks with tax?

Should I take a tax-free lump sum from my pension?

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I have a private pension pot of about £50,000, alongside a final salary scheme that will pay me £10,000 a year. How do I weigh up whether to take a tax-free lump sum?

ASK TONY: Friends Life said my partner can't take his pension as a lump sum - what can he do?

The letter explained that because he already has an annual annuity of £758 from Prudential he does not qualify for a trivial pension payout.

Will I get a full state pension? I don't know if I've opted out of second state pension because I ignored all the bumpf

Was I contracted out of the second state pension without realising?

I'm worried I might not qualify for the new full state pension, but I can't check because the Government is only sending forecasts to people aged 55 and over. I fear that some of my employers opted me out of the second-tier state pension without me realising what they were doing or the implications of it at the time. I don't recall ever signing anything specific, but they might have notified me in the packets of bumpf they sent me and I never read.

My bosses want to sign me up to a salary sacrifice scheme for my pension - should I go for it?

My employer is offering me a 'salary sacrifice' option where some of my wages would go straight into my pension pot. But is it worth my while?

ASK TONY: When the pension rules change in April, will I still need a trustee administrator for my SIPP?

Businesswoman discussing paperwork with man.

BD2FHX

I'm a retired independent financial adviser, aged 67, and have been drawing on my Scottish Mutual Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) for the past six years.

I've collected several little pensions during my career - should I bring them all together before I retire?

15 Nov 2014 --- Architect reviewing plans in office --- Image by © Hero Images Inc./Hero Images Inc./Corbis

Can I bring together my little pensions from each job into one pension, is it advisable to do this?

ASK TONY: Why can't I cash in a pension that pays just £9.82 per year?

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In April 2011, I asked Zurich Assurance whether I could take my pension pot of £913.32 as a lump sum. I was told this would not be possible.

How do I avoid paying a hefty tax bill when I take my pension cash in April?

I would like to withdraw some of my funds after pension freedom starts in a few months, but I'm worried I will pay too much tax.

ASK TONY: My pension fund went bust now no one knows what I'm owed

ASK TONY (05-11-14) final AW.jpg

My main pension is to be finalised through the Financial Assistance Scheme but they cannot calculate it as my data does not fit the standard scheme format

My wife never paid any National Insurance contributions, will she retire with nothing?

My wife never paid any National Insurance contributions, will she retire with nothing?

My wife is due to hit state pension age in the next two years. But during our 40-year marriage she has never paid any National Insurance contributions. I thought that women who stayed at home would receive some of their husband's pension when they retired. But I'm now alarmed to learn that changes to the system mean she could now retire with nothing. Is this correct?

Can I keep my work pension for drawdown in retirement instead of moving to a new scheme?

Can I use my existing work pension for income drawdown in retirement?

I want to opt for income drawdown in retirement because annuities are such bad value. I've got going on £60,000 spread over several different funds in my work pension, and I'm quite happy sticking with the little 'portfolio' I've created. Is there anything to stop me staying when I retire? Will my pension provider eventually kick me out? Or might I get penalised somehow over tax?

My work pension has a miserable choice of investment funds: How can I grow my retirement savings faster?

What can I do about my miserable work pension investing options?

I work for a big company with thousands of staff, and I don't want to create trouble or start a crusade - I just want a better choice of investment funds for my pension. Who should I approach to ask - someone within my company, or the pension provider? Would my employer let me put its contributions and mine into a self-invested personal pension I could have more control over?

I have been receiving pension income I was not entitled to for four years due to an admin blunder - do I have to pay it back?

An admin blunder from the 1990s means 10% of my pension has been paid in error - do I have

I have recently been informed that one of the pensions I have been drawing since my retirement in 2010 has been paid in error. The pension payments have been halted and I am being told that the money paid to date is to be repaid. As this has arisen due to no fault of my own and the pension was accepted in good faith, am I legally liable to repay the money? If so can I reasonably claim a nominal £100 for the inconvenience?

Premium Bonds winners

September 2015
Prize value Winning bond No. Area
£1,000,000 181XE611069 South West Wales
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£50,000 251XK512431 Surrey
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