Back to Basics – Pensions
For most people, pensions are the best way to save for retirement, thanks to generous tax relief and tax-free growth over the long term. You are also able to access money from your pot in a tax efficient manner.
Speak to your adviser to find out how much you need to save into a pension to ensure you have enough money when you need it.
However, there’s a limit to how much you can save into pensions. There is a cap on how much you can contribute to a pension in a single year (your annual allowance), and a limit to how much you can draw out of pensions in your lifetime (your lifetime allowance).Although both limits are generous, higher earners and some self-employed people may run the risk of exceeding either or both.
Your annual allowance
The most you can pay into pensions in a single tax year, and still receive tax relief, is either £40,000 or 100 per cent of your qualifying earnings (whichever is lower).
It may sound odd to pay your entire earnings into a pension, but it can happen (for instance if you have savings). There is also a common pitfall for company directors, who may take most of their income as dividends, with only a small salary.
Dividends don’t count as ‘relevant UK earnings’ for this purpose, so the maximum annual pension contribution would be equal to the (small) salary.
If you exceed this allowance, you won’t receive tax relief on the excess, and you will also have to pay an annual allowance charge. However, you can carry forward any unused annual allowance from the past three tax years. We help lots of our clients do this each tax year.
If you have started to take money from your pension pots, but want to keep paying money into them, then be aware that your annual allowance will shrink to £4,000 for all defined contribution schemes you’re in, and £36,000 for all defined benefit schemes. You can find more out about this on the government’s website.
Your lifetime allowance
You can draw a maximum £1 million from pensions in your lifetime without triggering an extra tax charge. Note that the allowance is defined as the amount you draw out – but in practice it helps to think of it as a limit on how big you can let your pension pots grow.
If you tend to pay a lot into pension schemes, it is possible to exceed the allowance without meaning to. Your pots may grow by more than expected, or you may be auto-enrolled in a new pension scheme when starting a new job.
It is even possible to exceed the allowance when you die – some death-in-service benefits are set up to pay directly into the pension scheme itself.
If you exceed the lifetime allowance, any excess will be taxed at 25 per cent if taken as income, or at a hefty 55 per cent if taken as a lump sum.
So, If you are confused about pensions and want further clarification on any of the above issues raised, speak to a pension specialist. They will be able to advise on the best strategy to fund for your retirement and ensure you have enough funds to live the best financial life you can.
Lee Gardner has been providing retirement and investment advice to clients for nearly 30 years. If you would like to contact him directly you can message at info@gardnerfm.co.uk or call 01564 732770