Tel: 01283 701569

Experienced Independent Financial Advisers

Thousands of retirees in drawdown lack of planning

13 Sep 2019

Have you worked out how much you can afford to take from your pension pot?

Thousands of retirees shifting their pensions into drawdown are not taking basic steps to work out how much they can afford to take from their pot, putting them at risk of draining their savings too soon, according to new research[1].

Four years on from the introduction of Pension Freedoms, over 435,0001[2] people have shifted their pensions into drawdown. However, just a third (34%) of retirees in drawdown calculated how much income they would be able to generate from their pot before retiring.

Covering day-to-day living
A third (34%) calculated how much money they would need to cover day-to-day living expenses and, again, just a third (34%) considered how long their money would need to last, be it 20, 30 or 40 years. Even fewer (22%) calculated how much money they would need to fund leisure activities, such as going out for dinner and going on holiday.

Worryingly, this lack of planning also encompasses retirees’ investment strategy. Only 16% decided where they would invest their drawdown funds to achieve the desired income and as few as 17% decided which strategy they would use to withdraw income, be that selling units of investment funds or shares, or living off the dividends and interest and leaving the underlying investments untouched.

Relying on blind luck
Many retirees in drawdown are relying on blind luck to make their savings last throughout retirement. But by taking simple steps and obtaining professional financial advice to work out how much they can afford to take from their pot, savers can avoid withdrawing too much, too soon.

It’s not just retirees themselves that this lack of planning will impact; it also has consequences for people who are set to inherit this wealth. Just one in five (19%) retirees in drawdown have ensured that their partner has the financial knowledge and understanding to continue managing their investments.

Swamped by complex decisions
Only 15% of retirees have put a financial plan into place if they or their partner were to pass away. Many people don’t like talking, or even thinking, about themselves or a loved one passing away.

However, to pass on wealth efficiently and not leave loved ones swamped by complex financial decisions, it’s important that those set to receive an inheritance are engaged with financial conversations from the outset.

Source data:
[1] Retirement Income Market Data Bulletin – https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/data/data-bulletin-issue-14.pdf
[2] Research undertaken by YouGov on behalf of Zurich. The online questionnaire was completed by 660 retirees who have entered drawdown and was undertaken between 3-15 October 2018.

Footnote: Our belief is that all finacial advice should be tailored to your particular needs and situation. The content of the articles featured in here are for your general information and use only; they are not intended to address your particular requirements or constitute a full and authoritative statement of the law. They should not be relied upon in their entirety and shall not be deemed to be, or constitute advice. Although endeavours have been made to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No individual or company should act upon such information without receiving appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of their particular situation. Please get in touch to meet with us for a full consultation.

Get in touch for more details

Please fill the form below to contact us

    Your Name (required)

    Company Name

    Your Email (required)

    Areas of concern

    Individual servicesCorporate servicesMiscellaneous

    Subject

    Your Message

    We take your Privacy Seriously. Personal information submitted to us with this form will be treated in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulations ‘GDPR’. By submitting this enquiry form you expressly consent to be contacted without prior notice or arrangement by using the contact details you have provided on the form. For further information on how we treat your personal information, please view our Privacy Policy

    I have read and agree to the privacy policy. Please retain my details to contact me.Please do not add me to the mailing list.