March 17, 2010
Pensions Advice
Wherever you are with your retirement plan, do not be swayed from considering action, it s not too late. There are still steps you can put into place to improve the pension amount you’ll receive when you retire.
Pensions are a highly tax-efficient way to invest. If you already have a pension, now would be a good time to talk to us about making a lump sum investment to improve it, particularly as the final stage of tax yr is quickly emerging, or starting a SIPP to improve your options. You won’t have to take all your pensions at the same time.
If you are self employed, you can contribute up to 100 per cent of the value of your applicable UK earnings (salary and other earnings), up to a maximum of 245,000 for the 2009/10 tax yr rising to 255,000 for the tax year 2010/11. Contributions above this yearly amount are granted but will be taxed. You can contribute into any number of pension schemes (personal and/or company) each year.
You will obtain tax relief on your contributions, so if you are a higher rate tax payer a 20,000 contribution would cost just 12,000. Basic rate tax relief is supplied by the government to all contributions at a rate of twenty%.
Forty percent tax payers can claim up to a further twenty percent tax relief via self assessment. If you earn more than 150,000 you will see the tax relief on your pensions cut from April 2011, tapering from 40 to 20 percent for those making more than 180,000. Wage Earners beneath 130,000 will not be affected.
There s a lifetime limit on the amount of your pension pot, which is currently £1.75m in the tax yr 2009/10 but rises to £1.8m for the 2010/11 tax year. If your investment fund surpasses this, you ll incur tax charges of 55 percent if the extra benefits are taken as a lump sum and 25 % if taken as regular income. The income will then be subject to income tax at your highest rate.
From 6th April 2010, the age at which you can start taking your pension increases to 55. If you need to, pension benefits can be deferred until you are up to 75 years old. You might still be able to take your pension prior to age 55 in certain circumstances, for example if you retire through ill-health.
Consilium Asset Management Limited supply advice on self invested personal pensions /sipps in South Gloucestershire.
The value of investments and the income from them can go down as well as up and you may not get back your original investment. Past performance is not an indication of future performance. Tax benefits may vary as a result of statutory change and their value will depend on individual circumstances. Thresholds, percentage rates and tax legislation may change in subsequent finance acts.