Women and Pensions: What you should know

It is important for everyone to have a plan in place so that their standard of living doesn’t fall when they retire. While women generally live longer than men, they are less likely to have adequate income in retirement.

Women generally end up with smaller pensions than men.

One of the reasons for this is because women can face challenges during their working lives not necessarily experienced by men. Their career paths are more likely to alter course to allow for temporary or permanent leave to mind children, take care of loved ones or even take a career break. And while this pattern is changing with more men taking on the role of carer, many women still undertake this role.

In 2024 the Government is expected to attempt to bridge the State pension funding gap with the introduction of some measures including enhanced State Pension provision for long-term carers. Another initiative to increase the number of employees in Ireland with access to pension cover is Auto Enrolment, with funding by members, employers, and the state. However, will these measures be enough to adequately fund for your lifestyle in retirement?

Some things to consider…

§  Will your employer still contribute to your pension if you are on maternity leave?

§  If you take extended leave or reduce your working hours, will you have enough contributions to qualify for the full State Pension when you retire?

§  If you have a pension from a previous employer, do you know how much it is worth?

§  If you are married or have a civil partner, do you know how much income their pension will provide in retirement?

§  If you take extended leave or reduce your working hours there could be a knock-on effect of losing out on employer contributions towards your pension.

If you are currently in employment and do not have a pension plan, it is not too late to start one. Any gaps in employment due to extended leave or reduced working hours can be factored into your pension savings forecast.

If you already have a pension plan in place, it is a good idea to review it each year to ensure you are on track for your retirement pot.

If you are approaching retirement, find out how much income your pension is likely to provide you in retirement. If there is a shortfall you still have time to increase the amount you are saving into your pension.

Speaking with a Financial Adviser can help you review where you are today and work with you to develop a plan to meet your future needs and goals.

Head vs. Heart

I recently sat down with a client who was just starting his retirement. He was taking his tax-free lump sum from his pension and the choice he had to make next was to either purchase an Annuity or to re-invest in an ARF (Approved Retirement Fund) with the balance of his pension funds.

• An Annuity is purchased using your pension funds and is a simple retirement payment option that guarantees to pay you a particular amount every month throughout your life in retirement.

• An ARF (Approved Retirement Fund) allows you to remain invested in the market with the ability to control your investment and take a flexible income in retirement.

It was clear after reviewing all his finances, that he did not need to rely on his pension to retain his current lifestyle in retirement (he had other savings separate to the pension). After considering all factors, from a financial perspective it made perfect sense for him to re-invest his funds in an ARF and retain ownership of his pension options, to try grow the pension. He could afford for his pension to effectively go to zero and he would not be significantly impacted. Purely from a financial perspective, the ARF was a more suitable option.

However, my client showed me a folder of all the records he had kept and continued to keep of his pension values. He described how he and his wife felt when their pensions reduced in value. So, I asked him would they continue to feel this anxiety even if there were small fluctuations in their pension values? To which he replied “Yes.”

In the end I advised my client to go with his gut, which was to buy the Annuity. Three months after the transaction, I was speaking with him again and he said he was enjoying his retirement and was really happy he didn’t have to think about the pension anymore. People think they have to re-invest their funds, they have to grow their money but that is not always the case. The right financial decision is not always the right life-balance decision. In this case the choice my client made was the correct one to allow him to enjoy his retired life.

Buying an Annuity at Retirement

What is an Annuity?

An annuity, commonly known as a pension, provides you with security of income for life during your retirement. It is paid monthly into your bank account. It is purchased with some (or all) of the retirement savings you have built up throughout your working life.

An annuity can be an attractive option if:

·         Your pension fund will be your main source of income in retirement

·         Your main priority in retirement is a secure regular income rather than passing on your fund to your dependants

The amount of income you receive depends on the size of your pension fund and the annuity rates in force at the time you purchase your annuity.

What is an Enhanced Annuity?

An enhanced annuity is the same as a standard annuity, except that it takes into account your health status and lifestyle health risks in determining the level of regular income payable to you. With an enhanced annuity you may be entitled to a higher regular income than you would under a standard annuity.

Where medical conditions may go against you when applying for some life policies, with an Enhanced Annuity having an underlying medical condition may lead to you possibly getting a better deal or more favourable terms. Cancer, heart or neurological conditions, diabetes, stroke or some lifestyle factor such as smoking are just some examples. Life expectancy is also one of the main dictating considerations in calculating annuity rate risk and this unique annuity addresses that issue.

What sort of medical information will I need to provide?

In general, the more detailed the information you can give, the more likely it is that you will receive an offer of an enhancement.

Some of the details required are:

1. Your weight and height

2. Your smoking history (past and present)

3. Any medication you are on (it’s best to have the names and dosages ready)

4. Full history of any medical conditions or incidents in your past

I want to also provide a pension for my spouse/civil partner; how does that work?

The medical history for both you and your partner will be assessed and quoted based on your joint medical history. The annuity may be enhanced if either of you have a medical history, which means the extra income applies to both of you. If you both have a medical history, the enhancement will be respectively bigger. A doctor must be able to verify the information provided in respect of your dependant.

Case Study – Sell or Stay Put?

I recently received an enquiry from a couple who were interested in conducting a review of their finances. They were very aware of their current situation but wanted to see what the financial future would look like in two different scenarios. They have a rental property and a home property, both with active mortgages.

Their aim was to see what the future would look like financially if they

1.    Kept the rental property, continue to use the rent to pay the mortgage and eventually have the rental income as a profit in later years

or

2.    To sell the rental property and use the proceeds to clear both mortgages.

The couple inputted their incoming and outgoing funds through our secure online financial planning portal, along with their savings / assets / liabilities and their objectives. As part of their objectives, they had also hoped to factor in starting a pension plan and to continue regular savings.

There were pros and cons to both keeping and selling the rental property but, I was able to show the various outcomes using the graphs in our planning system to show how life would look financially up to retirement age and into later years, depending on which choice they made.

In their feedback, they said that being able to see this information and to see its impact it would have on their lives, helped them to make the correct decision for now and into the future. They can also fulfil the additional objectives that they originally listed and know that they will be financially secure.

Since I first began providing this financial planning service, I have seen that no two people’s situation is identical. The system and the process can be used for many different purposes and outcomes but at the end of the day, it is providing people with peace of mind and confidence in their decisions.

There is a once-off fee and a simple three step process to get started, should you wish to carry out a financial review. Following this, you decide what step to take next. This process will, at the very least, be an education to anybody who has no short or long-term financial strategy for retirement or savings needs.

It’s Not Too Late…

Are you over 50 and thinking it’s too late to save into a pension?

Never fear…although it’s regularly said that the time to start a pension is yesterday, it is not too late to start in your 50’s. For some, it is a time in life when there may be less expenses and perhaps more disposable income. The picture of life in retirement is going to look different for everyone, but it’s worth thinking about what lifestyle you would like when you retire and what income would allow you to live comfortably in that lifestyle.

Starting a pension at 50 with an aim to retire at 66 would give you 16 years to grow your pot. One major advantage is the ability to contribute 30% of your income while receiving tax-relief should you wish. This rate increases to 35% between the age of 55 and 59 and is up to 40% from age 60 onwards.

In Ireland, there is a contributory state pension of around €13,000 a year (The Pension Authority, 2021) which doesn’t kick in until you turn 66. The amount you receive as a state pension will depend on your number of Pay Related Social Insurance [PRSI] contributions. Do you think you could retire and get by on €253.30 per week? If not, now is the time to act.

Usually as we get closer to retirement, we have more disposable income for multiple reasons. Children no longer financially relying on us, mortgages and loans paid off and our salary has hopefully increased significantly. What a lot of people do not realise, is that they can probably afford to contribute more to their pension than they may think.

If you are on the higher rate of tax and invest/save €192,000 into a pension during the 16 year term above, you would receive €76,800 in tax-relief. So, it will cost you €115,200 (€600 per month net cost to you) to have €192,000 in a pension before you even factor in any potential growth.

At a very conservative rate of 3%, this could leave you with a pension pot of €245,000. That would give you a cash lump sum of €61,250 for your retirement party and you could easily drawdown an annual salary of €9,100 (or more if you wanted) on top of that to supersize the state pension.

Reviewing Your Finances

Do you ever imagine what you would like to do in retirement or when your mortgage is paid off or even to retire earlier than you thought? Or, perhaps you are even just curious as to how your finances look right now?

Some questions and comments I regularly hear when I meet people for a financial review:

>  I know I should save into a pension, but can you explain why it’s better than saving into a savings plan?

>  What will my pension pay me at retirement?

>  I am in my 50’s… is it worth my while starting a pension?

>  Is it true I may be able to drawdown my pension when I am age 50?

>  I am self-employed, can I protect my income if I am unable to work due to illness or injury?

>  I have pensions from a previous employment, can I get access to them on any level or what can I do with them?

>  I think I have mortgage cover, but I do not know what it does, can you explain it to me?

>  Should I pay more towards my mortgage and if so, what change will it have on my term and interest payments?

>  I don’t understand how a life assurance policy payment affects me if my partner dies.

>  What is the difference between Leaving Service Options and Retirement Options?

Should a person wish to avail of this financial planning service, it involves a once-off fee and a simple 3-step process:

1.    You will receive a link to a budget planner where you fill in your personal and financial details. This is a comprehensive budget and will take up to an hour to complete.

2.    You submit the planner and I review and prepare recommendations and advice.

3.    We meet to discuss the results of your budget, your priorities and how you can better manage your money from a savings / pension / life assurance perspective.

Following this, you decide what step to take next. Having control, knowledge and confidence in making financial decisions can provide peace of mind. Either way this process will at the very least be an education to anybody who has no current strategy for retirement or savings needs.

Paid Up Pensions…what to do with them?

A paid-up pension is a pension that you may have had with a previous employer and upon leaving employment and ceasing payments, you may not have enquired about or moved to your own name.

How do I get information about my old Pension?

In most cases you should be receiving annual benefit statements with general details (including the value) of your pension. Though if you have moved to a new address, you may not be receiving this information annually or at all. If you are unsure where to look, the company’s human resource department (or Employee Pension department if there is one) is a good place to start.

Can I bring my pension with me when I move employment?

In most cases, when you leave employment, you have several options. You are entitled to request “leaving service options” which sets out what choices are available to you. This can intimidate and confuse people but if it’s explained correctly, I find people are more confident making the decision to move their pension into their own name.

Will I lose out if I move out of the old Pension arrangement?

The only way of knowing is by enquiring about the benefits currently included on the pension plan, but in many cases, you can gain from moving your pension funds into your own name.

One of the main advantages is that you get direct access and information sent to you personally about your pension. Many people like to have complete control over their pension without having to contact a Trustee (or past employer) anytime they want information regarding their policy.

What can a Financial Adviser do for you?

Part of our job is to help people arrange their pensions together into an efficient / transparent portfolio. In simple terms this means you know exactly what you have, where you have it and when you can access the funds. In certain cases, individuals are surprised to learn they may have access to part of their pension once they reach age 50.