Retirement & Pensions
I am independent, Chartered and a Fellow with more than 25 years of experience in Reigate. I help clients compare annuities, drawdown and blended strategies, then build a plan they can live with.
Retirement & Pensions
Retirement planning is about replacing your salary with income from pensions, savings and other assets. The aim is simple. Cover the essentials for life, keep flexibility for the rest, and avoid running out of money.
It brings together everything you have: workplace and personal pensions, ISAs, cash, property and any final salary schemes. We use cashflow modelling to show how these parts work together over time so you can choose with confidence.
What this covers
Every plan is tailored. These are the areas I usually bring together.
- Audit of all pensions — old and current, including charges and guarantees
- State Pension forecast and how it fits with your private pensions
- At‑retirement options — annuity, drawdown or a hybrid approach
- Tax‑efficient withdrawals — using allowances and sequencing income
- Investment strategy in retirement — risk set to the job your money must do
- Cash reserves — to avoid selling investments at the wrong time
- Spousal planning — joint life needs and survivor income
- Later‑life planning — care cost buffers and legacy wishes
Why it matters
The choices you make at retirement set the tone for the next 30 years.
Too much risk invites stress.
Too little can erode spending power.
A clear plan balances certainty and flexibility so income lasts.
How I help
I review every pension, explain annuity and drawdown in plain English, then model a plan that secures essentials and keeps flexibility for the rest. We set tax‑smart withdrawals and review annually so it stays on track.
Case study
At 62, a client had three pensions and no plan. We secured an annuity to cover core bills, then used drawdown for discretionary spending. The cashflow showed sustainability to 95 with buffers for care costs. They retired two years earlier than expected with confidence.
Your options at retirement
You have three broad choices.
Annuity
A guaranteed income for life. Good for covering essential bills. Simple to run. Less flexible once set.
Drawdown
Keep your pension invested and draw income as needed. Flexible and adjustable. Exposes you to market ups and downs.
Hybrid
Blend both. Use an annuity for the basics, then drawdown for lifestyle spending. Often the best balance of certainty and choice.
What you will see on paper
- Your essential and discretionary spending mapped clearly
- Income sources matched to each category
- Tax‑efficient withdrawal sequence
- Stress‑tests for market falls and living longer
- A review rhythm that keeps the plan current
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