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1.2 Dependent Factors

  • Age. Generally, the older one gets, the more relevant and important planning a retirement income becomes. Unfortunately, the later it is left, the less time an investment has to grow.

  • Income. Income will determine the pension target in an occupational pension scheme, and maximum contribution into a personal pension scheme. With a personal pension, contributions may increase with age. With an occupational scheme, it may be possible to contribute to an AVC or FSAVC to top up pension planning. The fundamental point, however, is that the greater the income, the greater the potential ability to make suitable contributions.

  • Dependants will affect decisions during working life and in retirement. Pre-retirement will be the decision on whether to provide protection for them now or in retirement. Post retirement the decision will be, "How best to provide for them", whether in terms of a fixed dependant's pension or in some other fashion. In some instances, namely personal pensions, providing dependants' pensions will reduce the income of the planholder.

  • Previous and Current Pension Arrangements will naturally have a bearing on plans. If maximum contributions have been made to date, or if maximum permitted pension is being funded through an occupational scheme, careful consideration should be made of required retirement income. This is an extreme, and unusual, situation. More often than not, additional income will be due from one or more of the following sources:-


    1. Basic State Pension.
    2. State Earnings Related Pension Scheme (SERPS).
    3. State Second Pension (S2P).
    4. Current occupational scheme, or
    5. Current Personal Pension (not usually concurrent with an occupational pension scheme).
    6. Benefit earned in a previous occupational scheme, including an in-house AVC scheme (retained benefits).
    7. Benefits from a previous Personal Pension.
    8. Benefits from an AVC or FSAVC.

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