Retirement Planning | Ross Naylor

What is an international SIPP?

A Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) can be a low cost, flexible and straightforward way to save for your retirement. It allows you to take control of how your pension funds are managed by providing access to a wide range of different investments.

Should politics influence your retirement plan?

It is hard to avoid politics these days. Whether it is Brexit, Trump, BLM or the merits of how different governments have responded to the pandemic, the political coverage is relentless. With widely polarised opinions and 24-hour news reporting, it is natural to wonder whether political considerations belong in your retirement plan.

Retirement planning lessons for expats from Robert de Niro

According to an article in the magazine Page 6, even Robert de Niro’s finances have been affected by COVID19. The issue is his stake in the restaurant and hotel chain Nobu. Obviously, their venues have been closed or partially closed for months with barely any business coming in. This has dealt a big blow to his finances. According to his lawyer, Caroline Krauss, Nobu lost $3 million in April and another $1.87 million in May.

Pension access options for expats who are considering retirement

If you are an expat of age 55 or older and you are unsure about how to access your retirement savings, then the good news is there are a number of options open to you. There is certainly a lot more flexibility in this respect than when I first started advising British expats on their retirement options 20 years ago. However, alongside greater freedom in how you access your pension comes the need to make an informed decision as to…

European Commission Pension Scheme – 10 year rule and transfer options

There is a pension scheme available for those working for the various EU entities. It is a Defined Benefit scheme. This means that when you retire, you are guaranteed an income, based on your length of service, until you die. In addition, if you pass away before your partner, they will receive a reduced monthly payment, known as a Survivor’s Pension, until they die.

Can I afford to retire?

You may be keen to start learning new skills and exploring the world. Alternatively, as an expat, you may have had enough exploring the world and may be keen to settle in one place. You may have lost your job or may need to stop working due to health reasons. Or you may need to retire in order to care for loved ones. Whatever your reason, the question that you have on your mind is “can I afford to retire?”.

Should I accept a Pension Increase Exchange? The pros and cons of PIE offers

With many of the UK’s biggest private-sector employers struggling with pension deficits, growing numbers have approached their workforces with pension increase exchange offers. These proposals, also known as PIE offers, are deals to buy out some of the inflation proofing on your future pensions, in exchange for a bigger starting, but flat, income.

How to claim UK State Pension in Poland

If you have been making social security (ZUS) payments here in Poland, then you need to claim your UK state pension here too. If you have not made social security payments in Poland, then you will need to claim your pension through the International Pensions Centre in the UK.

Expat pensions after Brexit – What can we expect?

For better or worse, we now know that Brexit is definitely going to happen (or has already happened if you are reading this after 31st January 2020). As a result, I want to look at how expat pensions might be affected now that Brexit “is done”. In particular, I will review the potential implications for expats who have UK pensions and who have already retired or plan to retire in the EEA.

Expat retirement planning: Beware the silent assassin

Are you in danger of letting your expat retirement plans fall prey to a financial assassin? It is always prudent to have a reasonable amount of cash on deposit to cover emergencies and short term expenses. However, having too much of your portfolio in cash can lead to, at the least, a loss of purchasing power in retirement and at the worst, you running out of money in later life. Why? Due to inflation.

What does good expat financial advice look like?

Have you ever wondered what proper financial planning for retirement looks like? Before answering that question, let’s start with another. Do you actually need a financial adviser? A strange question to see on a financial adviser’s blog, right? You could be forgiven for thinking that my answer may be ever-so-slightly conflicted.

Are you making the most of your employer pension?

If you are one of the more fortunate expats that retain membership of an employer pension scheme, it is possible that you are not taking full advantage of the benefits that are on offer. You see, the way a typical pension works is that staff pay a fixed percentage of their wage into the scheme and then the employer pays in as well.