Basically, Personal Pensions are pensions where you can either make monthly or lump sum payments via a pension provider. They are there to build up a tax efficient pot that by the time you get to retire would pay out an income. The amount of income you receive depends on how much you have paid into your pension over the years, how well the fund’s investments have performed and when you decide to retire.

The value of pensions and the income they produce can fall as well as rise. You may get back less than you invested.

Tax treatment varies according to individual circumstances and is subject to change.

These type of pensions can be suitable for when you are employed but not yet in a company pension or as an addition to a company pension scheme.

Pension providers claim tax relief at the basic rate and add it to your fund. Another tax benefit of a personal pension is that upon retirement, your pension fund will generally allow you to take a 25% tax free cash lump sum.

If you find out your pension fund is under-performing, at least certainly on a long term basis, you should consider changing to a different fund. If you are going to switch, get advice, don’t base your decision on short term performance, other factors such as charges need to be considered. Find out what’s available to you and if you are unhappy with the performance of your fund options, consider moving your pension to a different provider.

Your pension provider should be sending you annual statements, telling you how much your fund is worth and what you are expected to receive in retirement. Often these are not sent or received and even when they are, they can be confusing to understand.

Our Pension Tracing Service includes an explanation of your pensions FREEof charge. We take the jargon and turn this into easy, everyday language helping you to understand how your funds are performing