Whether you are an employer or an employee, a business owner or self-employed, we can talk you through your options and help you find the best retirement planning options for you. 

If you are just starting your career, we can help you lay the groundwork for a comfortable retirement many years from now. If you are midway through your working life, we can help make sure your plans remain the most appropriate for you. Even if you are a little older and you think you have left things too late, we can help you. 

Our advice as financial planners over the past decade has helped people across Norwich & Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and further afield – and we are here to help you, too. Simply contact us today.

Do you need financial advice for retirement planning?

Is saving into a pension worth it? 

Yes, absolutely. Although the whole concept of retirement planning might sound dry and dull, a pension simply refers to how you will fund your later life. You won’t want your income to stop when your work stops, and a pension is a way of ensuring that doesn’t happen. 

The good news is that saving relatively small amounts during your working life can result in a comfortable retirement, allowing you to enjoy many of the things that you are looking forward to doing. 

Why is retirement planning important? 

Although it’s tempting when you are young to think of retirement as something you don’t need to think about for a long time, there’s no point waiting until the last minute before investing in your later years.

You won’t want (or be able) to work forever, and life expectancy is on an upward trend. This means more people are living longer in retirement than they were a few decades ago. The state pension can help, but if you want to enjoy your retirement then you need to make sure you have additional plans in place to fund it. 

The earlier you start to think about it, the more options you have – and the greater the chances of having a comfortable time once you leave the world of work. 

Saving into a pension is also tax-efficient, which allows more of your money to work for you rather than for HMRC. 

What income will I need in retirement? 

This varies from person to person, and depends on a host of factors. Do you have a family or other dependants? Will your retirement dreams cost you a lot of money to fulfil? What are your other assets? Are you expecting to receive the full state pension? All these questions – and more – will affect what you will want to receive from your pension. 

Is it ever too late to save for retirement? 

Although the earlier you start thinking about a pension the better, it’s never the wrong time to think about your retirement plan – even later during your career. So if you haven’t already got a pension in place, or if you are worried that your existing plans are going to be insufficient to meet your needs, it’s never too late to sit down and try to maximise your benefits. 

Are pensions safe?

Yes. The state pension is provided by the government, so you can be confident that you’ll get what you have been promised (although the starting date is occasionally moved as people’s expected retirement dates change). Meanwhile, legislation surrounding private pension provision has been tightened over the years, meaning there are several levels of protection in place should a pension provider or your employer go bust.

Why should I take financial advice? 

The pensions landscape can seem like a minefield, with so many options and different products available. By taking advice from a trusted expert, you will have someone to explain what your options are.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to retirement planning, so you need bespoke guidance to help you achieve your aims. And using an adviser or a wealth manager to look after your growing pension pot provides flexibility – you have someone to look after you if your situation or ambitions change, and to keep an eye on the ever-developing regulatory landscape. 

What are the risks of not planning for retirement? 

Although the provision of the state pension is backed by the government, it doesn’t mean the same deal will be available for future generations. Private provision could become even more important than it is today. 

If you fail to plan ahead and just take your chances, you could find yourself struggling to get by – let alone fund the travel, hobbies and other things you would like to do in retirement.

Now is the best time to begin planning for your retirement.

As soon as you start saving, your money is working hard to provide you with the financial support you will need during your later years – and despite the continual increase in the statutory retirement age, you might have several decades of retired life to fund. 

Because everyone is different, our expert advice is tailored to you. It will focus on your personal situation, your long-term requirements and your retirement aspirations, and it will be as flexible as you need it to be. 

We are here to guide you through the maze of jargon and terminology, and help you put together the right plan based on your personal circumstances. 

Speak to us today about the full range of advice and services we offer covering all aspects of retirement planning. Our knowledge, expertise and attention to detail can help you maximise your opportunities for the years ahead.

The value of an investment with St. James's Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds you select and the value can therefore go down as well as up. You may get back less than you invested.

The levels and bases of taxation and reliefs from taxation can change at any time. The value of any tax relief depends on individual circumstances.

SIPPs tend to have higher costs than a standard pension and are generally only suitable for fairly experienced investors. 

Frequently asked questions