• We'd like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas from all at Golf Monthly. Thank you for sharing your 2025 with us!

Investments - Strategies, Ideas, Options & advice

I know many dont agree about 100k not being enough esp in London.. The tax slabs are mad.
 
yes - Rachel from accounts chnaged the rules in the budget so that from April 2027 (i think that is the date) pension pots will be included in inheritance tax
I'm gonna deplete mine. My pension pot is just that - for me and my Mrs to see us through - funding as comfortable and enjoyable a lifestyle as its can. My kids can look after themselves once we've gone - we've done plenty for them so far, and will continue to support them as best we can. Whatever happens to what is left after we depart makes no difference to me - my pension fund will have done its job.
 
I'm gonna deplete mine. My pension pot is just that - for me and my Mrs to see us through. My kids can look after themselves once we've gone - we've done plenty for them so far, and will continue to support them as best we can. Whatever is left after we depart makes no difference to me - my pension fund will have done its job.

I always told our respective parents that their last penny puts them in the ground. They earned it, so they should enjoy it. Like you, we’ve supported the kids, even helping buy houses and pay for major car repairs etc. They know that they’ll get the house and a few grand to split between them but we’re partying now.
 
I always told our respective parents that their last penny puts them in the ground. They earned it, so they should enjoy it. Like you, we’ve supported the kids, even helping buy houses and pay for major car repairs etc. They know that they’ll get the house and a few grand to split between them but we’re partying now.
Though I have to say that my Mrs views things slightly differently...our son's life is a bit chaotic, despite his best efforts, and she frets about him so.
 
I know many dont agree about 100k not being enough esp in London.. The tax slabs are mad.

the tax system is broken and needs radical reform. simplify it massively, slim down the million of pages of tax code and Bureaucracy and cut costs of using it and administering it will help everyone. The tax trap at 100-125k is madness. As are the other traps around tax credits/ child benefit etc
 
the tax system is broken and needs radical reform. simplify it massively, slim down the million of pages of tax code and Bureaucracy and cut costs of using it and administering it will help everyone. The tax trap at 100-125k is madness. As are the other traps around tax credits/ child benefit etc
Looks like it needs a DOGE tear down approach .... oh hang on..
 
I had 3 different pots, deliberately kept separate pre-retirement through a desire not to have all the eggs in one basket. Once I decided to retire I got in touch with a few companies to see what they could offer. Obviously they all wanted the pots consolidating, which I didn’t have a problem with. I used that as a bargaining chip. I also shared the offers with the competing companies.

End result; the final offer was a massive 24% up on the original offer as they reduced their commissions/management fee. And I’ve kept one pot separate so that I can have a play with the market, though avoiding high risk investments.

Though the above isn’t very detailed, anecdotal really, my advice would be to talk to the companies. They all offer similar products, and are more than helpful as they want your money.

Mines a bit different, I’ve got 6 work pensions from current and previous employers which I would like to condense down to three. One being low risk low return (I assume) which will be the bulk, the current one which sees the normal contributions and then the smaller pots consolidated into a medium/medium or high/high style. Theory being the high/high can be transferred to other funds as and when big growths come in building the more stable long term pots.

Is this something anyone has done, and also how do I go about finding the risk and return factor?

I’m also curious as to whether the plans have the projected return updated daily rather like stock prices.
 
Saw this on socials... without looking at the math, i tend to agree... but it was sad to see that his comments just flamed him. Most focussed on 'no isa gives 8%' but i think it is poor financial education when all you can think of ISA as pure cash deposit. 1756125388079.png
 
Looks like Elon is not being happy that he has been dethroned by Ellison. So he will be on a war path to pump TSLA .. he also wants to ensure he gets his trillion $ payout. So pump baby pump.
 
7-8 weeks until D=day Budget time. Letting cash accumulate a bit in the SIPP. Have to make a call on whether to take the tax free cash prior to the budget. Every logical thought i have says that she will not cut the tax-free amount on the day and that she surely will phase any changes over a prolonged period - but that won't raise much wonga that she needs now. I am on the fence and cannot decide - i think it is criminal that she doesn't at least give a holding statement along the lines of "any changes to tax free pension amounts will, at the earliest, come in after this financial year" - then people don't need to rush and make decisions that they would never make in a hurry on speculation rather than facts
 
7-8 weeks until D=day Budget time. Letting cash accumulate a bit in the SIPP. Have to make a call on whether to take the tax free cash prior to the budget. Every logical thought i have says that she will not cut the tax-free amount on the day and that she surely will phase any changes over a prolonged period - but that won't raise much wonga that she needs now. I am on the fence and cannot decide - i think it is criminal that she doesn't at least give a holding statement along the lines of "any changes to tax free pension amounts will, at the earliest, come in after this financial year" - then people don't need to rush and make decisions that they would never make in a hurry on speculation rather than facts
I'm thinking she won't do anything significant that will kick in the next day...rather she'll announce things with dates for their coming into force that will give us time to do any changes to our finances we may feel worthwhile.
 
I'm thinking she won't do anything significant that will kick in the next day...rather she'll announce things with dates for their coming into force that will give us time to do any changes to our finances we may feel worthwhile.

If she wants to catch more money, it would be with immediate effect. If she gives notice, the vast majority will be moved out of her reach.

If you wanted maximum capture, what would you do?
 
If she wants to catch more money, it would be with immediate effect. If she gives notice, the vast majority will be moved out of her reach.

If you wanted maximum capture, what would you do?

that is the issue! Even if she makes a change from say £268k allowed now to 100k or 40k as advocated by Mr End, her adviser, it will not raise much cash to help with the immediate issues that are completely un-solvable through taxation alone. But i think any negative changes to this should be signposted years in advance - but even say 5 years, that may totally dump on a 52yr old who has 5 years before he can access the pot and has been saving as such for 20 years with the tax-free withdrawl earmarked to pay off his mortgage - many people will be in similar situations. I hope the realisation of this will stop them doing anything but we cannot rely on it. If they had any decency and are not going to change anything overnight then they should say now (indeed they should have siad in last year's budget that it will not change during this 5y term) to stop lots of people likely making the life-changing financial decision of accessing a pot when they otherwise would not have done so if changes were not potentially on the agenda
 
Top