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How cashflow planning turns numbers into possibilities

When you’re making financial decisions, it can feel like you’re faced with indecipherable numbers. You might know how much you have in your bank account or pension, but what does the figure mean for your future? Cashflow planning can turn the numbers into possibilities.

If you feel uncertain about your future after looking at numbers on a spreadsheet, read on to see how cashflow planning could help.

Not understanding your finances could place your future at risk

It’s easy to make assumptions or use guesswork when you’re trying to understand your long-term finances. After all, it’s often complicated.

Take your pension, for example, when you’re calculating your retirement income. Not only do you need to consider its current value, but you might also need to include:

The contributions you and your employer are making
Compounding investment performance over decades
The income you want in retirement and how it might change
How long your pension will need to provide an income
The effect of inflation on your income needs in retirement.

Using guesswork could mean your expectations for retirement don’t align with reality.

If you’ve incorrectly calculated that you can take a greater income, you could face a shortfall later in life. Alternatively, lack of clarity might mean you miss out on opportunities that were within reach because you’re being more frugal than necessary.

It can be difficult to understand what will be possible in the long term, or what effect the decisions you make today will have on your future.

Cashflow planning takes the numbers and creates a dynamic picture

The numbers are an important part of cashflow planning, but the output could be more useful. When working with your financial planner, you can use cashflow planning to create a dynamic picture of your wealth and how it might change.

To start, you’ll need to input the details the cashflow plan will use. This might include the value of your assets and spending habits. You can then make assumptions based on your circumstances, such as what investment returns you can expect each year.

The result is a visual model of how your wealth might change throughout your life.

It’s important to note that the result of cashflow planning cannot be guaranteed. However, it can provide valuable insight into how to use your assets and offer peace of mind.

Once you have created a tailored cashflow plan, it’s time to explore possibilities.

Cashflow planning lets you “test drive” different possibilities

Your cashflow plan can help you take control of your future by allowing you to “test drive” different options to understand what’s right for you.

Let’s go back to your retirement plans. At the moment, you might plan to work until you’re 60 and draw a modest income. A cashflow model could let you see the effect of retiring earlier or withdrawing a larger income at the start of retirement to tick off some of the bucket-list items you’ve always wanted to do.

You might find you’re able to achieve far more in retirement than you expected.

Cashflow planning can be useful at other life stages as well. You might use it to assess the effect of taking a sabbatical to explore the world in your 40s, or to see if you’re in a position to cover private school fees for your family.

Your cashflow plan can also be useful when you want to stress test your financial circumstances.

If you’re worried about how you’d cope should you need to take an extended period off work, or how the inheritance you leave for loved ones might be affected if you need support later in life, a cashflow plan could show you the effect. With this information, you can take steps to protect your plans.

By understanding all the possibilities and how to reach your goals, you might be able to achieve dreams you previously thought were out of reach.

While cashflow planning incorporates the numbers you see in your accounts, it’s about finding out how you might use your wealth to live the life you want.

Get in touch

Please contact us to discuss how we could work together to understand what’s possible for your future and how you might use your wealth to achieve it.

Please note: This blog is for general information only and does not constitute financial advice, which should be based on your individual circumstances. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

A pension is a long-term investment not normally accessible until 55 (57 from April 2028). The fund value may fluctuate and can go down, which would have an impact on the level of pension benefits available. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances. Thresholds, percentage rates, and tax legislation may change in subsequent Finance Acts.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate cashflow planning.

Phasing into retirement: 5 essential financial considerations

Phasing into retirement: The emotional and financial benefits

Last month, you read about how retirement is changing, with almost half of workers aged over 50 exploring phasing into retirement. There are plenty of reasons why more people are considering a gradual retirement, including the emotional and financial benefits this option could offer.

A gradual retirement could help you retain a sense of purpose and social life

When thinking about retirement challenges, most people focus on having enough to live on for the rest of their lives. The emotional challenges may be overlooked.

Retirement is a significant milestone and can change your lifestyle completely. If you retire on a set date, you may go from a fixed routine to the freedom to spend your time however you wish within a single day. While that might sound like bliss and something you’ve been looking forward to, it’s not uncommon to struggle with it initially.

An October 2017 survey by the Centre for Ageing Better and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation found that 20% of UK adults who had retired within five years said they found the change difficult.

Those planning to retire within five years of the survey also reported concerns, including:

Feeling bored (33%)
Missing social connections from work (32%)
Losing their purpose (24%)
Feeling lonely (17%)

Age UK research from December 2024 further demonstrates the challenges some retirees face. It found that 7% of people aged over 65 – the equivalent of around 940,000 people – often feel lonely.

Phasing into retirement could help you retain your sense of purpose and social circle while benefiting from more free time to pursue your passions or simply enjoy a slower pace of life.

Phasing into retirement could support your long-term finances

There are two key reasons why taking a gradual approach to retirement could be beneficial from a financial perspective.

First, if you’re still earning an income, you might not need to draw money from your pension or deplete other assets. As a result, you’ll have more to fund your lifestyle once you give up work completely.

In some cases, your salary will be lower when you’re phasing into retirement, so you might take an income from your pension to supplement it. While you’d be reducing the value of your pension, it’s likely to be at a slower rate than if you weren’t working at all.

Second, you may opt to continue contributing to your pension while you’re transitioning. Again, this could mean your pension is larger when you need to cover more of your expenses in the future.

It’s important to note that if you take a flexible income from your pension, the amount you can contribute tax-efficiently could fall to just £10,000 in the 2025/26 tax year under the Money Purchase Annual Allowance. If you plan to contribute to your pension as you phase into retirement, we can help you assess how to do so tax-efficiently.

Managing your finances if you’re gradually retiring can be complex. You might be juggling multiple incomes, and you’ll also need to consider how your decisions could affect your long-term security.

Working with your financial planner to create a cashflow model can provide clarity. It’s a useful tool that could help you assess the effect of your decisions, so you can feel confident about your finances.

For example, you might use a cashflow model to see if you have enough in your pension to halt contributions earlier than planned so you can phase into retirement. Or you could see how the value of your pension will change if you withdraw £20,000 annually for five years to supplement your salary before taking an annual income of £40,000 when you stop working.

While the results of a cashflow model cannot be guaranteed, it does provide useful insight to help you make informed decisions about retirement or other financial matters.

Contact us to discuss your retirement plan

We can help you create a retirement plan that reflects your lifestyle goals, including phasing into retirement. Please get in touch to discuss the next chapter of your life.

Next month, read about some important financial considerations if you’re planning to phase into retirement, such as when to access your State Pension and how to manage tax liability.

Please do not act based on anything you might read in this article. All contents are based on our understanding of HMRC legislation, which is subject to change.

The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances. Thresholds, percentage rates, and tax legislation may change in subsequent Finance Acts.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate cashflow modelling.

How the benefits of your financial plan go beyond you to your family

The difficult but important estate planning conversations to have with your family

An estate plan sets out how you’d like your assets to be managed and distributed during your life and when you pass away. It often involves thinking about difficult topics, such as what your funeral preferences or who you’d like to receive heirloom possessions.

Once you’ve created an estate plan, it can be tempting to put it to the back of your mind.

However, both you and your loved ones could benefit from discussing the contents of your estate plan. While these topics can be challenging and emotional to bring up, they could be a valuable way for you and your family to align on your understanding and expectations.

Here are three conversations you might want to have with your loved ones about your estate.

1. How your assets will be distributed when you pass away

Many people decide not to share how their estate will be distributed when they pass away. According to a September 2025 article from FTAdviser, 36% of UK adults don’t know what their parents’ inheritance plans are.

There are several reasons why you might choose to discuss the contents of your will.

One key reason is that it can help your loved ones effectively plan their own long-term finances. Understanding what they’ll inherit could allow them to make informed decisions.

For example, if your child is expecting a substantial inheritance, they might plan to rely on it for retirement rather than contributing to a pension. If the expected inheritance doesn’t materialise, they could face hardship later in life. By being aware of your wishes, they could take steps now to ensure they’re able to retire comfortably.

Another reason to have an open discussion is that it could reduce the chance of your will being contested.

An April 2025 article from Today’s Wills & Probate noted there was a 5% increase in contested wills reaching the courtroom between 2022 and 2023.

Speaking to your loved ones now gives you a chance to explain your wishes, reduce the risk of someone feeling blindsided, and address potential disputes.

2. Your Inheritance Tax position

If your estate may be liable for Inheritance Tax (IHT), it can be valuable to discuss the potential bill and any steps you’ve taken to mitigate it – especially if a family member will act as your executor.

Loved ones may be uncertain about IHT and how it might affect their inheritance. Having a discussion now about your IHT position could put their mind at ease.

Your chosen executor will be responsible for handling your estate, including selling assets, such as property or investments, and reporting the value of your estate to HMRC. They will also be responsible for paying IHT on behalf of the estate. Consequently, gaining a clear understanding of your tax strategy could make the process less stressful and ensure that any steps you’ve taken to reduce the bill aren’t overlooked.

3. Your wishes if you lose mental capacity

Your estate plan isn’t only about how you’ll pass on assets, but how you’d like your affairs to be managed if you’re unable to oversee them later in life.

Thinking about losing mental capacity can be emotional, but talking about your wishes can provide your loved ones with valuable guidance.

As part of your estate plan, you might give someone you trust Power of Attorney (POA), which would give them the power to make decisions on your behalf.

There are two types of POA, covering financial affairs and your health and wellbeing. You might want to talk to loved ones about topics like:

Your preferences if you need care later in life
Where your assets are held and how they should be managed
Under what circumstances you would prefer to receive life-sustaining treatment.

Your financial planner can help you tackle estate planning conversations

You don’t have to tackle these difficult conversations alone. Sometimes, having an impartial third-party present could be useful.

For example, we can be on hand to answer your family’s questions about acting as an attorney, managing an inheritance effectively to reflect their goals, or understanding how assets will be distributed to minimise potential disputes.

While having discussions about your wishes for later in life or when you pass away can be challenging, they can provide clarity for both you and your family. Please get in touch if you’d like to talk to us about your estate plan.

Please do not act based on anything you might read in this article. All contents are based on our understanding of HMRC legislation, which is subject to change.

The Financial Conduct Authority doesn’t regulate will writing, Power of Attorney, Inheritance Tax planning or estate planning.

How financial planning could give you the confidence to spend more

Why successful investing starts with your mindset, not the markets

Investment market update: September 2025

There were ups and downs for investors during September 2025, with disappointing economic data dampening the market at times. However, some positive outcomes also emerged. Read on to find out what might have influenced your investment portfolio’s recent performance.

Investors turn to gold as market uncertainty continues in September 2025

The price of gold reached a record high of $3,508.50 (£2,600) an ounce on 2 September. Gold is often viewed as a “safe” asset, so the rising value could signal that investors are feeling nervous about the outlook for the equity market.

As gold prices rose, markets in the UK, Europe, and the US declined.

On 2 September, the FTSE 100 fell 0.43%. Among the biggest losers were retailers Marks & Spencer (-3.6%) and Sainsbury’s (-2.5%), and housebuilders Taylor Wimpey (-3.4%) and Barratt Redrow (-2.5%).

Similarly, key indices fell in Europe and the US, including Germany’s DAX (-1%), Spain’s IBEX (-0.9%), Italy’s FTSE MIB (-0.9%), and the US’s S&P 500 (-1.2%).

Shares in airlines tumbled on 4 September after Jet2 told investors it expected earnings this year to be on the lower end of forecasts. The announcement sent the company’s shares down 14% and had a knock-on effect on other airlines, including easyJet (-4.2%) and IAG (-2.3%).

Rising tensions between Russia and Europe led to defence company BAE Systems’ share price rising 2.9% on 11 September. The jump made the company the biggest riser on the FTSE 100, which gained 0.37%.

On 11 September, hopes that the US Federal Reserve would cut interest rates lifted the major Wall Street indices, including the Dow Jones (0.5%) and S&P 500 (0.25%).

Then, on 24 September, after President Donald Trump said that Nato aircraft should shoot down Russian aircraft entering its airspace, European defence stocks jumped. The two biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were Babcock International (1.9%) and BAE Systems (1.5%). Other companies whose share prices increased included France’s Thales (1.7%), Germany’s Rheinmetall (1.4%), and Italy’s Leonardo (2.8%).

After signs that the US trade war had eased in August, Trump unveiled new tariffs on 26 September.

From 1 October, medicines and pharmaceutical goods will face a 100% tariff when entering the US. Unsurprisingly, this caused shares in firms within this sector to fall, including AstraZeneca (-1.4%). The US will also impose tariffs of between 25% and 50% on other goods, including heavy-duty trucks and kitchen cabinets.

UK

Official data for July showed GDP was unchanged from the previous month.

The inflation rate for the 12 months to August was 3.8%, prompting the Bank of England to keep interest rates static.

UK borrowing costs reached a 27-year high in September due to higher interest rates on national debt. The additional cost ate into the headroom available in the November Budget, placing pressure on the chancellor, who reportedly needs to plug a £50 billion gap in the public finances.

The effect of Trump’s trade war was also visible in the figures released in September. According to the Office for National Statistics, the trade deficit widened by £400 million to £10.3 billion in the three months to July 2025.

Data from S&P Global’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), an economic indicator, painted a weak picture for the manufacturing sector. The PMI reading was 47 in August (readings above 50 indicate growth). This was the 11th consecutive month the PMI remained below 50.

However, the PMI data wasn’t all negative. The service sector hit a 16-month high in August 2025 with a reading of 54.2. Encouragingly, sales to the EU and US rose, which could suggest long-term growth.

Technology investors welcomed the news that US tech giant Nvidia pledged to invest £2 billion in UK firms, which could boost the sector.

Europe

Inflation across the eurozone was 2.1% in the 12 months to August 2025, only slightly above the European Central Bank’s (ECB) target of 2%. Cyprus recorded the lowest inflation rate at 0%, while Romania had the highest rate at 8.5%.

The ECB raised its eurozone growth forecast for this year to 1.25%, up from 0.9% in June. However, it tempered this rise with a slightly lower forecast of 1% for 2026.

The bloc also received other positive news. HCOB’s eurozone manufacturing PMI was 50.7 in August, a 14-month high. Meanwhile, unemployment dipped to a record low of 6.2% in July, according to data from Eurostat.

The European Commission’s economic sentiment tracker improved in September, suggesting greater confidence in the outlook after the EU struck a trade deal with the US.

This month also saw an interesting initial public offering for investors. Swedish fintech company Klarna is set to debut on the New York Stock Exchange with a value of more than $14 billion (£10.9 billion).

US

US inflation continued to be above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target at 2.9% in the 12 months to August 2025. This was partly due to businesses passing on the cost of tariffs to consumers.

The data led to the Federal Reserve cutting the interest rate by 25 basis points, and economists expect further cuts before year-end.

Job data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics may suggest that businesses aren’t feeling confident enough to hire new employees. The US economy added only 22,000 new jobs in August, well below the expected 75,000.

Alphabet, Google’s parent company, reached a new high on 15 September after shares increased by almost 4%, pushing its value to $3 trillion (£2.2 trillion) for the first time.

News was less positive for Tesla. The company’s share of the US electric vehicle market fell to 38%, down from more than 80% at its peak, amid rising competition.

Asia

The effects of Trump’s trade war were evident in official figures from China.

Chinese export growth slowed to a six-month low in August. Exports increased by 4.4% year-on-year, down from 7.2% in the previous month. Shipments to the US fell 33%, and a 22.2% rise in exports to Southeast Asian nations wasn’t enough to offset the decline.

The value of your investments (and any income from them) can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Investments should be considered over the longer term and should fit in with your overall attitude to risk and financial circumstances.

3 reasons why pension consolidation could boost your retirement income

Increasingly, UK savers are losing track of their pensions. In October 2024, research by Pensions UK found that the total value of lost pension pots had risen by 60% since 2018.

Losing track of your pensions can be costly. Across the 3.3 million pension pots considered lost, the average fund value is £9,470 – rising to £13,620 for those aged 55 to 75.

By consolidating multiple workplace and private pensions into fewer schemes – or even just one – you could make it easier to track and manage your retirement savings. Additionally, bringing multiple pots together may help you grow your funds more efficiently and reduce your administration fees.

Generally, you can consolidate any defined contribution (DC) schemes, regardless of whether they are workplace or private pensions. However, pension consolidation may not always be appropriate, with a variety of fees, rules, and the potential loss of benefits to consider.

Read on to discover three reasons why pension consolidation could boost your retirement income, and when consolidation might not be appropriate.

1. It’s often easier to manage your pensions and calculate whether you’re on track

By bringing more of your pension pots together under one provider with a single set of rules, features, and benefits, you may be able to simplify your pension management.

According to an August 2022 study from Standard Life, the average person in the UK changes jobs every five years. As a result, people often accumulate multiple workplace pensions throughout their working life – making it easy to lose track over the years.

With fewer pension providers, policy details, and fund values to keep track of, you can reduce the administrative burden of managing multiple pensions. This helps you maintain a clear view of your total retirement funds and monitor how well your investments are performing, while reducing the risk of losing money in forgotten pots.

With a greater understanding of how much you currently have, you can more easily determine how much you need to grow your funds to achieve your retirement goals.

2. Your money could have higher growth potential if it’s all invested in one place

Generally, investment options vary from one pension to another. While some older pensions may be limited to investment funds managed by the provider, others could offer a wider choice and more flexibility for you to decide where your pension is invested.

Some schemes may perform better than others, delivering a higher rate of return on your pension savings. Additionally, having a larger pot may present more investment opportunities, with some requiring a minimum investment size.

Plus, since your investment returns compound over time, consolidating your pensions could enable them to grow more quickly.

Indeed, by moving more of your funds into a pension that offers potentially higher returns, you could accelerate your pension’s growth. According to HM Treasury in May 2025, the average earner could boost their retirement savings by £6,000 through consolidating their funds.

3. You might pay reduced fees

When you have several pension pots, you could unnecessarily pay duplicate fees. Each scheme generally comes with varying administrative charges, ranging from less than 0.5% to more than 1% of your fund. Typically, older pensions are likely to have higher fees.

While individual fees may sometimes appear nominal, the amount you’re charged is likely to grow as time passes and your fund value increases. Considering you could be paying such fees across multiple schemes and over several years, the total charges paid over your lifetime can be significant.

However, some schemes may also charge an exit fee. For pensions set up before 31 March 2017, you could be charged up to 10% of your fund. If you set up your scheme after this date, or are aged 55 or over, exit fees are capped at 1%.

As a result, consolidating your pension pots can boost your retirement savings by reducing your costs. However, choosing which plan to transfer your funds into requires careful consideration.

The benefits of pension consolidation depend on your circumstances

Consolidation isn’t appropriate for everyone. In some cases, partial consolidation can be a good option, whereby you bring some of your funds together while leaving other pots separate. For some people, consolidation might not be necessary at all.

Smaller pension pots

If you have pots worth less than £10,000 and plan to withdraw from them before retirement, it could be worth leaving them separate from your other funds because of the “small pots exemption”.

As of 2025/26, you can generally draw down up to three of these pots in your lifetime without triggering the Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA). This allowance permanently reduces the amount you can pay into your pension tax-efficiently from £60,000 to £10,000 a year.

Defined benefit schemes

If you have a defined benefit (DB) pension, consolidation is unlikely to be a sensible option. Unlike DC schemes, DB pensions generally offer a guaranteed retirement income based on your salary and years of service with your employer.

In fact, you may be required to seek advice from a qualified financial adviser before transferring funds out of a DB scheme that contains over £30,000.

Your current workplace pension

If you and your employer are still contributing to a workplace pension, it may be worth keeping that scheme open. By closing it to consolidate with other funds, you’ll likely surrender your employer contributions, which may prove significant over time.

Protecting scheme benefits

In some cases, your pension schemes may offer valuable guarantees or benefits that are more common with older schemes, such as:

Guaranteed annuity rates
The ability to access your funds before age 55, although this is rare
Flexible ways to take retirement or death benefits.

If it’s not possible to consolidate your other pensions into your preferred scheme – for example, if your employer is contributing to a different pot – it might be worth leaving your funds where they are.

It’s often worth seeking advice before consolidating

While pension consolidation may deliver a range of administrative and financial benefits, creating a strategy for bringing multiple pots together can be complex.

There are a variety of rules, fees, benefits, investment opportunities, and personal factors to consider before consolidating. In fact, in September 2025 IFA Magazine reported that poorly informed pension transfers made in the year to 30 June 2025 may have cost savers £1.7 billion.

By seeking guidance from a qualified financial planner, you could help determine the most effective consolidation strategy for your needs and circumstances. Get in touch to learn more about how we can support you in boosting your retirement funds.

All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.

Please do not act based on anything you might read in this article. All contents are based on our understanding of HMRC legislation, which is subject to change.

The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances. Thresholds, percentage rates, and tax legislation may change in subsequent Finance Acts.

Workplace pensions are regulated by The Pensions Regulator.

Your pension income could also be affected by the interest rates at the time you take your benefits. The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances, tax legislation, and regulation, which are subject to change in the future.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate tax planning.

Trick or treat: The “tricks” a financial plan could help you avoid

Taking control of your finances can be frightful. Complex rules that are easy to overlook could mean you fall for a “trick” when making financial decisions this Halloween, but a tailored financial plan could help you avoid falling for them.

Here are five financial “tricks” that you might overlook when managing your money, and what you can do to turn them into a “treat”.

1. Exceeding the Personal Savings Allowance could mean you pay tax on your savings

When you think of what you pay Income Tax on, it’s probably your salary that comes to mind. Yet, one “trick” you might fall for is the other sources of income that could be liable for tax, including the interest your savings earn.

How much you can receive in interest before Income Tax is due depends on the rate of Income Tax you pay:

Basic-rate taxpayers: £1,000
Higher-rate taxpayers: £500
Additional-rate taxpayers: £0

This means you could face an unexpected tax bill if you’re not monitoring how much interest you receive.

If you’re not already using your full ISA allowance, which is £20,000 in 2025/26, moving some of your savings into an ISA could be a simple way to reduce how much tax you pay. There might be other steps that are suitable for you as part of your wider financial plan.

2. The 60% tax trap that could affect high earners

Becoming a high earner offers greater financial freedom. However, it can also make your tax position more complex and even mean you effectively pay Income Tax at a rate of 60%.

While there isn’t an official tax rate of 60% on earnings, your Personal Allowance starts to reduce when you earn more than £100,000. For every £2 you earn above £100,000, you lose £1 of your Personal Allowance. In 2025/26, this means you lose all of the Personal Allowance if you’re earning £125,140 or more.

As a result, you’re effectively taxed at 60% on income between £100,000 and £125,140. According to a December 2024 article in the Financial Times, the number of people affected by this tax trap increased by 45% between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

The good news is there might be ways to turn this “trick” into a “treat”. For example, increasing your pension contributions could reduce your tax liability while boosting your retirement savings.

3. Higher- and additional-rate taxpayers could be missing out on pension tax relief

One of the reasons saving for retirement in a pension is financially savvy is that your contributions receive tax relief. This means the Income Tax you’d have paid on your contribution is added to your pension.

Assuming your contributions don’t exceed the Annual Allowance, you can receive tax relief at the highest rate of Income Tax you pay. However, while tax relief at the basic rate (20%) might be added to your pension automatically, you won’t receive the full amount you’re entitled to if you’re a higher- or additional-rate taxpayer.

Indeed, according to a March 2025 article in CityAM, 46% of high-income individuals who have a personal pension do not claim their full pension tax relief and, collectively, could have missed out on around £1.3 billion of pension contributions between 2016 and 2021.

Turning this “trick” into a “treat” is relatively straightforward. You need to claim the additional amount by completing a Self-Assessment tax form.

4. Accessing your pension could reduce your Annual Allowance

Usually, you can access your money held in your pension from age 55 (rising to 57 in 2027). As a result, some people withdraw a portion of their pension savings before they’re ready to fully retire.

However, if you take a flexible income from your pension, you could reduce how much you can tax-efficiently contribute. In 2025/26, the Annual Allowance is £60,000. This reduces to just £10,000 if you trigger the Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA).

If you’d planned to continue contributing to your pension, the MPAA could mean you need to reduce how much you contribute, which may affect your long-term income.

Making pension withdrawals part of your financial plan could mean you’re well-informed and avoid unexpected complications.

5. Gifted assets could still form part of your estate and affect your Inheritance Tax liability

With a standard rate of 40%, Inheritance Tax (IHT) could significantly reduce what you leave behind for loved ones if the total value of your estate exceeds certain thresholds. So, you might simply think about handing assets to your beneficiaries during your lifetime, but gifts aren’t always immediately outside of your estate for IHT purposes.

Indeed, some gifts to individuals can be included in your estate for up to seven years after they are given, and are known as “potentially exempt transfers”. While the rate of tax applied to these gifts gradually decreases over time, it could still mean your estate faces a larger IHT bill than you or your loved ones might expect.

The good news is there are often ways to reduce your estate’s IHT liability, and ensure your beneficiaries receive a “treat”. An estate plan could help you assess how and when to pass on wealth to your family.

Contact us to talk about avoiding “tricks” in your financial plan

If you’d like to work with us to create a financial plan that helps you avoid “tricks”, please get in touch.

Please do not act based on anything you might read in this article. All contents are based on our understanding of HMRC legislation, which is subject to change.

The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances. Thresholds, percentage rates, and tax legislation may change in subsequent Finance Acts.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate estate planning.