Pension Investments for the End of the Tax Year
10/03/2010
on: Financial World, Help, Money Making
Wherever you are with your retirement plans, do not be swayed from taking action, it s not too late. There are still steps you can take to improve the pension amount you ll receive when you finish working.
Pensions are a very tax-efficient way to save. If you already have a pension, now would be a very good time to contact us about making a single premium investment to improve it, especially as the end of tax year is quickly emerging, or starting a self invested personal pension to improve your options. You will not have to take all your pensions at the same time.
If you are self employed, you can contribute up to 100 per cent of the value of your applicable UK earnings (salary and other earnings), up to a maximum of 245,000 for the 2009/10 tax yr rising to 255,000 for the tax yr 2010/11. Contributions above this yearly limit are granted but will be taxed. You can contribute into any no. of pension schemes (personal and/or company) each year.
You ll obtain tax relief on your contributions, so if you are a forty % tax payer a 20,000 investment would cost just 12,000. Basic rate tax relief is supplied by the government to all contributions at a rate of twenty%.
Forty percent tax payers can obtain up to a further 20% tax relief via self assessment. If you earn more than 150,000 you will see the tax relief on your pensions cut from April 2011, tapering from 40 to 20 per cent for those earning more than 180,000. Wage Earners beneath 130,000 will not be impacted.
There s a lifetime limit on the size of your pension savings, which is presently £1.75m in the tax yr 2009/10 but rises to £1.8m for the 2010/11 tax year. If your pot passes this, you ll incur tax charges of 55 % if the excess gains are taken as a lump sum and 25 % if taken as regular income. The income will then be subject to income tax at your highest rate.
From 6/4/10, the age at which you can start drawing your pension rises to fifty five. If you need to, pension benefits can be postponed until you are up to 75 yrs old. You might still be able to take your pension before age 55 in some circumstances, for example if you retire through ill-health.
Consilium Asset Management Ltd offer pension advice and retirement planning advice.
The value of investments and the income from them can go down as well as up and you may not get back your original investment. Past performance is not an indication of future performance. Tax benefits may vary as a result of statutory change and their value will depend on individual circumstances. Thresholds, percentage rates and tax legislation may change in subsequent finance acts.
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